Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-10-03
"if nothing worse comes of it,

Brown - II nothing worse comes OF 1t,
we'll, WE'LL" -..,-
"WorseM come of IT," said Hannah,
going to the door and looking out, eff
Harry come home and find thee here.
Do go, father" she said, entreatingly,
d" and lock up Dick as soon as you get
home"
Gay, that's easier said than done,"
grumbled Brown, getting upon his feet
and preparing to depart; "there's ne'er
lock in my house'll hold him. Good
night, love-"
As soon as her father had gone, Han
nah set to work to get every thing ready
for her husbands return. She un-
dressed the boy in readiness for bed,
she hung the huge kettle on the rack
over the blazing fire, she brought out a
cold pie from the pantry, and set out
the Jug in readiness for the masters
ale. All this forethought would not
save her, she knew, from her husbands
fierce wrath !; but she would care for
nothing if Harry came back in appear
ance sober, able to go out with his gun
and watch the covers. For any thing
to happen, and Harry to be found
drunk and incapable, would be rain to
the household. Her work done, Han
nah sat down on q low stool in front of
the fire to think. There was a glorious
fire of wood, blazing and Pickering,
lighting up the room with ruddy glow.
The kettle sang a solemn bass, light
false breaking in now and then; the
cat purred in front of the fire.
Tommy was restless, and cried sadly
for his dada Hannah took him out of
his crib and placed him in front of the
fire, where he soon became appeased
and began to play with the cat-a one.
sided game in which the cat took little
part.
A gun sounded close to the house,
and Tommy, frightened, ran crying to
his mother. Hannah began to tremble
all over while she tried to pacify the
child. Another shot followed, and an
other-a regular fusillade. The poach-
ers must be in great force to be at work
so early and so boldly. eff Harry
should come among them now, what
would become of him ?"
Next moment the door was thrown
violently open, and Harry rushed in
without hat, his clo thes torn, his hands
covered with blood. He hastily closed
the door and barricaded it.
"Put that fire out, woman, can't
ye? ?" he shouted, angrily. and next mo-
ment he emptied pail of water over
it, and the fire was extinguished with q
violent hiss and smother of smoke and
steam. ....f
All was darkness now but for ray oi
moonlight that shone through a narrow
window, which was mere slit in the
thick stone wall.
Harry took down the rifle that hung
on the wall-an old-fashioned muzzle.
loading rile--loaded it, ramming the
bullet home with deliberate eagerness.
"Now I'll let daylight into some OF
quiet, can't ye ?" to his wife, for Tommy
was now screaming violently.
"Don't, for Gods sake, fire !' cried
Hannah, as she saw her husband
carefully take aim through the window
"Don't fire at them perhaps Dicks
among them |" >' -
Harry turned upon her fierce blood.
shot eye. " What, you id baggage
this is your doing, is itP You're theil
bonnet and their spy, are you, with thai
canting old scoundrel, your father p
Harry struck her violently, and threw
her away from him. s.,
She sank fainting on the floor, while
Tommy plucked at her skirts and
screamed violently.
81 know the scoundrel by his white
horse" muttered Harry and the mex
moment he brought the rifle to his
shoulder and fired. The cottage
thrilled with the report, and the mex
moment loud, shril cry sounded OF
the night air. Then followed an awfu
stiffness.
There was quick scamper Of fee
next heard. The poachers were dis
persing. Harry, with an exultins
shout, opened the door and strodt
forth, disappearing inte outer darkness
When Hannah came to herself sh'
was in bed, and the village docto
and her father were standing close by
It's a sad business, my DEAR" sale
her father, his voice choking with emo
ton; "but the Lords will be done"
"Then Dick is killed p cried Han
nah. $50 my God, and he did it."
"That we cannot say now," sale
Ebenezer, shaking his head gravely
"let us hope it was an accident. Th,
poor misguided boy was shot through
the heart by a rife bullet, and thy hus
band"
"Yes; what of him-what have the,
done to him--to Tommy's fatherP"
"My child, he was shot on the sam
night. / am thankful to say that non
of our people are answerable for hi
blood. His murderer was q gypsy fel
low who has fed the country, but tn
police are on his track"
The police, however, never found on
who shot poor Harry Smith. His widoy
went back to her fathers house witt
little Tommy, and after proper inter
val of grief and loneliness, married
decent minister of her fathers persua
sion, and has been tolerably happy il
her union. But Tommy takes after hi
father good deal, and promises to b
thorn in the side of his pious beau
pere.