The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-10-11
A SPECIAL CONSTABLE.

A SPECIAL CONSTABLE.
Two women, sisters, kept the toll-bar
at a village in Yorkshire. It stood
apart from the village, and they often
felt uneasy at night, being lone women.
One day they received a considerable
sum of money, bequeathed them by q
relation, and that set the simplesouls all
in a hutter.
They had a friend in tho village, the
blacksmith's wife; 80 they went and told
her their fears. She admitted that
theirs was a lonesome place, and she
would not live there, for one, without o
man. Her discourse sent them home
downright miserable.
The blacksmith's wife told her hus-
band all about il when he came in for his
dinner.
"The fools |" said he; "how is any
body to know they have got brass In the
house 2"
"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
folks alone for 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
comforter, began to shiver with appre-
hension as pight 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
can II" said he. 81 am due at --;
but I will leave you my dog" The dog
was a powerful mastif.
The women looked at each other e1-
pressively. He won't hurt US, will
he ?" sighed one of them, family. "Not
be-" said the carrier, cheerfully. Then
he called the dog into the house, and
told them to lock the door, and went
away whist ng.
The ONE were left contemplating
the dog with that tender interest appre-
hension is sure to excite. At first he
seemed staggered at this of-hand pro-
oeeding of his master; it confused him,
then he snuffed at the door; then, as
the wheels r~etreated, he began to see
plainly that he was an abandoned dog;
ne delivered o fearful howl and few at
the door, scratching and barking furi-
ously.
The old women fled the apartme at,
and were next seen at an upper window
screaming to the carrier 4: "Come back |!
come back, John! he is tearing the
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 mastif instantly laid himself on it.
"Now," said John, sternty, "let US have
no more nonsense; you take charge OF
that till I 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 I"
"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 a petit
coat and ALL"
He retired, and the old women kept at
a respectful distance from their protec-
tor. He never molested them; and, in
deed, when they spoke cajolingly to him
he even wagged his tail in a dubious
way; but still, as they moved about, he
squinted at them out Of his bloodshot
eye in a way that checked all desire on
their part to try on the carriers coat.
Thus protected, they went to bed earlier
than usual; they did not undress; they
were too much afraid of everything, es.
p~ecially their protector. The night wore
on, and presently their sharpened senses
let them know that the dog was getting
restless; he snufed and then he growl-
ed, 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 devour them.
But, by-and-bye, listening acutely,
they heard a scraping and a grating out
side the window of the room where the
dog was, and he continued growing
low. This was enough; they slippedout
at the back door, and left their money
to saw 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 a triangular CLEAN
across the road q long way of, and the
other was the blacksmith house. Here
was a piece Of fortune for the terrified
women. They burst into their friends
house. "OhI Jane, the thieves have
come |" and they told her in a few words
all that had happened.
ebay, Jane, we heard the scraping
outside the window. Oh, woman, call
your man, and let him go with u.s."
"My mamie is not here"
"Where is he then ?"
st suppose he is where other work
ingwomen's husbands are, at the public
house," she said, rather bitterly, for she
had her experience.
The old women wanted to 60 to the
public house for him ; but the black
smiths wife was q courageous woman,
and, besides, she thought it was most
likely a false alarm. "Nay, nay" said
she, "last time I went in for him there
I got q fine affront. "Il come with
YOU" said she. "Ill take the poker,
and We have got u tongues to raise
the town with, I suppose" So they
marched to the toll-bar. When they
got near it, they saw something that
staggered this heroine. There wa &C.
tually a man half in and half out of the
window. This brought the blacksmith's
wife to a standstill, and the timid pair
implored her to go back to the village.
"Nay," said see, "what fori I see but
one-and-hark !" it is my belief that
the dog is holding of him." However,
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 a sight met her eyes that
changed all her feelings, both toward