The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1874-07-10

aTuS, ana Jr10O TO undo IN part the sac
work which had been accomplished upor
her by the few words he had so sudden
ly and imprudently uttered. He said
that Willie might not be dead after all
but only hurt And so he placed hel
upon a bed, and he and Phil left hel
there, and started to go and see Willie
Not many words were said as the man
and boy climbed the bank, and strobe
hastily along to the fatal spot. AS they
neared it, there sat the two watchers,
faithful to their post, and as still as
statues.
Phil and Walter turned the angle oI
the fence, and the father came upon the
body of his little son. He had not
seemed stricken with grief until now,
but only excited. As he looked stead
lily upon the chubby little form, all bat
tered and bloody and bruised, the lad
who had brought him there felt that
some word must be said.
cts a kick, amt it ?" said he.
This was hardly the right thing to say
at such moment, perhaps. The poor
father choked and trembled, and re-
piled, GA kick, or bite, or something
10, dear !" and then he turned his
head and looked away, and there was
the sound of his sobbing, and a strange,
moaning cry.
Walter would not stay by the body,
! but directed the boys to remain and
watch, while he himself went and
then he turned away and went off over
the fields toward the settlement, utter
ing loud sobs and that same strange
cry.
It was hardly more than ten minutes
walk down to the road toward which
| Walter directed his steps, and in very
short time the boys saw groups of men
coming from the houses, up the accliv-
ity toward the fatal spot. They came
hastily, two and three together, and
soon a dozen or more were gathered
around the three boys who had watched,
and were gazing at the body.
! After the first look the men made
characteristic remarks.
"This is a rough piece of business -
said Dan.
g Fearful !'' said Pete.
"That's durn queer work for a horse
now, amt it?' said Levy, a tall, keen
! fellow, intended by nature for lawyer.
Sc It don't look like a hoss to me, "
said another.
And so they went on to comment and
examine.
1t appeared that the rail und which
] Willie was iammed was dented and
marked, as if hammered by many
! blows. The three innocent boys who
| had originated the "hoss thto as
/ the men called it, accounted for the
marks on the rail by saying that the
horse paved at Willie after he was un-
der the fence.
The men said they knew better they
began to question the boys as if they
entertained suspicious in regard to
them, and the boys became very un-
comfortable. The men asked repeat
edly just how the body was lyiug when
the boys had found it, and inquired
again whether they had moved it at all.
TAe lads felt these insinuations very
keeh1y.
Men continued to come, and at length
women came in groups, until quite an
assembly was gathered there in the open
field Finally Walter returned slowly
up the hill with few friends, as if he
we're reluctant to come again to the
place. Just as he reached the spot,
| good old Father Mosely, and his wife,
the opposite direction and met Walter.
Father and Mother MoseIy lived down
| by the school-house, at the other side
of the settlement.
Mother Mosely at once seized hold of
Walter, and while she wrung his hand,
exclaimed, in a high voice, that seemed
to the boys not a becoming or natural
voice in which to express grief
" Oh, Walter, we can't give him up !;
no, no, no, oh, dear y
The gesticulation which accompanied
this was tragic anG STACEY, and it was by
far the most theatrical thing done upon
| that occasion.
Father Mosely spoke a very few words
which interested the people very much.
| Hearing some allusion made to the
" "hoss theory" he said 4:
"The little boy down at the school
says it was d sheep that did it.
And then it came out that WIllie's
playmate, Charlie Sanders, was "the
! little boy down at the school," and
that Charlie had cried all the forenoon,
and dared not tell the teacher what the
matter was but finally, at the noon
spell, he told little girl that Willie did
not come to school because a sheep IN
the lot had chased them and knocked
! Willie down, and he could not get mp.
Here was light, indeed, especially for
the three lads, who had begun to feel,
since the horse theory was criticised, as
if they themselves were culprits, unless
they accounted for " the murder"
Across the lot the sheep were still
feeding. A young farmer stepped out
of the crowd and called, Nan, nan,
man," and the flock, raising their heads,
responded with multitude of ba-a-as,
and came galloping over the grassy
field. At their head was the "old ram, "
fine ''buck, with great horns curling
I in spira1s around his ears.
so1o
basket in one hand, and, making a
brawny fist of the other, struck out to-
ward the ram, offering him battle. The
buck at once brought his head down in
line of attack, squared himself for g
big butt, and came on with lite run,
and a charge that, in an artistic point
Of view, was quite beautiful. The far
mer stepped aside, caught him by his
horns as he came, and that magnificent
charge was his last.
There was blood-thirsty feeling per-
vading the crowd, undoubtedly, but
Buck had a fair trial There, on his
white, bold face and horns, were the
bright carmine drops of fresh blood.
No other witnesses we're needed. In a
moment q glittering, keen knife flashed
from somebody's keeping into the bright
sunshine, and In a moment more pur-
pie stream dyed the white wool around
Bucks throat, and there was a red pool
upon the grass; and q little later, as Dan
remarked, "some tough mutton"
The excitement abated; for the mys-
terry was cleared up, and Justice had its
due. Kind-hearted Joe, who superin-
tended the Sabbath-school and led the
religious element of the neighborhood,
stepped forward and said to the crowd
Well, boys, it is all right here, and