Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-03-23

"h@o ~ vas DIS lc swung OOWu pdSt
my window, but when he stood on the
ground | saw it was the boy, and was
about to call him, when he ran away
as fast as he could"
"Did you follow him ?"
ayes, sir, but we could not catch
him."
The house was searched, out moth
ing could be found to criminate its in
mates. The boys horse was found
In the stable, quite lame. In search
ing, one of the men accidentally struck
the wamscot which returned hollow
sound, and on opening it small cru
chile and some lapidary's tools, such
as are used by goldsmiths. were
found. These we're claimed by one
OF the men of the house, who said he
had been at one time apprenticed to
goldEmith, and on inquiry it was
found TO be so The bedclothes were
on the bed in which the lad had slept,
and showed by their creases and
wrinkles to what use they had been
put.
"What mace this bloody stain,"
asked the magiNrate.
"'Tis goats blood, sir, which we
slaughtered last hight"
"a strange time and place to slaught-
er goat"
"Yes, sir. Twas the last we had,
and it came home late to be fed; and
when we tried to catch it it ran up
stairs. We wanted TO give the boy
an early breakfast, and the goat was
all the food, we had"
"Have any of you lost a goat late
ly y asked the magistrate, turning to
the villagers, land was it marked like
this 2 showing the skin and head of
goat which had been found in search
ing the house.
"Yes, sir, but the markings are not
very raIe. | could speak more posi-
lively if [ saw the head, one of the
horns was broken off in "a fight some
days since
The goats head was examined and
both hons were broken off "He had
intended to make a goats head soup
for thelr dinner to-day; they had
Knocked them off, the man said.
How do you all live? You don't t
seem to cultivate the ground here ?"
1--WE do the best we can. sir. Some
times we get work in the villages and
on the farms around, but We find it
hard to live. One of my brothers was
in your village yesterday trying to
| get work from your nephew
''JameS, said the magistrate to his
nephew was this so? Did this man
apply TO YOU for work p
"A man applied for gardening work
yesterday, | think it was that man
but | had no work of that kind tor
him."
At this point murmurs were heard
from the villagers that it was useless
to wrong the men any more because
OF crazy boy : phrcnzied tale, and
the magistrates nephew said it wa,
plain the men were not guilty. anC
asked the magistrate to let them alone
/ The magistrate musingty strokec
his beard-a way he mad when puz
! zled he seemed to regard his bearC
a familiar spirit, aud Stroking the
= proper torn of invOcatios He called
his nephew aside.
james, said he, "these men are
too honest there is no fear, no bung
ling, or mistakes, and no confusion
that spokesman is the readiest anC
coolest knave | have ever encounter
ed. Neither their clothing or appear
ance accord with their plea of power
ty. There is villainy somewhere"
He then resumed his questioning.
"Have you a blood hound 2
, 1--WE had, sir, but We were unable
to feed it properly and it died"
The magistrate turned to the DO,
and said:
/ George, show US where you wen
: last night
The boy did so, and along the trac
J. were frequent footprints of a larg
t dog. At the pile Of rocks, the do
+ tracks seemed to cease, nor wer
|, there any Of the dogs tracks goin
q toward the house.
How came these tracks ?" aske
t the magistrate.
b "a dog joined US, drawn probabl
J. by our naIiOoins to the lad, but | d
0 not know what became of him. II
did not go back with US to the house.
+, There are no tracks beyond tn
n rocks; why did you stop there ?"
: 1--WE saw the blood on the rock
sir, and thought the boy had falle
n and hurt himself, and that he must b
:. very much frightened. as he didn
stop, and SO we thought it best to le
+ him alone.
$ "Last night was very dark; ho'
n did you see the blood p
a 81 had piece Of candle to hel
find the boy"
q "George, did that man who chase
=. you have light p
n "None that | could see, sir, thong
!. | looked back often
V 81 held my hat over the candle, ST
r to prevent its being blown out as "
ran after the boy"
e At this point the villagers agai
murmured that the man was not guilt
"a and that he was honest and kin
hearted, and ought not to be worrie
% because of the fancies of crazy bo
"Ah, sir" continued the man, as
# replying to the expostulations OF tt
10 villagers, 4" It's hard to have our be
" intentions wrested against us. Pove
,e ty must be an objectionable sin, it
II seldom forgiven in this world"
Y The magistrate mused and stroke
his beard, as he walked slowly bat
N to the house.