Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-10-20


about her in the house, and, lynx-eyed as a
sentry, and fnc-eared as mother, mounted
ON guard
Now there came time when nobody had
seen any Indians for so long a while, that
even the wise heart Of the mother forgot 10
feel keenly about anything in this world, II
we do not see it-an absent duty, or an alb
sent friend, or an absent terror-all alike
they grow a trihe dim or dull.
And one day when Titus and Tam said,
"Just one gallop on the prairie, mother, with
old Jerusalem" their mother said, Well, ]
don't know" and their father said, al guess
I'D let 'em;" aud the lynx eyes, and the
keen ears, and the wise head Of the mother
said her not nay-and so il happened.
Old Jerusalem was the big, white horse ;
the faithful, grand, old horse, that took steps
almost as long as akangaroo's, and was more
afraid of an Indian than Titus and Tam.
So Susan kissed Titus goodbye, tenderly
fOr he was the good boy Of those remark
able twins-and that was why they called
| him Titus; and kissed Tam a little more
| tenderly still, because he wasn't so good a.
| Titus, and so had got called Tam and she
said, Hold on tight !" and John came out
and said, Come home pretty soon :" and
/ Tam got on first, and Titus got on behind
| him, and Jerusalem gave one great bound.
and away they shot clinging with shining
bare feet TO Jerusalems white bare back
for they were magnificent little riders, seven
| years old now, and brave as cubs.
Susan stood watching them after John
| had gone back TO his work--stood watching
long after they had swept away into the
great green, beautiful sea of the treacher-
Gus prairie grass.
Uneasy? Not exactly Sorry she had
let them 60? Hardly that. She was a
sensible little woman, and having done what
she thought was right had no idea of being
troubled by it, till the time came. But still
she stood Watching her hand above her eyes
this way-and she did not go into the house
till the newest new baby had cried at least
five minutes at the topof its new little lungs.
| Titus and Tam and Jerusalem got pretty
| far out on the beautiful, terrible prairie
| How beautiful it was II did not seem rs
/ il it ever could be terrible if it tried. The
| green waves Of the soft grass rolled madly.
| The wind was high. The sun was so bright
they could not look at it. The strong horse
bounded with mighty leaps. The boys could
| feel the muscles quivering and drawn tense
| in his soft, warm body, as they clung. 1t
was like being horse yourself. They did
/ not know which was horse and which was
boy. They laughed because they could not
help it. and shouted because they did not
know it. Iii Iii o, the sun, and the mad
| grass, and the wild wind Iii ! Iii Yi-i-i !
Who could be two boys on such prairie,
on such a day, on such horse, and not yell
like little wildcats
ITS pretty" said little Titus, softly,
when they had got tired Of yelling.
"You bet !" said Tam, loudly Iii Hi !
Iii Yi-i-ee-eel"
al guess we ought to 60 back" said
Titus, pretty soon Titus was so much more
likely to remember to be good.
"Oh no. said Tam, who was generally a
little bad when there was a chance.
Father said TO come home pretty soon,
said 'pitus.
But" urged Tam, with bright air,
smother said to hold on tight. Iii 4 Yil
vi
All what was that ? What was it2
Could Jerusalem answer2 Can the wild
winds talk ? VIII the mad prairie speak
The sunshine is tongue-tied, and the great
sky is dumb. But something answered Tam
| O'Shanter's shout.
o there o Titus Quick, quick, quick
Turn him round, Tam Turn Jerusalem
round Injuns Injuns Oh, wish we
hadn't come What shall we do, what shall
we do ? Oh, Tam, what shall we do? Oh,
Tam, they've all got horses, and they're
coming straight Get upl Get up Oh,
Jerusalem, do hurry Old fellow, do get us
home Good boy Good old fellow
! Oh, Tam they've got arrows, and they're
-to-shootl
Pretty little Mrs. Jacobs had got the new
est baby TO sleep, and got the baby that
wasn't quite so new to sleep, and given
Betty her patchwork, and sent her husband
out his beer, and swept the kitchen, and
built the fire, and started supper on the way
and | don't know what else besides, when
that fine mothers ears of hers detected
through the sough of the wind upon tn,
prairie, a sharp, uneven, and TO her notion
rather ugly sound
Betty was sitting in the door, but sh,
heard nothing. The sleeping babies did moi
stir from their baby dreams John was ir
the garden, but john heard never a sound
Only the mother heard it, Only th,
mother grew lynx-eyed in an instant, aud il
AN instant was out with hand upraised-
50, again-bareheaded stern-mouthed, anxi
ous-hearted. Watching as those who have
lived much face to face with death-with
out a word. She did not even call her Inns
band. The time had not come to speak.
10 might have been three minutes j
might have been less or more; who coul,
tell when john Jacobs, digging heavil,
over an obstinate potato, felt hand lalt
lightly upon his shoulder. His wife stoo'
beside him. She was as pale as one man,
hours dead but she stood quite still.
",Iohn," she said, in low voice, "com
, into the house n minute"
He obeyed her in wonder and silence. II
Just dropped his hoe and went.
Now, shut the door," said Susan. II
shut 1t. Shut the windows"
whats the matter, Susan Auythin
wrong2 Amt the boys in 2 What Yo
-don't-mean--"
lIush-sh Before the chldrenl Dom
, John I'll tell you in minute. Bolt til
I front door"
lie bolted it.
D Lock everything. Draw the shutter
, Fasten them with oase-kniyes besides th
/ buttons. Is the cellar door tight? IL e,
A erythng tight2 Betty, take care of the b;
n bies minute for mother John, com
i here !"
y She led him TO the little attic, and froI
the narrow, three-eornered window, pointe
4 TO the prairie, still without word.
= Aud still, how beautiful il was How til
q wind played like one gone crazy for Joy wit
/ the tonder tops of the unbroken, unbounde
grass. Aud soft, as il the world had gor
4 to sleep for very safety, fell the magnifcer
n weston sun, beautiful, terrible, treache
p Gus thing
: Cutting through the soft horizon lin
4 sharp as the knife through shrinking iesl
4 six dark figures doomed against the SIX,
; Wildly before them, with the giganti
q strides of IA long-stepped roadster, fled BIZ
q gannt, homely, grand cid horse. Aud elm
\ ing with little bright, bare feet to his side
I and clinglng with little despairing arms
= one another.
i "My God They are our boysl''
4 John Jacobs threw up his arms and ran.
Quick as woman's thought ran, his wi
y was before him, aud had bolted the att
!, door.
: "Where are you going, john ?"
= She spoke, he thought, IN her natural tone
q though she trembed horribly. Where was
a going2 Why, 10 meet them, save them-g
. his gun--blow these devils brains out-whi
o did she mean ? Why did she keep him
Quick, quick Open the door
My husband" said Susan, still in tho'
- strangely quiet tones "we cannot save o,
a boys. Look for yourself aud see. The
y viii bo shot before they reach the hous
4 We have three children left. You must say
/ them, and for their sakes, yourself, Joh
l. Keep the door locked. Keep the widow
Iarral E.an tho sbuftars drawn Eiva N