Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1873-10-01

hsw iather Is getting on, and What Mrs.
Smith wants
Kate kissed the woman on the forehead,
cast 4 significant glance at the farmer. aud
left the rssm. L
sCKSE IA PRISONER.
81 do want e, and that's truth" said
Mrs. Smith, who went out eharring to the
best houses in Combe Diugle, aud who
had undertaken TO take care Of the cot
tage aud look after Luke Meadows while
Kate was al the Farm.
what is it, Mrs. Smith ?"
"Well. daun't knaw, said Mrs. Smith,
looking considerably puzzled. IL slsp'
here last night, ySu nun knaw."
"Yes, yes. Where is faiher2" Kate
asked.
That's it, said the woman; "thst be
it."
Kate saw that his hat was not upon its
usual peg, though there was nothing
alarming in that, but the woman's man
nor excited her fear that something had
gone wrong.
"When did he 90 out?"
THAT be what I'd like to knaw; |
thought maybe you'd knaw."
"How could know. Mrs. Smith ?"
"Well, I'm main sure he went ta bed
last night"
"Yes, of course" said Kate, looking
anxiously at the woman.
ut was afore | went to bed leastways
be went to his bedroom aud he babe me
goodnight; and that's all | kDaws, 'ccpt
as L got no sleep at all for dreaming of
murders anl 'ayin' the spasms that bad
as | thought | should had to get up again. "
MRS. Smith, will you tell me what you
have to tell me, and at once ? You make
me i'll with apprehension" said Kate,
pale with hundred vague fears.
"Lor bless you, Miss Krte, I've nothing
to tell you; that be it; only l thought
I'd send for you along Of the master being
away and my being afraid as something
must have happened l thinks card d
gun so off in the night, and be fright
cned so there =
Mrs Smith sat down and began to cry.
"My father went to bed, you say be-
gan Kate, with frn effort at self.pos-
session.
"He did, he did, blubbered Mrs.
Smith "and wnen got up this morning
at five, and | passes his room, the door
were open, and | see as he was gone out.
"Well, there is nothing remarkable in
that, said Kate.
"No. there b'ain't, there b'aint," said
the woman "but he arn't come back
again
"And is that all p asked Kate, with u
smile of relief.
That be all, said the woman, wiring
her eyes in astonishment. "And b'ain't
you afraid that something's happened,
specially about that gun goin' off,
"No,' said Kate. "Oh, you silly wo.
man ! Fathers no doubt gone down to
Bristowe, knowing that should not be at
home. He will return by-aud-by.'
The bells ruHg out afresh, as if to in
dorse Kats's assertion with cheer.
.Well, there you've took load off my
mind. I've had such warnings; there
was swallow come down the chinney
and death-tick in the kitchen, and there
I've been sitten' here with my apron over
my head for over an hour afcared of look
ing up
Something out Of the way did occur
last uight' said Kate, hoping to pacify
the woman by fattering her vanity OF
presentiment and warnings "a burglary
was committed at tho farm. dare say
the news is all over the village by this
time.
Il knawed it, [ knawed it y exclaimed
Mrs. Smith.
"How could you know ?" asked Kate,
quietly.
II knawed as something was a-goin' to
happen, murder or something
"Wcl, now, you see, though it is bad
enough, it is nothing so very terrible after
ALL
NAV, it b'aint SO bad as thought,
she said, evidently disappointed; "but the
shooting?'
"Mr. North fired his gun after the rob
ber,' said Kate.
"Did he kill him p asked the woman
quickly.
"No, of course not.
swell, You knows be t; you be edica
ted, and every body says you knows most
things: but l do wonder where the master
be? Besides, they ha'hin for unit go up
to man6r-house and sign PAPER a-welccm.
ing squire, and there BE- fine doings in the
village, and flags and II band of music
from Bristowe a-comirg.
Strains of music were heard while the
woman was talking.
"Therc they be3 s. Q said-"there
they be-
Kate went up stairs and into her faith
er's room. La spite Of herself, the igror.
norant fears of Mrs. Smith had taken pos.
session of her. She looked suspiciously,
and with an indefinable dread, all round
the room. The old mans Bible was open
Kate's heart beat fast, and she turned
pale when she found that the bed had no,
been slept in. The clothes were turned
down, and some one had lain upon tht
bed and that was all. What could thi
mean? And Mrs. Smith S fears? She mus
have had some ground for thcm--some
thing that she was concealing.
Tue brass-band from Bristowe passet
the cottage playing favorite march, anc
Mrs. Smith was standing at the door lock
ing with intense admiration at the ml