St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1877-05-25

Why, Tim O'Connor's old woman. She
had been the making of Tim, as she
assured her neighbors again and again
and he, looking up at her as she tower
ed head and shoulders above him, al
ways added with a good-natured twink
lie in his eye, "That's true, Biddy, my
lass; but while you were about it why
didn't you make little more of me ?"
A right thrifty woman was Mrs.
O'CennOr, and brave one, as you'll
see for yourself before long. Tins
dollar-and-a- a day was carefully
expended; and though her manner of
housekeeping might not suit your moth
er or mine, yet in Tins eyes, and in
her own, she was model housewife.
No children ran round their doorstep ;
bat two thrifty pigs they were fatten-
ing for winter pork kept the place from
being lonely, and gave Mrs. O'COnnor
an object in life. Every potato pairing
or cabbage-leaf was saved for her dar-
lings, and, for the convenience of the
pigs and herself, were scattered around
\ the doorstep, for she liked to see the
pretty creatures enjoying themselves
at their dinner.
Now, gentle breeze carried to old
Brnin's nose the odOr of cabbage leaves,
so he quickened his pace and trotted
along faster than his poor famished legs
had caNied him for a long time. Over
Mrs. O'EonnOr's fence at bound he
went-nO\n \need of that, though, for the
gate always stood conveniently open
and, without even saying "by your
leave" to the pigs, who were enjoying
their Sunday dinner, he helped himself.
"Holy MotheE, defend us cried Tim,
drawn to the do6r by the squealing OF
the pigs.
"And what's the \matter now ?" cried
Mrs. Tim, as her lord, pale and trem-
bling, sank into chair.
"It's bear, Biddy, a bear! Sure and
L thought at first it Mas the old one
himself; but it's bear, and whatever
will we do?"
"Don cried Mrs. Tim seizing a
broom-stick ''Tll show you what to
dol" and rushing to the dookstep, she
laid it vigorously across old\ Bruins
head and shoulders.
Now, exactly what motive prolppted
old Bruin | cannot say. WhetheC he
had been brought up to treat a woNan
with respect, or whether the weak state
of his body affected his courage, | know
not but | do know that he gave one
bound over the fence and was up the
street like Il shot.
Grandfather Greenleaf was reading
his Sunday paper that afternoon, when
in rushed Cousin Tom.
81 want your gun, grandfather, and
your powder and shot too. There's Il
big bear up the street, and the whole
towns after him -
'But the old guns rusty, Tom; il
hasn't been used for years. Besides, il
kicks like the-well, like our old brin-
die COW. 1t never works on Sunday
either; so | guess you'd better not dis
turb it."
But, not needing or not hearing
grandfather's objections, Tom was of
in twinkling with the old gun ovel
his shoulder and the shot-pouch swing
ing at his side.
How | wished was Il boy, or that il
was not Sunday, and | could join the
crowd of men aud boys-yes, of women
and girls-who were rushing up the
street after poor old Bruin, for the aw-
full words, ga beari bear!" had gone
from lip to lip, and fairly aroused Ou
little town.
nun, DTulu, run loI dIlleu ultu anu
boys are on your track. Run as you
never ian before, for the sake of wife
and your little ones
And so the race began. Some of the
) crowd carried sticks, some stones q
few guns made their appearance. OLD
; Ned, the barber, hobbled by on hi,
wooden leg with Il razor in his hand
with which | very much fear he haC
been shaving some Sunday customer
/ ''rll cut the throat of the black rascal.
Tim O'ConnOr followed behind hi,
wife, with Il pitchfOrk over his should
er. "Just let my old woman get nea,
him again, and she'll fix him. And i
was that very broom m-stick she carrie.
this minute that saved our lives, ant
maybe the lives of the whole o'ye."
1 Poor old Bruin! Why did you eve
leave that peaceful den in the woods
h. Better supperless bed for yourself anC
f the cubs, than swift race like this
D with yelling mob at your heels!
And old Brnin ran for his life, anG
5 ran well. Gradually one after another
of his pursuers dropped behind. Oh,
Ned settled down on II stump to res
5 his wooden leg, but still held his razo
| open in case of a sudden attack Tin
| O'COnuOr, out of breath, leaned on hi
pitchtOrk. "A little further on, CRYING
I I'm used up, but my old woman
! good lOr another mile = Cousin Ton
+ kept up braVclv till tie .;Gs,s rs.:icfia,
! the river. That's the last of YOU, oil,
I fellow But old Bruin knew better
- aud plunging in. swan boldly ACROSS
: a1d reached the opposite side in safety
I He was out of their reach now, for tn
I bridge was half : mile below, aud be
: fore his purSuers could reach that ~
would be out of signt in the woods.
I But Tom WAS Sorely disappointed
e "lOu old fellow, you don't get ava
4 without my having one shot at YOU.
I 80 raising his gun t. his shoulder b
pulled the trigger.
= Did he Int the scar YOU wonder
, Well, somebody was hit and fell owe
!. on the ground, and lay there still for
i few minutes, but it was not old Bruin
u he was bounding away as fast ~ ever
y Ii ever you see Cousin Tom, don't in
V quire of hun who WAS hit, only aSk hiu
4 If he ever went bear hunting ou Suuda
e and carried IA gun that kicked.
d | like to have stories turn out we'll
don't YOU 2 Aud I'd like to tell ,ou Iha
e old Bruin reached his home iu safrt
g and lived to a green old age, With bi
= family about him. bat ! must l,e truth
Il full, even at the risk of disappoiniin
& you.
A few days after this Cousin Tor
e disappeared. No Que knew where q
4! had gone, but few of us giIe-sed thai
r, tired Of hearing 80 much about kickbl
guns, he bad gone to Aunt Anh'- oss
. the hill, for a few days. Judge Of ca
= | snrDIise when at the sud of "A tgfs,si.