Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1876-09-02
A SPECIAL CONSTABLE.
By CHARLES READE.

One day they received a considerable
sum OF money. bequeathed them by re-
iatlon, and that set the simple souls all III
Il flutter.
They had friend i'm the village, the
blacksmith's wife; SO they went anu 'ciu
her their fears. She admitte that theirs
was 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 husband
all about it when he came i'll for his din
ner.
1.-The fools" said he, show is anybody
to know they have got brass i'll the
house 20
"Well," said the wife. ssthey made no
secret about it to me; you need not 90
for to tell it tn all the town-poor souls.'
Not l." said the man; 'but they will
publish it, never fear leave women folks
alone making their own trouble 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 COM
forter, began to shiver with apprehcn-
sion rs night came OH. However, ut sun
set the carrier passed through the gate,
end 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. s'Why, how can L." said he.
lin due at -; but l will leave you
my dog" The dog was a powerful mas
tiif.
The women looked at each other cx-
pressively. lille won't hurt us, will he?''
sighed one of them, family. Not he,'
said the carrier. checrfilly. Then he
cilled the dog in the house, and told
them to lock the door, and went away
whistling.
The women were LETT contemplating
the dog with that tender interest appre-
hension is sure to excite. At first he
seemed stags cred 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
he was an abandoned dog; he delivered
a fearful howl and flew at the door,
scratching and barking iuriously.
The Old women fled the apartment,
and were next seen at an upper window
screaming TO the carrier: Come back
come back, John! lie is tearing the
house down."
came back. On the road he thought
what was best to be done. The good
natured fellow took his great coat out of
the cart and laid it down on the floor.
The mastif instantly laid himself OIL it.
Now" said John, sternly, "let us have
no more nonsense; you take charge of
it till come back, and don't We let;nobody
steal that there, nor yet t. wives brass.
There now" said lie kindly to the wO-
men, IL shall be back this way breakfast
time. and he wont bulge till then."
And he wont hurt us, JOhn?"
'LOrtl, 10. Bless your heart, he is rs
sensible as any Christian; only, Lord
sake, women, don't We go to take the coat
from him, or you'll be wanting new
gown yourself, and maybe a. petticoat
and ALL"
lie retired. and the old women KEEP. ut
a respectful distance from their protec-
tor. He never molested them; ana IN
deed. when they spoke cajolingiy TO him
he even wagged his tail in Il dubious
way; but still, us they moved about, he
squinted at them out of his blOod-shot
eye in a way that checked all desire OH
their part to try OH the carriers coat.
Thus protected, they went to bed ear
lier than usual; they did not undress !;
they were too much afraid of everything,
especially their protector. The night
wore OH, and presently their sharpened
senses let them know that the dog was
getting restless he snuffed and then he
;growled, and then he got up and battered
about, muttering to himself Straight
way with furniture they barricaded the
door through which their protector must
pass TO deyOur them.
But. by and by, listening acutely, they
heard scraping and grazing outside
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 village
1t was pitch dark, and all the houses
black but two; one was the public house
casting triangular CLEAN across the road
along way of, and the other was the
biacksmith's house. Here was a piece OF
fortune for the terrified women. They
burst into their friends house. s.Oh, Jane
the thieves have GOMEZ and they told
her III few words all that had happen.
ed.
''La," said she, show tiresome you are
Ten to one he was only growing a
some one that passed by."-
NAY. Jane, we heard the scraping out
side of the window. Oh, woman, cal
your man, and let him go with u.s."
my mamie is not here"
S'Where is he then ?'
II suppose he is where other working
womens husbands are, at the public
house" she said rather bitterly, for sht
had her experience.
The old women wanted to 90 to the
public house for him; but the black
Vuc
and, besides, she thought it was most
likely false alarm. NAY, nay,n sale
she, last time Went for him there 90
a fine affront. Ill come with you,r sale
she. I'll take the poker, and we hav,
got our tongues to raise the town with,
suppose" So they marched to the toll
bar. When they got near it, they saw
something that staggered this heroine
There was actually man half i'm and hal
out of the window. This brought the
blacksmith's wife to stand-still. and the
Ilmid pair implored her to 90 back tc
the village. May" said she, swhat for
L see but one-and-hark (! it is nv belief
that the dog is holding of him." How
ever, she thought it safest to be on the
same side with the dog. lest the man
might turn on her. She made her way
into the kitchen, followed by the other
two, and there sight met her eyes that
changed all her feelings, both toward the
robbcr and toward each other. The
great mastiff had pinned man by the
throat, ana was pulling at him, to draw
him through the window, with fierce but
muffied snarls. The mans weight alone
prevented it. The window was like a
picture frame, and i'm that frame there
giared, with lolling tongue and starting
eyes, the white face of the blacksmith,