The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1867-05-03

/ gave the old creature what she
wanted, and hurried Cut of the shop
and put up my shutters growing an
grier every moment.
"If it is the policeman III make him
pay dearly for it," | said When l
stood beside the box and saw by the
light OF the lamp close by, that the
ham was wrapped up in something
resembling a handkerchief, l bit my
lips and clenched my hands with RAJ @.
Had it been o common thief ! would
not have minded it so much, but POI
liceman it was more than | could
stand So l crouched myself in
doorway and waited Howas relieved
at II o'clock knew this was the time
when my policeman would come TO
take the ham out Of the box. And
sure enough when the time came |
heard him challenge the man who was
to take his place, and came marching
down to the corner. let him get the
ham well under his arm before / stir
red then l bounced upon him ike
tiger
1--WE got you" cried. az pretty
policeman you arf, butYeg shall suffer
for it, ] can tell you
He struggled with me for moment,
ike wild thing, and then all Of a sud
den dropped tho ham and fell down in
helpless condition.
I'm ruined mani he groaned-
"there is no help for me now. Oh, my
God my wifo-my poor wife J" and he
cried like a woman.
The sight softened me, but 1 was
still angry.
"You should have thought of that
before you became thief" / said
If the guardian of mans property is
not to be trusted, what is to become
of him? You do not seem to be
scoundrel- how have you stopped to
do such disgraceful thing? ?"
He was standing beside me, and the
/ lamplight fell on his face. 1t was as
white rs any corpse and his eyes gilt
tered terribly
"Policemen's families don't very Of
ten starve" said.
"AIy God can't you believe me-
won't you believe me?" painted the
man. Il have only been appointed
three days; l have been i'll long
while, and had neither money or cred
it. Last night we went to bed sup
Professionally there has not been
crust in the house, and those hams
tempted me So. You can never know
how they tempted me, and l meant to
pay you afterwards.
He covered his face with his hands,
and / could see the great tears drip
ping through his fingers.
At last he said do what you like
with me, the last hope is gone"
But put my hand on his arm and
said God forbid that | shall take
the last hope from you. If your story
is trae, ] pity you moe tizm blame
you."
He looked at me as though he
scarcely understood me, and l led him
back to the shop Then l filled his
basket with bread, butter and coffee,
and put ham on top Of all, "Take
it home to your wife, l said Take
it home to your WIFE," l said You'll
pay ne when you get your salary;and
if You are in need before that, come TO
me-
shall never forget that mans face
in all my life so thankful and awe
stricken All he said was, God bless
YOU !" but there was a sermon in those
words.
On Christmas night he paid me ev-
ry cent, and from that day until L left
that neighborhood, he dealt with me
regularly. But times grew so much
better that l took store in n good
street at the other end of the town,
and saw no mole of my policeman for
three years.
One cold night was awakened by
the cry Of fire. l started up to see
the flames through the floor, and to
know that the store was on fire The
stairs were also burning, and as
opened the entry door the hot air and
smoke rushed in and almost smother
&c me. gave up all hope of getting
my wife and dear little ones out of
the burning building alive My blood
ran cold when my wife cltsping her
hands, and with an awful look upon
her face screamed:
"Our little Lucy--our little Lucy is
, in the house.
She slept with the hired girl, and
the woman in her fright had forgotten
her. 1t would be a foolish sacrifice of
life, they said, for no doubt the child
was already smothered by the dense
smoke--and although 1 rayed and
pleaded, and made wild promises, they
shook their heads and babe me have
patience.
Patience / thought that / was go
, ing mad, as the face Of my little girl T
my pretty sweet pet--rose up before
me. But just then tall man dashed
| through the crowd and came toward
, me.
Quick |" he shouted which room
is the child in p
| "The back one--the upper noor," ]
| groaned--and he dashed away from
5 me, parting the throng with strong
: arms. Elm a moment L saw him mount
! the ladder / heard them calling 10
him to come bodybuilding him tc
l beware, and speaking of him as though
5 he was dead man already. But he