Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1871-10-27
THE HOOSyER
SGhOCIaMa sfer.
CONTINUED
CHAPTER VII.
OMNIBUS REMARKS OF Mr.. JONES.
BY EDWARD EGGLEsToN.


The schoOl-master's mind was like
ancient Gaul-divided into three parts,
With one part lie mechanically per-
formed his school duties. With an
other he asked himself, What shall ]
do about the robbery? And with the
third he debated about Bud and Ham
nah. For Bud was not present, and
it was clear that he was angry, and
there was Il storm brewing. In fact,
it seemed to Ralph that there was
storm brewing all round the sky. For
Pete Jones was evidently angry al
thought of having been watched, and it
w; fair to suppose that DR.. Small was
not in any better humor than usual.
Andso, between Buds jealousy and re-
venge and the suspicion and resent
ment of the men engaged in the rob-
berry at 1.-The Dutchman's y (as the on
~ German in the whole region W as
called, Ralph'5 excited nerves had
cause for tremor. At one moment he
would resolve to have Hannah at ali
costs. In the next his conscience
would question the Tightfulness of the
conclusion. Then he would make up
his MINI to tell all that he knew a.
bout the robbery. But if he told his
suspicious about Small, nobody would
believe him. And if he told about
Pete Jones, he really could tell only
enough to bring vengeance upon him
self. And how could he explain his
own walk through the pasture and
down the road? What business had
he being out OF bed at two o'clock in
the morning? The circumstantIal
evidence was quite strong against him
Us agains; the man on the horse with
the white left fore-foot and the white
nose. Suspicion might fasten himself
And then what would be the effect on
his, prospects? On the people at Lew
isburg? On Hannah?
II is astonishing how much instruc-
ton and comfort there is in bulldog.
This slender schoOl-master, who had
been all his life REFRESHING the animal
and developing the finer nature, now
found a need of just what the bulldog
had. Ard so, with the thought of
how his friend the dog would fight in
a desperate strait, he determined to
take hold of his difficulties as Bull
took hold of the raccOon. Moral
questions he postponed for careful de-
cisiOn. But for the present he set his
teeth together in desperate, bulldog
fashion, and he set his feet down slow
ly, positively, bull-doggedly. After
Wretched supper at Pete Jones's he
found himself at the spelling-schOol,
which, owing to the absence of Han
nah and the excitement about the
burglary, was q dull affair. Half the
evening was spent in little knots. Pete
Jones had taken the afflicted Dutch
man" under his own particular super.
vision.
81 s'pose," said Pete, that them
air fellers what robbed your house
must a come down from Jinkins Run.
They're the blamedest set up there l
ever scc.n
"Ya-as," said Schroeder, "put how
did Yinkins vellers know dat | sell to
medder to tie Shquire, hey? How It'd
Yankins know anything bout the
Shquire's baying me dree hundred in
te hard gash-hey ,"
"SOme scOundTels down in these
ere parts is a-layin' in with Jinkins
Run, I'll bet h0ss," said Pete. Ralph
wondered whether he'd bet the one
with the white left forc-fOot and the
white nose. Now" said Pete, 'ef /
could find the Teller that's helpin'
them scOundrels rob us folks, I'd help
stretch him to the neardest tree.n
$50 wood l." said Schroeder. I'D
shtretch him dill he bald me my dree
huntret tollars pack. so wood"
And Betsy Short, who had found
the whole affair very funny, was trans
ported with fit of tittering at poor
Schr0cder's English. Ralph, fearing
that his silence would excite suspicion
tried to talk. But he could not tell
what he knew, and all that he said
sounded so hollow and hypocritical
that it made him feel guilty. And so
he shut his mouth, and meditated
profitably on the subject of bulldogs.
And when later he overheard the gar
rulous Johcs declare that he'd bet a
boss he could pint out somebody as
know'd a blame sight more'n they
keer'd to tell, he made up his mind if
it came to printing out he should try
TO be even with Jones.