St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1873-10-17

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more kept trying them as rapidly as
/ he could find them. and all the time his
property was being licked up by the
dreadful flames, and the perspiration
was rolling into his eyes, and his feet
were smarting under the exertions they
were forced into. And all the while he
kept pouring forth the most ridiculous
cursing anybody ever heard. and final
", in perfect shrek of profanity, he
/ dashed out of the honse in his stocking
feet. and across a corn field full of brist-
ling stubblc, and shed wooden yarn and
blood at every jump.
He had barely got out of the kitchen,
when the men came tearing i'll. crazed
by excitement. and looking for Their
boots.
.'Smitten Washington where is my
boots ?" shrieked Watts. And then
following the example of the Others, he
dropped down on the floor, and began
/ to feel around for them. Then cnSued
scene that bcggars all description
| Ten men i'll dark room, systematically
and insanely endeayoring to get into Il
pair of boots belonging to other parties,
and each one carefully tiinging the
wrong boot straight ahead, and snatch
ing for another, and swearing and
screaming all the time, and hopping
round on one foot, and humping each
other over, like so many unhappy and
| incurable maniacs. Some two or three
secured boot apiece and started tol
the mill others went entirely unpro-
tectcd; while old Watts, with pres
ence of mind that was truly remarka-
bic, gathered mp an armtul of them, and
went bounding across that corn lot with
the speed of an alligator.
All possible agencies were used to
subdue the fire, but it had such head
way that the prospect WAS dubious
enough. Mr.. Watts carefully deposited
his new Shanghai coat on Il pile of slabs
and Selling Il pintpail that had been
used for drinking cider from. dashed
/ rrcklcssly down the bank to the creek
and in Il few minutes returned with tn,
pail half full. and madly dashed tn,
contents over Pierce. and then hurried
/ back for more. But all efforts were ot
no avail. The tirc-ticnd marched on
without interruption. and in an hOul
the mill was destroyed. Sorrowfully
the party TUNED and limprd home
Mr.. Watts went for his coat and was
somewhat startled to find that the fire
had even attacked the pile of slabs, and
i'll its inSatiatc fury had completely de
/ vourcd one tail to the coat.
Then Mr.. Watts lifted up his voice
and carried on like Il pirate.
1t is not necessary to state that the
rag wheel went up with the flames. 1t
50 went. Mr.. Watts returned home
with his man. the next day, and in the
SccluSion and SacrcdncSS of the domcS-
tie circle made out his bill against
Pierce.
Pierce refused to pay it. Watts was
delighted. Pierce SAID the wheel was
but Il piece of botch-work. Watts said
he would make him prove it. And
and he did. The suit went against
Watts. He argued. aud plead. and
perspired, and pranced around, but il
was no u>e-a venial Judge decided
against him.
Then there was another unfortunate
phase to this remarkably painful affair
Not another piece of cloth could h,
found i'll town to match that ravagcd
coat. Increasingly did Watts parade
the stores of his native heath. but in
vain was piece after piece of goods
compared to the unsinged tail of that
coat. Nothing would match. The sur
/ viving tail was Il peculiar green and tn,
nearest approach to it was Il peculiar
/ blue: and 50 Watts had to get it. be-
cause he couldn't afford tn lose the coat
and. besides. the one tail was becoming
Il tritir momotonouS to the public.
The new repairs created quite a sen
sation mt first among the ncighhorS. bat
ii gradually wore off. and whenever he
appeared with his rainbow tails. and
that coarse cap with its threatening
f"repicce, they merely observed Hal
10! here comes the Jack of Clubs