Port Royal standard and commercial. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1876-10-05
A SPECIAL CONSTABLE.

Two women, sisters, kept the toll-bar
at a village in Yorkshire. 1t stood
apart from the village, and they often
felt uneasy at night, being lone women.
One day they received considerable
sum of money, bequeathed them by a
relation, and that set the simple souls all
in hutter.
They had friend in the village, the
blacksmith's wife; so they went and told
her their fears. She admitted that
theirs was a lonesome place, and she
would not live there. for one, without
man. Her discourse sent them home
downright miserable.
The blacksmith's wife told her hus-
band all about it when he came in for his
dinner.
1.-The fools |" said he; " how is any
body to know they have got brass in the
house z"
"Well," said the wife, they made
no secret about it to me; you need not
go for to tell it to all the town-poor
souls -
Not l." said the man; but they
will publish it, never fear; leave, women
lOlhS dlOu0 lOl khOh S"4 e1NNSAS
with their tongues" :"
There the subject dropped, as man and
wife have things to talk about besides
their neighbors.
The old women at the toll-bar, what
with their own fears and their Jobs
comforter, Began to shiver with appre-
hension as right came on. However, at
sunset the carrier passed through the
gate, and at the sight of his friendly
face they frightened up. They told
him their care, and begged him to sleep
in the house that night. " Why, how
eau II" said lie. 81 am due at -;
but will leave you my dog" The dog
was a powerful mastiff.
The women looked at each other e1-
pressively. He won't hurt us, will
he z" sighed one of them, family. "Not
he," said the carrier, cheerfully. Then
he called the dog into the house. and
told them to lock the door, and went
away whistl ng.
The women were left contemplating
the dog with that tender interest appre-
hension is sure to excite. At first he
seemed staggered at this off-hand pro-
ceeding of his master; it confused him,
then he snuffed at the door; then, as
the wheels retreated, he began to see
plainly that hc was an abandoned dog;
he delivered fearful howl and flew at
the door, scratching and barking furl-
ously.
The old women fed the apartment,
and were next seen at an upper window
screaming to the carrier "Come back
COME back, John ! He is tearing tho
house down !"
"Drat the varmint!' said John, and
came back. On the road he thought
what was best to be done. The good
natured fellow took his greatcoat out OF
the cart and laid it down on the floor.
The mastiff instantly laid himself on it.
"Now," said John, sterniy, "let us have
no more nonsense; you take charge OF
that till come back, and don't ye let
nobody steal that there, nor yet t wives
brass. There now," said he kindly to
the women, 81 shall be back this way
breakfast time, and he won't bulge till
then"
"And he won't hurt us, John 2"
"Lord, no Bless your heart, he is
as sensible as any Christian; only, Lord
sake, woman! don't ye go to take the
coat from him, or you'll be wanting a
new gown yourself, and maybe petit
coat and all. :"
He retired, and the old women kept at
respectful distance from their rrotec-
tor. He never molested them; and, IN
deed, when they spoke cajolingly to him
he even wapged his tail i'll dubious
way; but still. as they n owed about, he
sauinted at them out of his bloodshot
eye in way that checked all desire on
their part to try ca the carriers coat.
Thus protected, they went to bed earlier
than usual; they did not urdress; they
were too much afraid of everything, es-
pecially their protector. The night wore
on, and presently their sharpened senses
let them know that the dog was getting
restless; he snuffed and then he growl-
ed, and then he got up and pattered
about, muttering to himself. Straight
way with furniture they barricaded the
door through which their protector
must pass to devour them.
DuI, ny adu- pSo, iiSeouiHS y
they heard a scraping and grating out
side the window of the room where the
dog was, and he continued growing
low. This was enough; they slipped out
at the back door, and left their money
to save their lives; they got into the vii
lage. 1t was pitch dark, and all the
houses black but two; one was the pub
lie house, casting triangular CLEAN
across the road long way off, and the
other was tho blacksnith's house. Here
was piece of fortune for the terrified
women. They burst into their friend:
house. "Oh! Jane, the thieves have
come |" and they told her in few words
all that had happened.
"Nay, Jane, we heard the scrapins
outside the window. Oh, woman, cal
your man, and let him 60 with us.
my mamie is not here"
"Where is he then 2"
"I suppose he is where other work
ingwomen's husbands are, at the publ
house." she said, rather bitterly, for sh
had her experience.
The old women wanted to 60 to tn
public house for him but the black
smiths wife was courageous woman
L L.