St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1868-02-21

the restoration ot his beaver, he haSteneC
IL the sitting room TO see that the bond:
were safe.
Heavens and 'arth : said Ducklow.
The chair. which had been carefully
planted in the spot where they were con,
ccaled. had been removed. Three OF
tour tacks had been taken out and the
carpet pushed from the wall. There
was straw scattered about Evidently
Taddy had been interrupted. in the midst
OF his ransacking hy the alarm of fire.
Indeed. he was even now creeping into
the house 10 see what notice Ducklow
would take of these evidences of his mis-
chief
In great trepidation the farmer thrust
in his hand here and there. and gropcd.
until he found the envelope precisely
where i, had been placed the night be-
fore, with the tape tied around it, which
his wife had put on TO prevent its con-
tents from slipping ont and losing them
selves. Great was the JOY of Ducklow
Great also was the wrath OF him, when
he turned and discovered Taddy
Did MT tell You to stand by the old
mare ;!
She won't STIR said Taddy, shrinking
away again.
Come here = And Ducklow grasped
him by the collar. What have you been
dom Look n that. =
T want me ..'-beginning to whim-
per and ram his fists into his eyes.
Don't tell me I want YOU = Duck
low shook him TILL his teeth chartered.
What was You pulling on the carpet
ior =
Lost marble >nivclIed Taddy.
Lost 4 marble Ye didn't lose il
under the carpet, did We Look at al
that straw pulled OUT ,.'-shaking him
again.
Didn't know but it might a got un-
der the carpet, marbles roll So explain.
ed Taddy, as soon AS he could get hi.
breath.
Wal. Sir = Ducklow administered
Il rcSounding box ON his ear. Don't
you do such Il thing again if YOU lose :
million marbles
'IIa'n't got a million = Taddy wept,
rubhin. his check 'IIa'nt got but tour
Wou'tye buy me some to-day :!
Go 10 that mare. and don't YOU le;lN,
her again till come, OF I'll marble Y,
in way YOU won't like
/ understanding. by this somcwha
cquivOcal form OF expression. that tiagel
lation was threatened, Taddy obeycI
still feeling his smarting and burning ear
Ducklow was in trouble. Wat shoul,
/ he do with the bonds > The floor wa
no place for them. after what had hap
| pcned and he remembered too well til,
experience OF yesterday to think for ;
moment OF carrying them about his per
son. With unreasonable impatience, hi
mind reverted to Mrs. Ducklow.
Why amt she 10 home These wo
men are forever a-gaddin' | wi>l
Rcuben's trunk was in Jericho =
Thinking OF the trunk reminded hin
of one in the garrct. filled with old pa
perS of all >ort>-ncwspapcrS. letters, blI
of sale, chillrcn's writing books-accu
mutations of the past quarter OF centu
~. Neither fire nor burglar nor ran
,acking voungster had ever molcste
those ancient records during all those five
and-twenty years. \ bright though
struck him.
I'll slip the bonds down into tina
worthless heap q rubbish. where no ON
'u'd ever think o lookin' for 'em. an
rcsk EN-.
Having assured himself that Tadd
was standing by the wagon, he paid
hasiv visit to the trunk in the garrcr
and concealed the envelope, still houn
in its band OF tape. anon" the paper
He then drove away. 9iviug Taddy a f
nal charge to beware ot' settiu" amythln
attire.
lie had driven about half Il mile whc
, he met u pcdlar. There was nothim
unusual or alarming in such Il cii Gun
} stance, surely; but us Ducklow kept OF
il troubled him.
Hell stop - the house now, mu
: likely and want to trade. Findln' NJ
body hut Taddy, there's no known
: what he'll be tempted TO do. But
amt goin' to worry. I'll defy any
body to find them bonds. Besides, 81
: may he AT home hy this time. | que
S she'll hear of the fire alarm, and hurr
1 home: it'll be Jest Ike her. She'll /
there, and-trade with the pedlar
thought Ducklow, uneasily. Then
: fri@htiul fancy possessed him. ''She b;
e threatened two or three times to sell tn;
| old trunktul of papers. He'll offer
big price for 'cm and ten to one she'll /
= him have 'em. Why diLtt L thin
e on't? What a stupid blunderbuss
be :"
i As Ducklow thought of it, lie felt a
b, most certain that Mrs Ducklow had T.
; turned home, and that she was bargain
inc with the peddlcr at tina: momen
d He fancied her smillngly receiving brig
h tin-ware for old papers; and he cou
: sec the tape-tied envelope going into II
= bag with the rest The result was, til
IS he turned about and whipped the o
: mare home again i'll terrific haste,
{ catch the departing peddler.
Arriving, lie found the house as
e had left it, and Taddy occupied in ma
It inc a kite frame.
IS Odd that peddler stop here o.
l. Il han't seen no peddler."
II "And han't yer Ma Ducklow be
d home, neither?''
lie No"
Is And with guilty look, Taddy ?
y the kite-frame behind him.
Il Ducklow considered. The pedd
had turned up cross street ; he wor
J. probably turn down again and stop
the house, after all Mrs. Ducklc
might 10y that time be at home til
the sale Of the old papers would le We