Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1871-04-25

when they were all seated around him, he
addressed them rs follows:
Before we proceed TO business, my
Young friends, wish to tell you II
story
OF course mD one objected To this
'On Deacon Whites barn, began MIR.
s., there perched one evening an
owl. The deacon was slightly supersti.
tious, and moi fancying the lugubIious Wis.
liant he took his gun. stole out softly, got
within good range, levellcd his gun at the
ominous intruder, and fired. Now the
ba,n was old and iull of chinks and holes
and it being n very dry time, The treach-
crous wadding Immediately set fire TO the
hay inside, and in mn instant the entire
fabric was in flames
oh. DEAR dear y cried the deacon,
how can release all my cows and oxen
and yearlings, and my sheep and horses,
| in season to save them. Tor the wind
was high. and, as ii always happens. it
increased in freshness Us the fire gained
in fury.
Help! help he shouted.
Did the folks hear him in the house?
asked Alfred. Ishall call the applicants
! by their Christian names.)
Not directly said Mr.. Smith. The
deacon lost no time in getting ont The
cattle. He found them frantic with ter
ror and unmanageable. While engaged
in unloosing n stout young bull. The latter
suddenly turned his horns and pierced
him
I'm gorcd I'm gorcd he exclaimed
in agony, just as his terror stricken wife
came to The rescue.
Did he die p
} lie was injured seriously resumed
/ Mr.. Smith. Feeling faint, he was obli-
ged to go and lie down. The woman
ran for doctor. When she returned,
the piteous believing Of the tortured
and dying cattle fell on her ears. The
thrilling thought quickly sirnck her, was
her husband possibly in the burning
runj Had he venIured beyond his
strength again, and fallen n helpless
victim
%, my husband my husband =
Did he ansverg inquired Charley,
with anxious face.
Was he in the fire a? asked David.
There was no reply continued Mr..
Smith, save from the cracking timbers
and mourns of the doomed animals.
Presently she heard tn" voice of her only
son among the flames
Help help" he cried.
/ Tn, mothers heart was ready 10 break.
and she fastened to rescue her darling
boy
Did she save him % asked Edwin.
90. Ihopc sho didn't get burned her
self said Frank.
.Plcasetclu' sir. whether they were
bnrncd to death. plea led Grant
We'll, the poor deacon died OF his
wounds
Too bad. said Henry. II" was a
brave man.
And his son wis badly bulned'
%. awful exclaimed Isaac.
And the widows clothes caught fire,
but. luckily, one Of the neighborS (thcre
were none living very near) arrived ut
the scene of destruction Just in season to
extingui3h he hame,.'
Good, good " exclaimed James.
lie threw the buffalo in the wagon over
her. SUPPOSE
You are right. said Mr.. Smith. And
he released one of the best horses.
Was he burned ut all p asked Karl.
Only little scorchcd, said MIR. 5.
And so the narrator went on until he
had depicted the consequences in detail
of the sad event. Then he paused. His
audience were silent Their sympa'hiea
had beer deeply touched. Each one
seemed silently plying the poor, afflicted
family. But one boy had sat unmoved
through the whole story, and said moth.
inc. And now that the narrative was
finished, and pause had come, he delib.
erately looked into Mr.. Smith's iace
in a strigh' forward manner and asked
Did he hit the owl p
This was the youth that stuck TO the
point. and the one that The lawyer select
ed from the twelve. The story had sim.
ply been manufactured for effect