Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1876-12-22

Sfeat-Sranufather TOOK 1t from the
hand of a dead veteran on the field
of Aughrim. 1t was then black and
bloody, and it has done many a days
work since"
shuddered and shrank back from
the evil thing as far as could with
out losing my balance. My father
felt the action.
"Don't be afraid of the poor
thing" he muttered, halt laughing
ly, sit won't hurt you. And l hope
it may never more have any work to
do"
"Ah!" l said, "I'll never 60 near
or touch the nasty thing again. I'll
"Tut, tut" replied my father, "you
talk like girl! But hello! here we
are in the middle of the bog, and in
tending to go the other road. That's
what comes of gosslping."
Looking around, l recognized a
part of road over which we had pass
ed in the morning. 1t was sort of
raised causeway like railroad en-
bankment, and ran right across the
center Of large tract of bog. 1t
was the nearest way from our house
to town, but was seldom made use of
except in the daytime. Out of re
pair, unsheltered from wind or rain,
and tlanked on either side by a deep
ditch, full of ugly, black, deadly
looking water, it was anything but
pleasant to travel after dalk. In ad-
dition, an evil repute hung over 1t.
Several lives had been lost in the ug-
ly ditch on either side, and of late it
had become notorious as place tre-
quented by agrarian criminals.
This of itself was enough to deter
most men, and my father halted the
pony, and looked around.
"Ah!" he said, after Il moments
pause, ''it's all right. See, the moon
will be out in a minnie or two.
Meanwhile, we'll jog on quietly"
Dolly knew the road of old, and
stepped forward carefully But
scarcely had she gone 4 dozen yards
when, as if sprung from the bowels
of the earth, or rising out of the black
ditch, as Venus from the sea, Il tall
torm-looking taller than it really
was in the weird light-stood forth
in the way.
Another step and we saw that the
figure was that OF a man dressed in
a long, irieze coat, and carrying an
enormous stick or "wattle," so long
that when used for resting, it was
grasped one-third of its length below
the top.
"God save We, sir!' said the man,
stepping aside little as he drew
near.
"God save ye kindly" replied my
father, as he swayed the pony little
to one side, so rs to allow the man
to pass.
But the man turned, and faced to-
wards the way we were going.
"a very fine night, sir" said the
man, as he edged nearer and nearer
to the head Of the pony, who seemed
to have an instructive desire to keep
as far from him as possible. ga fine
night, sir, hut little dark for this
road"
ooh, there will soon be plenty Of
light" replied my father. "Besides,
l know this road very well, and have
proved it in many darker night"
'True tor ye, sir" replied the man,
with another accession Of love for
being near the head of the pony.
"But there's worse things nor the
dark night to be afraid of on this
road"
"Indeed," said my father, as his
right arm gradually slipped round to
his back, and his hand grasped and
and drew on to his right knee the
barrel of the blunderbuss.
"Yis, an l wonder yon're not
ateared," said the man. "Didn't we
hear how they trated Purcell, the
male-monger, a few days ago, an
what they done to ould Doran of
Maturk? Yis, there's worse things
nor the dark night about here, can
tell you"
"T'rue forge" replied my tather,in
a bitter tone of mimicry of the
mans voice and style, ''an you're
one of them"
The man halted for half step,and
exclaimed
Zone ov-"
"Look here" cried my father, as
he bent low over the neck of the po-
ny, and bringing around the mouth
of the blunderbuss so that it gaped
right in the face of the man-''this
is what makes me not afraid of all
the prowling villains in the coun-
ty."
AS he spoke he regaincd his form
er position, and the moon, shooting
from behind the last cloud that had
hid it, flashed full on the polished
barrel of the blunderbuss. The
man staggered back al instant, then
made step as if to leap the black
ditch, and disappear among the
clumps of turf that dotted the waste.
"Hold!" cried my father, still in
the same fierce, quick tone. "Don't
attempt to leave u.s."
The man rs if moved by some pow
er beyond his will, turned obedient-
ly, and stepped forward,
"Now, listen," continued my faith
er. eff you attempt to move one
foot out of the direct path, if you 60
a single step faster or slower than
we do, if you whistle, sing, or make
a sign of any kind that may be heard
by your murderous companions lurk-
ing behind those stacks of turf, I'll
blow your brains out"
The man gave one quick glance
over his right shoulder, saw the wide
mouth and barrel of the bunderbuss
bearing right down upon him, my
fathers hand graspiug the lock and
my fathers fierce eyes and stern
white face looking for the slightest
sign of disobedience. He shivcred,
dropped his eyes to the ground and
walked on steadily.
After this no sound, save the pat
of the pony's feet, or the deep breath
ing of the man, broke the stiffness
al