The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-03-27

reached at last, and, lookin in, he saw only
, the widow and Tom Hardwood sitting by til,
fire.
There muterc3 the Squier in disgust al
ter making the discovery; 4 never though
of him! Why in sam Hill didn't remem
Der that he was here, and saved all tins
, trouble? Nearly spilled my best clothes
too
Tie turned about and was preparing to &C
hack. when movement down in the shrub
bery. arrested his attention, and downward
, progrcss at the same time. For a minute OF
! two he remained perfectly still; then he peer
. ed carefully over the rofi's edge. He saw q
man standing below among the trees, but
who he was the Squire couldn't make out
, IIowbeit whoever he might DC, he seemed tC
. be scanning the upper front window very
closely Indeed, his views did no; seem tc
satisfy him, and like his illustrious prede
cessor' he, too, passed around back Of the lit
tie kitchen, The Squire became alarmed
lie would be discovered certainly now.
What should he do? He glanced about hope
lessly until he caught sight of the chimney
large, old-fashioned one, running up from
the kitchen close against and on the outside
ofthe main building. With quick move.
ment he scrambled TO his feet into the shad-
ow of its deep corner and stood close against
the wall
Maybe he thought, The man will go way
pretty soon, cOnfound him.
But the stranger seemed in no hurry to
leave; on the contrary he moved about few
minutes, and then, to the CONSERVATION of our
friend on the roof, he began to ascend the
ladder. If ever Squire Butterfeld perspired
in his life, he did then. Although it was Il
cold night, he was in a proiuse sweat from
head to foot He grltted his teeth, clenched
his hands, bit his lips until the blood came,
but nevertheless the intruder made his way
slowly but surely up the slippery incline.
Goodness gracious. What in Sam Hill
shall do" murmured the Squire IN his des
peratc fear. I'd give anything, yes, any
thing, if | was safe at home. | wish all the
widows were in Guinea. | wish
But the sentence never WAS completed.
The ice-alas the treacherous ice on the root !!
Unexpectedly, suddenly, without premedita.
ton or malice atorethought, the Squier's feet
shot forward from under him, and with &c,
curacv of aim and swiftness of motion sci
dom unsurpassed, he bore down upon the
stranger That individual hold was very
weak and uncertain at best, and he was lily
prepared for such an onslaught. Therefore
when the Squire struck him, he, too, assum
ed an unexpected momentum, and both pas
sed over the roof together the stranger de.
scending feet foremost into the rain barrel
and the Squire making sad havoc with theI
widows grapevines and arbor
For Il moment the stranger remained with
in the barrel and the Squire among the vines
where he had fallen, both too amazed and
COMPOUNDED to know what to do. But only
for a moment then they extricated them
selves and stepped out into the moonlight,
the Squire with coat torn clear to the beck |
and the stranger very wet and dripping And
thus and there, face to face, they met.
Brother Buttertcldn
Mr.. Grimpn
There was IA momentary silence after these
ordinations of astonished recognition. Nj
Grimp was the fist to break it,
viii you allow me to inquire, Brother
Butterfed, what you are doing on the roof of
my house at this late hour"
'Sartainly you may, Mr., Grimp. came
becausc-that isl came to Sarvc that VIII,
of yourn,' answered the Squire, relieved To
find some excuse.
'Ahr
Yes; an I'd like to know what business
you had up there, Mr.. Grimp:'
Il come 10 see you serve it, said Mr.. Grimp,
with perceptible tightening of his thin lips. ,
We'll, said the Squire, rapidly recovering !
his composure, If your writ don't stick bet. |
tern you did on that ere roof, 1t wont amount
to nOthin', that's all
What reply NJ. Grimp would have made to
this request is not known, for just then the
door opened, and Tom Hardwood and the
widow, alarmed by the noise, came out Both
the Squire and Mr.. Grimp would gladly have
avoided an interview; indeed they turHe d to
hasten away, but were too late, The widow
them at once.
Why Mr.. Grimp! and Squire Butterield,
toon she exclaimed with the most charming
of smiles. Why, thought it was burglars,
or horse-thieves or something, and | was so
frightened. And, why Mr.. Grimp you are
real wet, aren't you? Is it raining or snow
ng? And she held out her little hand to
catch the falling drops.
No, marin, faint snown' or rainin either
Ie sec MIR. Grimp was Jest sLowin me the
roter priotlcgeS about the place, an irwin to,
see how much II rain barrel would hold, re. '
'ponded the Squire sarcastlcai!y, pointing to- !
ward the aforesaid barrel
Brother ButtcTield, will you be so kind IS
o attend to the business on which we came"
SAID Mr.. Grimp s'ernly.
'5artainly will. Here, Widow Bt-ney,
) a writ from Dir. Grmp, notiiyin' VOC 10 =
rive up these ere premises
i will take charge of that said young !,
hardwood, rather haughtily. 4 will call up
m you tomorrow, Squire, and settle the mat.
or. would say, also, Mr.. Grimp, that the
ime for redemption not having expired the !
mortgage and costs on that lady place have !
'cen paid in to the County Clerk, and you |
will not be troubled in caring for it further a
After that-wcll, Mr.. Grimp made some in |
Iislinct reply and the Squire very profuse >
nd incohcrent apologies; then they took ;
heir leave as best they could, feeling very I
mortified and humiiatcd. They !
lid not go homo together either nor ever af !!
or speak of the evenings experience 10 each !
'thcr. However, month latter, when Tom !
hardwood married the widow, the Squire 7
vas observed TO shake his head mourniully y
md murmur. /
1t ii hadn't been for Old Grimp csmin'
est as he did tina, night, things would have
'ecn different. Widow Barney meyer would
ave married that conccited young Hard O.
yood-ncvern y
AS for Mr.. Gr!mp, his face and his PRAYERS u
rev longer day by day, and the Sunday fol. C
n1uint. Tho I, 81