Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1869-05-12
The Droyer's Story.

My name IS Anthony Hunt. | am dro-
yer, and live miles and miles away upon the
western prairie There wasn't home with
in sight when we moved there my wife and
|, and now we haven'tmany neighbors, though
those we have are good ones
One day about ten years ago, | went away
from home to sell some fifty head of cattle
fine creatures as ever / saw. | was to buy
some groceries and dry goods before | came
back, and above all, doll for our youngest
Dolly. She had never had store doll of
hbr own, only the rag babies her mother had
dolly could talk of nothing else, and went
dawn to the very gate to call after me to
"'buy big one" Nobody but a parent could
understand how full my mind was of that toy,
and how, when the cattle were sold, the first
thing | hurried off to buy Dolly's doll l
found large one, with eyes that would open
and shut when you pulled wire, and had it
wrapped in paper and tucked it under my
arm, while had the parcels Of calico and de-
lane and tea and sugar put by. Then, late
as il was, | started for home. 1t might have
been more prudent to stay until morning but
| felt anxious to get back, aud eager to hear
DoIly's prattle about her toy.
was mounted On steadv.ooing old horse
90 -n;no and nrettv we'll looded Nigbt set
in h,f,ro was milo owov from town and
so,,lod down dark os nitcb ,yb;le was in the
mi55le of the wildest bit of road know of
I md have G,lt mo wov thougb remem.
berod II 60 welI and ,vbcn the storm which
bad been brewing broke and pelted the rain
in torrents in my face | was still five or six
rode os fast as | could. but all of n sud.
dian I hoard n little crv like a ebild's voice /,
stonped short and listened-I heard it again.
| calIed and it answered me. | couldn't see
= th;ng MI was dark AS mitch. | got down
and e,It across the prassIcalled again, and
a,,;n was answered Then I began To won
der Pm NOT timid bnt | was known 10 he n
Jr,rer and 10 have money about me II
n'i,,bt be a tran to catch me unawares and
ra5 and murder ma
I'm NOT tsnnerstitious-not very Rnt boS
o,nld a roaI child he ont on t6e nrairie in
sncb a nigbt. and nj sueh an hour. II might
ba moro t6an human
Tbe hit Of a coward that hides itself in
most men showed itself 10 me then. and / WA.
SJf J inclined 70 rnn awav bnt once more
k,arl thot erV and qatl |
Ifanv NAM child ia bereobouts Anthony
Hunt Is not ,he man 10 LEI il die.p
/ soarchod oenin. At last I bethouoht me
oea hollow nnder the hin md gropinS tba,
~.y snre enongb I Gnnd liftle dTinnino
h;1, that n,oapsd and sohhed as II toot Il iT
'. un,"s rms 'ra I called NV borse and the bcos,
n"y 80, ,a ma an1 I ,no1,toJ anJ ,rctcd be
% I;.Io soal al a;ra rnJer nv coat % os weIl as
iS sJ5 'oS~1f YSai.;n in - ,ale II bome 20 nanny
TVuu t;rad 3 Soa,h and nre,tv soon cr;c,
! ,s,Ss 80 ,n s,aon ,,S ar;rst =, nv hospm
IL T,bod 1r sIent tbcre oyor an bour when
cav nvovn windows There were lights il
IT, ~ 5oI nv" 7 sunDoscd nv wies had NJ thou
s su.n' No. "aJ saLo 5ut vbor I aot into the doo
,ur a ,'{ 'an % oomo,h;Oa Sos g gos tbe mater an'
S,nod u iii NV vitS n deaJ Gear at heart 1--WE min
nt"s You hosnro o1 T' conId Iif tbe latch Al Iast
JiS Il and saw NV room full of neipbbors
IL 49,. &, op,iIut than, xvaaptuU