St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1872-09-27

low groWl. and brlstled up.
The man stopped, and looking at the
dog. remarked. A rum customer, that
To come across of Il dark night"
"Ycs," replied his mistress, timidly,
and the thought crossed her mind.
" ourc inothcr;" but she ncrvcd her
self to the interview. and substituted,
What is your name -
"Bill Hardy, if Nou want to know
was the reply. and the man Stalked of
tnWar, his home.
His first act on entering the house
WIS. not to inquire after his sick wife.
who WAS hIddlcd up i'll IL chimney-c"r-
ncr with her leg on II rickcty chair, by
way of Il sofa, but to walk up the crazy
staircase to his own bedroom, which
WAS Il low dilapidatcdlooking apart
m"mt, with ligh, pceping through i'll sun
dry places where il should not, and in
which were three wooden bcdSteads.
Raising the mattress upon one of these,
he drew forth Il large and somrwh hat
tHtterud net ''Alothcr" he shouted.
Il cant come up stairs. | tell Ne."
Was the answer to the summons, from
below: ''thr pain Il" go right d'ro" my
lee if do move I'm, and | amt Il com
ing"
| pom which Il heavy, laundering step
descended the stairs, and throwing the
net down. the man exclaimed, ''lt that
lazy Wcnrh. Jenny. don't mend they
holes atnrr midnight. it will he WIS for
her: and the speech was favored with
an oath.
"Fathcr. take up" pleaded Il little
piping voice. while two fat. dimplrd
arms cla>prd the mans leg: give |
kiss
The father looked down into the little
chubby. and not oNcr-clcam face. with
its innocent blue eyes and rosebud
mouth. and >uttrncd. He lifted the lit
tie three Ncar-old in his arms. kissed
the warm check that hid itself III his
neck and the t,roriou>. hardened look
ON his face melted away.
\ loud Knocking at the door disturb
eel Bill Hardy in his parental demon
STATIONS. and hastily putting down the
child. llr admitted Il short. thick k->ct. .
i"> ial looking man. Who. III his own
rough way. c"urtcou>lN acknuwlrdgrd
hi viir'> presence and then Il Whi>-
pcIcd conversation of some duration
took place between the two men: they
were evidently making some appoint
mcut.
1.-The moon wont hr NJ aforc." said
the new -;"lnrI. raising the latch a> he
spoke.
"AIl right replied Hardy "hur stop
and have a lit OF supper. .Jrm.
Not tonight. thank We: the mi>>u>
and the Young 'un~ is looking out at
home" and lac took his departure.
"Nr'll have u hcticr supper nor this
t"-n"rr"w night. please the pigs. said
Iludl. tahiu. hi place At the frugal
board.
\ large dish of p"taI"c> smoked i'll
rlc centre. cooked only ~ c"ttagcr> can
cook them. and from which cmanatcd
some my >lrri"u> way Il strong >avur of
onions.
"Ihi~ amt much tuI Il man I" come
t"rr, t.. after 1t ir.rrd day = work moth
in tut rat"r~: we'll better this t"-n"r-
row. mother. "r my name amt Bill.
Take care " hat You're 1T. uu>Wcr-
ed his " lie. testify: ''lc'll get catcIird
some of these DAYS"
Not without Il fight for il. lr may
talk. yr'rr oath of that
The new >i>itol ii" want these here
children tn go to school" said MIS-. Ilar-
DIV. wisely changing the subject.
Then the Nl>itur had better pay tnI
EN-. and find the rlnth,,, t" send 'cm III {:
| amt a guin. t.. What's thc good al
lauing! Jack do make II few pence
bird keeping. and Molly cot enough I"
du To look after This 'clc chap: and the
setter look crossed the fathers face
once more. ~ hc Laid his hand tcudcrlN
on the curly golden head Il hand that
N,ould h, raised to-murrnW. should op-
p"liumitN offer. for the commission oi
any deed ut daring "r "i crime. -"
don't let hear nn more .h"Ht >chnnl-
i'm: there's too many GA 'rm la do
u"thim.: and don't let thai there ~pl
# the PARSONS hr hanging about here.
ii, in" her nose into What don't con
>Ili her.
Then. supper being finished he got
up from his chair. >WuIr Justify at :;
stool which crossed his passage l." the
door. and went ont. /" spend at the
prlnlir house u good portion of the time
Nhirh must Vet intervene before he
could commence his pnaching pursuits.
Bill Hardy WAS always welcome at
these nightly assemblies. where the af-
fans of the parish and the urig ghbnrhood
we've discussed quite a> hutly as rduca-
ted men discuss the affairs of the ma
ton. His indumitahIc daring and cuur-
ag,. made him an object Of admiration.
added To- which he had worked for many
Years in the nciglborhuod of London.
and h;Id seen the world Ill-naturcd
rIlmor limited hat he had travelled Il
great deal farther than that at hel
Mair>tI'S expense.
More than month had passed away
1t was the depth of winter
MANY OF tltc inhabitants of the villag,
/ lay wrapped III peaceful slumhcr; hut
ut one cottage there Was Il SOLITARY
watcher.
| II WAS at Bill IIardy'S. The children
| had been III their beds long ago: few
| melancholy cmbcrS of the fire were lin
| gcrimg III the ill-kcpt CRATE. Mrs. Har-
! dN chair WAS vacant : aN, and her bed
/ too. for the matter of that. She was in
| the churchymd. sleeping soundcr than
| her little ones, even with the changing
of he bells 81 close to her.
Jenny. her representative in the
home now. had been standing at the
| half-oprn door, on tip-toc. with hel
| fingers t" her lips. listening.
She could just distinguish in the fal
distance. the well-known step she had
| been waiting for. 1t WAS coming 81
swiftly: what could have happened
! Her heart beat high. and then stood
still with terror, as her father. his face
laggard in the moonlight, came up In,
garden with rapid stride, and pushed
by her roughly.
Money, Jenny all you have, girl
I'm, off to LHnnon the M.aks II he at.
ter me atnre morning.
The girl was equal I" the occasion
with trembling hands, Yet without =
question or IL moment delay, she took