Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-03-06

1851 was 'aas Vne noraes might 20 home, and
that my husband, thinking Of nothing
worse than the overturn, might come to look
for us, unarmed and defenseIess. MY mind
was so full Of this dread that do not think
l fully realized the terrors of our own posi.
ton.
Diana, happily, was not one Of those girls
whose first impulse in any danger ia TO
scream. She slipped down on the boards,
and, laying her head in my lap, held Dicks
hand tight, but she did not say word, nor
utter a cry.
Dick was far more moved than his sister.
He trembled all over. and turned on mo a
face SO white and miserable, that in all our
distress | was conscious Of a surprised feel
ing at seeing boy Of his spirit and charac.
ter so overcome.
All is not hopeless yet, | said, in a
whisper.
20 Mrs. Graham, said he, al it's all my
fault"
"Your fauit2 How can that be- p"
oh, I've been such self-willed fool |!
When l went for the horses | met Mr..
Moore, and he told me he had Just heard that
the tiger had got loose, and never let him
know that we were going to Galoosa, be-
cause was sure 1t l did he'd come up and
put stop to our ride and didn't want to
drive round by the mill, for | thought the
captain might have heard, aud all because 1
was 80 determined TO show l could drive and
to have my own way, and do what I'd set
out to do, and wouldn't believe there was
any danger till after we had started, and
then it began to come over me what Il had
done, and that was why l wanted TO take
the short road, and now have killed you
and Diana and poor Dick hid his face
with moan Of remorso and despair.
Poor Dick Many piece Of boyish will.
fulness and self-con6dence had known in
my time, but none that seemed likely to bear
such bitter fruit.
10 Dick p was all that Diana said.
1t was no time for reproaches, and used
none, l am glad to think but confess that
for moment felt bitterly resentful. The
beast below, hearing our voices, reared him
self on his hind legs; and, as his head near
ly touched the boards on which we stood, HI
tore at the wall with his claws until III,
whole house shook, and the great splinter
flew from the solid oak logs. He switched
his tail to and fro, and whiued and chat
tered his teeth like an angry cat that sees I
bird just out Of her reach, and then re
sumed his swift, restless movement to acc
fro. | could not but gaze with n sort o
Mortified admiration at the creatures dread
full beauty, the union Of perfect grace anC
tremendous power displayed in every mo
ton. The dog pressed close to my side
and licked my hand and then, as the tige
repasscd the opening in the floor, he sot nj
his bristles with low, deep howl don
know how long we sat together there on tn
floor in the twilight. The garnet was no
and close. but We dared not open tho shuttle
for breath Of air.
After time, our foe seemed to be wear
Of his restless march, and, throwing his vas
weight and length along the floor, lay witt
his eyes fixed on the hole in the ceiling, lik
cat watching mouse hole. Even nov
sometimes in dream l see those eyes as
saw them then. 1t began to grow towar
dusk, and the little light there was in GU
prison grew DINNER,
Suddenly the dog began scratching at th
window shutters, as though anxious to &c
out, tried to quiet him, but In vain; an
then, longing for breath Of fresh air,
ventured to open the shutter by q finger
breadth. The instant did 50, the do
forced his way through, and from the roc
Of the little shed sprung to the ground, an
sped away into tho swamp, but not towar
home. bolted the shutter instantly, bu
the noise had reused the tiger, aud starsin
to his feet, he made the place echo and re
echo with his hoarse roar.
Had he been genuine wild beast, usa
to providing for himself and to hunting hi
own dinner, our lease Of life would hav
been short; but having been brought up
{ a cage, he was not acute enough to look fc
another opening into the place where his eS
pected prey had taken refuge. l have sec
a petted house cat wholly at a loss TO accour
for the disappearance Of mouse which SD
had chased into crack having an openin
! at the end opposite to that where Mrs Pui
had sat down to watch, quite confident thu
, the game was her own. Darker and DARK
! err it grew, and still the brute would nc
! leave his place.
wondered that no one had come 10 see
US but did not know till afterward tbs
"the colts" instead of going back to Mays
, vile, had returned to their old home, eigt
miles away from the village.
, Diana kept herself very quiet, and poe
Dick, except word or two Of remorse an
selEreproach, was equally silent. though
Of our oldest boy, our Ion, expected hon
from school, the next day, after years al
sence; of the two little ones at home, an
. their father; and for time there can
. upon me horror Of great darkness.
/ The beast grew moro restless. lie whine
I and snarled, and struck savagely at ii
Q rafters overhead; but the great beams hell
Then it seemed suddenly to occur to h
, mind that there might be other ways (
/. reaching u.s. and he rushed out doors an
began prowling round and round the hous
| as we could see through crack or two b
, tween the logs.
= We knew that, unless help came soon, v
= were lost, and we drew closer togethe
There were few words of whispered praye
y and then Dick, pale and determined, toe
his place near the window. ".
/ Give heard he don't take but one when
! springs. Its my place" said the boy.
a Diana chung to him, sobbing for the fir
q time, and he gently put her from him. IT
= next instant the creature bounded TO the ro
. of the shed. The crack in the shutter w
: darkened we heard him snufing impatien
= ly, and then the shutter shook and tremble
= Dick opened his clasp knife, piteOusly !
q sufficient weapon against the fearful clal
a that we're then rending and tearing at Il
frail boards.
- "Open the trap-door," he said. Perha
). we can swing ourselves dOwn and get away
A undid the fastening, but Diana chung
y her brother. The shutter held out long
than we could have hoped, for saw tn
the creature would be upon US in anoth
% moment. To our surprise, he seemed So
u denly to pause in his attack. There was