The Republican journal., 1869-12-23

so, when L hetChCu LnlS Tall strut at the caD-
bages, | just chucked him a stone, and he
pumped as dead as a door nail.'
THAT was right, Jack; but, upon my
ward, you have killed the Shanghae rooster y
And Rachel felt little twinge of remorse,
knowing the expense and rarity Of the dead
specimen before her. "However, | am not a
bit sorry" she said, after a moments rcflec-
ton "Experiencc costs dear, as the copy
book says: and guess i'll time our neighbors
will find out that we are not to be imposed
upon Take the rooster home, Jack, and
throw il over the door yard fence 1t will be
a declaration of war"
If father should find il out said Jack
retiectively, "he might scold like Sam Hill
Then | spose Won could bearthe brunt, Rache
ph ~
did You ever know me to shirk resposi-
bility ?'' inquired Rachel loftily. "Go along,
Jack, and don't be a coward"
When Jack came i'll with the menfolks at
dinner time. he looked sulky and out of sorts,
and kept telegraphing in dumb show to Ra-
chel across the table; until, at last, when she
got up to cut the pie, he followed her into the
buttery and shut the.d door.
II tell you what Il is, Rache," he broke out
THAT was q sneaky piece of business and
don't mean to do any more such jobs.
threw the rooster into Brayton's yard, and
then got behind a tree; and pretty soon one
OF the girls came out and found it, and began
boohooing like Il baby, As near us could
make out, it was a present to her, and she
had raised it in q basket; and | felt just AS if
had been stealing a sheep"
Let them boohoo." replied Rachel, with
severe dignity. ''They ought to think enough
Of their choice fowls to keep them at home -
Itn, III Il a, of@ @lo
way, and the chores were all done up, Ra-
chel replenished her fire and put on an extra
sized kettle of water to heat. Then she went
up stairs and changed her dress; and when
she came down again there was bit of a lace
collar with transferred work, and cherry
bow at the throat Of her delaine dress, over
which she wore a launty black silk apron with
braided pockets.
She seated herself with her work basket at
the sitting room window, almost rs if looking
for company, and let her gaze wonder down
the visible stretch of the road, where golden
rods and asters bloomed and the sunach bushes
beside the old stone walls appeared to drip
with scarlet color, and the poke-berry was
turning II vivid purple. Presently her eye lit
up with Il gleam of triumph. There were the
Brayton pigs nosing along through the dust
of the road and for once she was glad to see
the pests. They were long shouted, slab
sided animals, with plentiful marks Of the
slough upon their coats, and unappeasable
appettes Rachel watched with u grim
species of amusement to see them turn in
from habit toward the Henderson side gate,
which was shaded by huge black cherry
tree and begin the process OF roofing under
They dug with the nozzel, bent the fore legs,
inclined the dorsal column, and lifted power
fully, until the gate was unlatchcd, and the
whole bristly tribe poured into the yard with
gruntS OF satisfaction.
Under one of the Kitchen windows lay a
tempting pile Of potato parings, previously
prepared for bait, which vicious old female
the mother of numerous disreputable children,
immediately scented. They gathered togeth-
er, pushing and struggling for the titbits,
when slap dash down came pail Of boiling
water upon the backs of the miscreants, and
with heart rending squeals they galoped from
the yard 1t was evident TO Rachel mind that
the hair and hide Of her enemies had suffered
considerable damage; but still She replenisl-
ed the fire and put on more water, determine
ed to beprepared for action should the porkers
return. However, during that afternoon
there was peace along the border, and Rachel
went to bed that night flushed with conscious
ness of victory.
The next morning early, Mr.. Henderson
and his men went off to a distant, detached
meadow, to do a Job of top dressing, and
took their dinner with them The partridges
had been heard whirring through the bright
woods for some days past, which causedJack
to sly away with the long shooter from the
garret-ln ancient tirearm, supposed to be
worthy of much reverence, because ola trad-
ton which connected it with the war of '12.
1t would ''kick beastly," as Jack expressed
it, and by u deal of coaxing managed to get
OFF one time in ten.
Rachel had enough on hand to keep her
pleasantly occupied for two or three hours
There was q tray of solid, golden butter on
the shelf, which must be worked over and
laid down for winter use, and the last scald
was vet to be given to her sweet pickles. She
opened the window and let the warm air in,
laden with the mellow, ripened smell of ap-
pies dropping from the orchard trees, and
the crysantheums and zenias blooming about
the dooryard. Over the prismatieally tinted
woods, sottened by a tender haze, crows
were circlng, and their loud caws alone broke
the country stiffness, which always seems
deeper of a dreamy autumn day.
Rachel was cOntcnted in the midst OF her
busy loneliness. There was something about
TIE lllllu glow Oh the morning, ana tilc Deau-
ty OF the world, and the soft wind coming in
through the south windows, that filled her
with rest. She had almost forgotten the an
noyanccs Of yesterday and those provoking
Braytons, and was stepping about her work
singing 'Greenville," in Il clear, sweet, but
untutored voice, when n gswky lad, all of a
color-trom his tow trowsers, hitched high in
the back by improvised suspenders, to the
Struggling locks that strayed from below the
rim OF atorn straw hat-lnade his appearance
at the door.
81 thought I'd stop and tell the folks" said
he, putting his head in, ''that Brayton's cows
are in your corn. Gosh! they've stuffed
themselves till they're ready to bust"
Instantly the strain died on Rachers lips,
the spirit of peace went out of her, and she
was prepared to act on the old law OF IAN
eve for an eye and tooth for TOOTH
''They shall go to pound instantly she ex-
claimed. The men folks are away from
home; but if you will help me, Tim, and
will see You get paid for it."
''Id do it to oblige you, Rachel, as quick
as a wink but, you see, father sent me down
TO the blacksmth's after a coulter. The
horses are up ready to do job Of fall plow-
inc; and, if should stop by the way, he
might whale me-"
ssGo along, them said Rachel proudly. II
will drive them to pound myself" and at the
moment she looked and felt equal to any
thing. At starting Rachel tied on her sun
bonnet and armed herself with a long carriage