Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-10-03

of shots Harry would gather up his
half-dozen cocoa-nuts, and stalk off
chuckling to the park railings, where
he deposited his burden, and came
back quietly and steadily, and walking
Rp and down for while in front of his
mark before he essayed to fire again.
The gypsy-looking man almost
foamed at the mouth with suppressed
rage and indignation at finding himself
thus hardly used; his bag of cocoa
nuts was almost empty, his pouch scan
tily replenished with coppers. At last
he plucked up the sticks. in rage,
bundled together his bats and the poor
remains of his cocoa-nuts, and left the
ground amidst the jeers and laughter
of the spectators. -.-.t.e
"I'll see ye yet,"he shouted, def
antly, at Smith, cat game that amt
played so easy" ~. l----.., &.
Harry, elated at having broken the
bank, strelled away, escorted by few
friends, toward the drinking booth, and
here Hannah lost sight of him. She
waited anxiously for long time. He
did not re-appear. " He won't come
home now," she said to herself, sigh
ing bitterly, sand Tommy wants his
tea." She must go home. At the out
skirts of the fair her attention was at
tracted by certain familiar Sounds
loud nasal voice reciting certain words,
and then a peal of harmony. AS a
counterpoise to the evil influences of
the fair, some good souls, her father at
the head, had extemporized a religious
service.
There they were, gathered in little
knot in the center of q circle hard and
irreverent two or three bony, resolute
women with thick ankles, some thin
faced sallow men with long boards,
about her. father, white-bearded, be-
nevolent-looking man, and they were
singing hymn with much unction.
Dick, her brother, fne-looking, fiery
spirited young fellow, in white
blouse, little apart from the circle, as
if half ashamed of what was going on.
Presently they all went down on their
knees on the sward, holding by the
handles of their umbrellas, and some
tervent volunteer delivered prayer.
While they were in this position a
sudden rush was made by party of
young men who had just issued from
the drinking booth joining hands,
they parted the crowd before them, and
rushed in upon the circle of worship.
ers, whom, they. scattered right and
left. Hannah saw her father hustled
to the ground then her brother Dick,
white, with passion, stepped forward
and delivered blow at the ringleader
of the disturbance. The blow went
straight home, and the tall fellow bit
the grass the crowd parted on either
side for an instant, gathering in thicker
next moment on the man struck down /;
in that instant Hannah recognized her
husbands face as that of the fallen
man. ".h'-.- J. aa
He rose next minute, and looked
about him with ferocious, cleaning
eyes. Hannah <trembled. Dick was
but STRIPPING, and muscle and sinew
were undeveloped, while Harry was q
sturdy son of Anak, built up of steel
and iron wire.I But there was the
chance. that he did not find out who
struck the blow. ...
The joyful strains of the prosecuted
saints soon uprose from another part OF
the grounds, and this time they met
with no interruption. Harry, sobered
by his fall, looked at his father and
brother-in-law with dark suspicion, but
he seemed to be uncertain of his man,
and after glaring at the people in the
newly-formed ring for several minutes,
he strobe hastily away.
| Hannah went home sorrowfully
enough. Now that Harry had broken
loose, there was no saying where he
would stop, and at such times her, in.
fuence over him was altogether lost.
She dreaded his home coming, the
strong unbridled man infamed with
drink, very savage in his cups, al.
though at other times he was good and
kind, as far as in him lay. C70Fr>rt.
Before night-fall her father came in
and seated himself YEARLY on the settle
in the huge open chimney. .e,.4
"You mustn't stay, father" said
Hannah, putting her arm round his
neck. "He might be home any
minute" % ~- '-'' ''.9'' ~
"Nay, he's fast enough" said ole
Brown, with a sigh then, after Q
pause, "Did you hear of his upsettine
God s servants this blessed day, he and
a lot of wild young sinners ?"
81 saw it all, father, said Hannah
"and I grieved for you and Dick"
"What did you see Dick ~ CRIED
Ebenezer, with momentary glow o.
pride. Gay, he smote the Philistin,
rarely; but 1t. was sinful too. I re
proved him, Nanny. sTurn thy othel
cheek, Dick I said, to the smiter.
But it's little use saying aught te
Dick, with a sigh. ,,A ..il..-ts
"But he's a fine lad too, is Dick,
said Hannah, her face lighting up will
sisterly pride. "If he were as good as
he's bonny."
Ebenezer groaned and shook hit
head. "That's what I've come to yor
about, Nanny--about Dicks goings on
He's got into bad company, dear, and ]
fear he's going wrong altogether" ->
"What sort of bad company, father p
said Hannah, with blush. "Do yor
mean girls, father ?"
"Not as I've found lout yet, !" sale
Ebenezer ;rst but bad young fellows
from Hightown- sporting, poaching
goddess men. There we're a lot OF then
at the fail, and, from what overheard
I fancy that some of them are urgin,
Henry Smith to drink, and that they
mean to sweep Squire Courthope'I