The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1877-05-24
II SPECI4L CONST1BLE.
BY CHARLES READE.

Two WOncll, olSLerS, hepG InG DIR III
Yorkshire. It stood apart from the vii
lage, and they often felt uneasy at night,
being lone women.
One day they received considerable
sum of money, bequeathed to them by a
relative, and that set the simple souls all
in q hutter.
They had friend in the village, the
blacksmith's wife; SO they went and told
her their fears. She admitted that theirs
was lonesome place, and she would not
live there for one-without a man. Her
discourse sent them home downright
miserable.
The blacksmith s wife told her husband
all about it when he came in from din
ner. s'The FOOLS" said he; show is
anybody to know they have got the brass
in the house ?''
"Well," said his wife, "they make
no secret Of it to me /; but you need not
go 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 other things to talk about be-
sides 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 night came on. However, a
sunset the carrier passed through the
gate, and at sight of his friendly face
they frightened up. They told him their
care, begging linn to sleep in the house
that night. ''Why, how can I?'' said
he "I'm due at But will leave you
my dog" Tie dog was a powerful mas
tiff.
The women looked at each other ex-
pressively. &c He won't hurt us, willhe?"
sighed one of them family. "Not he,"
said the carrier, cheerfully. Then he
called the dog into the house, told them
to lock the door, and went away whist
ling.
The women were left contemplating
the dog with that tender solicitude which
apprehension is sure to excite. At first
he seemed staggered at this oir-hand
proceeding of his master; it confused
him; then he snuf1ed 1T the door; then,
as the wheels rctreated, he began TO see
plainly he was an abandoned dog. He
delivered fearful howl, and flew ut the
door, scratching and barking furiously.
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 the
house down =
| g Drat the varmint," +" said John, and
came back On the road he thought
what was best to do. The good-natured
fellow took his great-coat out of the cart,
and laid it down on the floor The mas
tiff instantly laid himself on it. g Now"
said John, sternly, ''let us have no
more nonsense you take charge of that
| till [ come back, and don't let nobody
steal that there, nor yet t wives brass.
There now" said he, kindly, to the
| women, q shall be back this way
breakfast time, and he won't bulge till
| then"
And lie won't hurt tts, John -
Lord, no. Bless your heart, he is
as sensible at any Christian only,
Lorlsake, 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. y
| He retired and the old women kept Mt
a respectful distance from her protector.
He never molested them and, indeed,
when they spoke caiolingly to him, he
even wagged his tail IN dubious way.
But still, rs they moved about, he
| sauinted ut thcm out of his blood shot
eye in way that checked all de-
| sire ON their parts to try on the carrier s
| coat
Thus protected, they went to bed
earlier than usual, but they did not un-
dress. they We're too much afraid of
everything, especially 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 growled, and then he got
up and battered about, muttering to
himself. StraiShtway with furniture
they barricaded the door, through
which their protector must pass to de-
your them
But by and by, listening acutely, they
heard a scraping and grating outside
the window of the room where the dog
was, and he continued growing low.
This was enough. They slipped oat at
the back door, and left their money to
save their lives They cot into the vii
lage 1t was pitch-iark, ana all the
houses black but two. One was the pub