Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-06-30

corn KEEP goin' mighty fast In course
it couldn't go without hands; but who's
hands it was, or how they got at it, seein'
the crib was allus KEEP under lock and
key, was questi'n in nat'ral philosophy
notch above my schoolin'.
"One night got home leetle late
I'd rid over to Jobscomfort that AFTERNOON
where Phil Hoke KEEP the post Office an q
grocery; and me an some fellers got to
drinkin' odd Hick'ry's' health and talk
in about the tayrif, which made the time
pass a good deal faster n it seemed to.
Besides, we come nigh hevin' muss
along Of pesky Adams man proposin'
the follerin' sentiment sGin'ral Jackson
well toasted in this life, an sure to be
in the nextr Of course it took lots O.
talk an some whiskey ito straighten mat
tiers arter that.
I'D jest put up the critter, an was go
in to'ards the house, when l hearn noise
on the off side of the corn crib.
81 slipt around-the moon was shinin'
as bright as day--an' there | found Jim
Burke in leetle the queerest fix human
mortal was ever ketched in.
Jim, it seems, had discovered loose
weatherboard, that could easily be showed
outer its place an back agin ; and through
that hole he'd been helpin' hisself to my
corn, Goodness knows how long.
"This pertic'lar night was as cold as
blazes, and Jim was in hurry so he
hung his bag around his neck, an went
to film in the nubbins with both hands.
1t SO happened that the openin' was divi-
ded by an upright post, and while one O.
Jim's hands was operatin' on one side,
t'other was busy on t'other.
"Ive read, or hearn tell somewhere,
about the right-hand not KNOWN what
it's left neighbor was up to, an that seems
to a been Jim's case to dot. His fingers
was cold an numb, ye see, an hadn't their
nat'ral feelin' into EN-; so, when his
right fipper happened to fetch his left, it
thought-or ruther Jim did---it belonged
to somebody else !"
Fright thar !" exclaimed the irrepres-
sible sile--" are you meiim ?"
GA what 2" ..
"A meiim---one O them there speritooal
spies as goes spookin' about, pokin' their
noses clairvi'lently inter other folks
business, and peekin' into their thoughts. >"
I'm no more o. that than you are !"
growled Ethan gruffiy. ..a
"Then how in thunder do you know
what that ERE chap thought, or whit his
feelin's was ?" said Sile.
'How do l know ? How does them lit
terry characters as writes books allus know
sech things ?" retorted Ethan. Couldn't
Jim told me Afterwards, you fool ?
Sile silenced, Ethan proceeded.
Jim, ye see, was in tight place.
There was but narrer space between
that side O the crib an the barn, an the
only was out was right by the door, with
a fence tor climb besides. Consistently,
whoever was in the crib, onless some way
prevented, might reach the door in time
to cut off retreat. So Jim grabbed fast
holt of his own left wrist, an went to
parleyin' with the enemy.
"'Mr. Spick The thought it was me,
We see-'Mr. Spick seq Jim, changin' his
voice an tryin' to talk big, though he
was scarf half out of his wits, I'm armed
with deadly weepins,' SEE he; but eff
you'll solemnly swear with uplifted hand
not to stir tell I've had a good ten min
nits' start, SEEM it's you,' SEE he, I'll
spare your life
while Jim stood shakin' hands with
hisself-he was shakin' and shiv'rin' all
over, for that matter-an' argyin' the
pint, I crep' up in his rare, an afore he
could jerk loose from hisself, got in about
six with my ridin'-whip in a way that
warmed up his system amazin'ly, eonsid'-
rim the state O. the weather. As he broke
for the fence, with the bag foppin' ag'in
his shins, I give him kick that material
ly helped him over. An that was the
last ever seen o him in them parts"
"You Inconsistent old gasser, you 7
broke out Sile Copus "why, it's not
minnit sence you told US he explained all
about his thoughts an feelin's afterwards
an now, you say nobody never seed him
no more !"
More than likely Ethan's invention
would have found wuy out of the dis
crepancy, but he was saval sL~ trouble.
4 passenger, whose face till now had been
concealed behind a newspaper, stepped
forward.
"What an unbounded liar you are, Ethe
Spick r' he exclaimed, while the latter
started as if he had seen ghost; and
yet" he added, "you've stuck closer to
the truth this time than you ever did be-
fore. Gentlemen" said the stranger, turn
ing to the bystanders, "Tm jim Burke,
aud can vouch for every word that old
reprobate has uttered, with this excep-
ton: be has put himself in my place,
and me in his, all the way through
Don't you,' he continued, advancing
and squaring off at Ethan, who was evil
IDENTIFY preparing to deny his own or the
strangers identity-"don you offer to lie
out of it, or you'll catch a sight worse
drubbing than you got that night !"
Hold on, Mr.. Burke! 'as you ware
for Goodness sake" pleaded Ethan. ats
been a long time ago We see. an, | may q