Litchfield enquirer., 1875-04-29

Cu WisH upAI1Ieu S6aH GO g1V6 chase LO bu6 scampering vagabond; and-he may have ripped or he may not, but he fell full length. Little White hastened to help him ID, but he waved him of with aferce lmprecation, and staggering to his feetre- sumed his way homeward. His lips were reddened with blood, 7 i.a.l5alr1 --.s
 Little White was on his way to the meeting of the Board. He would have given all he dared spend to have stayed away, for he felt both too fierce and too tremulous to brook the criticisms that were likely to be made. l-@ ass.--@ ''I can't help it, gentlemen; can't help you to make case against the old man, and I'm not going to-" ; #
 eve did not expect this disappointment Mir. White:''
 "I can't help that, sir. No sir; you had better not appoint any more investigations. Somebodyll investigate himself into trouble. No, sir; it isn't threat, it is on- ly my advice, but warn you that who ever takes the task in hand will rue it to his dying day-which may be hastened, too."
 The President expressed himself "sur- prised.''
 'I don't care a rush," answered little White, wildly and foolishly. ''I don't care rush if you are, sir. No, my nerves are not disordered; my heads as clear as 8 bell. No I'm not excited"
 A Director remarked that the Secretary looked as though he had walked from a nightmare.
 Well, sir, if you want to know the fact, l have; and if you choose to cultivate old Poquelin's socity you can have one, too. Y"
 White, D called a facetious member, but White did not notice. "White," he called again.
 "What?" demanded White, with a scowl.
 ''Did you see the ghost?" -.s
 les, SfL, did,' ,'' vx;o1 TpA:Go, hitting the table, and handing the President a paper which brought the Board to other business.
 The story got among the gossips that somebody (they were afraid to say little White) had been to the Poquelln man. sion by night and beheld something ap- palling. The rumor was but a shadow of the truth, magnified and distorted as is the manner of shadows. He had seen skeletons walking, and had barely escap- ed the clutches of one by making the sign of the cross. ..-. ...- ....,.., :
 Some madcap boys with an appetite for the horrible plucked up courage to ven- ture through the dried marsh by cattle. path, and come before the hosueat spec tral hour when the air was full of bats. Something which they but half saw-half a sight was enough-sent them tearing back through the willow.brakes and acacia bushes to their homes, where they fairly irnnnad down and nrind.
 "Was it white?" 'No-yes-nearly so we can't tell-but we saw it." And one could hardly doubt, to look at their ash- en faces, that they had, whatever it was.
 eff that old rascal lived in the country we come from,' said certain Americains, ''he'd have been tarred and feathered be-
 ''We, now he just would"
 s'And we'd have rid him on a rail, wouldn't we?'' ......,
 '"That's what allow"
 A. ''Tell you what you could do." They were talking to- some rollicking Creolea who. had assumed an absolute necessity call this thing where an old man marries a young girl. and you come out with horns and" .a..ya La = f.--.-
 O'sSVs
 ''Yes, that's it. Why don't you shivaree him?' Felicitous suggestion.
 Little White, with his wife beside him, sitting on their doorsteps on the sidewalk as Creole custom had taught them, look ing toward the sunset. The view was not attractive on the score of beauty. The honses were small and scattered, and across tue flat commons, spite of the thickets of acacia, they needs must see the dismal old Poquelin mansion tilted awry and shutting out the declining sun. The moon, white and slender, was hang ing the tip of it's horn over one the chim- neys.
 'And you say," said the Secretary, ''the old black man has been going by here alone? Patty. suppose old Poquelin should be concocting some mischief; he don't lack provocation? the way that clod hit him the other day was enough to have killed him. Why, Patty, he dropped as quick ast thGt! No wonder you haven't seen him. wonder if they haven't heard some thing about him mp at the drug store. Sup pose go and see." "
 "De," said his wife. --..5
 She sat alone for half an hour, watching that sudden going out of the day peculiar to the latitude.
 '"That moon is ghost enough for one house, she said, as her husband return ed '1t has gone right down the chim- ney;"
 clerk says the boys are going to shivaree Poquelln to night. I'm going to try to stopit." 2- 7oec
 ''Why, White,'' said his wife, ''you'd better not. You'll get hurt"
 ''No, I'll not" .-
 Yes, you will.
 '1'm going to sit out here until they come along. They're compelled to pass right by by here" ,"
 ''Why. White, it may be midnight be- fore they start; you're not going to sit out here till then" .'-
 ''Yes, am" 1'.." -'..4
 ''Well, you're very foolish," said Mrs. White in an undertone, looking anxious, and tapping one Of the steps with her foot. .i#Ta-
 They sat very long time talking over little family matters.
 What's that?" at last said Mrs. White.
 ''That's the nine o'clock gun" said White, and they relapsed into long-sus- tained, drowsy silence.
 Patty. you'd better go in and go to bed. said heat last.
 'I'm not sleepy"
 Well, you're very foolish, 1" quietly re- marked little White, and again silence fell upon them.
 ':Patty. suppose walk out to the old house and see if can find out anything. ''
 Suppose" said she, '.you don't do any such-Listen!" .1a ShI -,
 r t.r
 Down the street arose a gaeat hubbub.
 Dogs and boys were how1ing and bark ing; men were laughing, shouting, groan- ing, and blowing horns, whooping, and clanking COW bells. whinnying, and howl ing, and rattling pots and pans. 9.'i f. : s..z They are coming this way" said little Whit, You'd better go into the house, Patty. : .''1's-f1Sds# sTsa .fzlz5
 ''So had you. '' s@ 1 sAd :ne
 No. I'm going to see if I can't stop them" f'oEs-5s9sE .7E 517a
 ''Why, White!'' 'a.2--t s55si
 I'll be back in minute, said White, and went toward the noise.
 In few moments the little Secretary met the mob. The pen hesitates on the