The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-03-01

| This being agreed to, the women stol
toward the old man, one on each side
Lurcher rose and snarled, and old Brial
hurried his gold into his ample pockets
and stood on the defensive.
Oh, the Lord be praisedl Oh, the wear,
luck wild yel''
Brian received this and similar speeche
with fury and reproachcs. Then the,
their ill governed tongues, and bewailet
the mems folly in listening to them
They fattered him and cajoled him, an(
ordered their husbands to come forward
and ask the old mans pardon, and not LEI
sons were all penitence and affection di
rectly. Brian at last consented to stay
but stipulated for certain chamber with
key to it. "For," said he, &C. have
got my strong box to take care of, as well
as myself"
They pricked up their ears directly Al
mention of the strong. box, and asked
where it was.
"Oh! it is not far, but can't carry it.
Give me two boys to fetch it."
"Oh! Guillaum and Shamus would
carry it or anything to oblige a long lost
father"
So they went with him to the farmers
cart, and brought in the box, which was
pretty large, and above all very full and
heavy.
He was once more king of his own
N~l Ac<t II l.
never had been since he gave away his
FERROUS hints that he had other lands be-
side those in that part of the country,
and that, indeed, the full extent of his
his will was read; which will was safely
locked away in his strong-box-with
other things.
And SO he passed a pleasant time, en-
Uttered only by regrets, and very poign-
of his son Garret. Lurcher also was
taken great care Of, and became old and
lazy.
But shocks that do not kill undermine.
Before he reached threc-score- and ten,
Brian Taafe's night-work and troubles
told upon him, and he neared his end.
He was quite conscious of it, and an
nounced his own departure, but not in a
regretful way. He had become quite a
philosopher; and indeed there was sort of
chuckle about the old fellow in speakin
of his own death, which his daughtcrs-in-
law secretly denounced as unchristian,
and what was worse, unchancy.
Whenever he did mention the expected
event, he was sure to say, And mind,
boys, my will is in that chest"
'Don't speak of it, father" was the re-
ply.
When he was dying, he called for both
his sons, and said, in feeble voice: II
was a strong farmer, and come of honest
folk. Ye'll give me a good wakin', boys,
an gran funeral"
They promised this very heartily.
"And after the funeral yell all come
here together, and open the will. the
children an all. All but Carrot. I've
left him nothing, poor boy. For sure he's
not in this world. I'll maybe see him
where I'm goin'."
So there was grand wake, and the vir.
tues of the deceased and his professional
importance were duly howled by an old
lady who excelled in this lugubrious art
Then the funeral was hurried on, because
they were in hurry to open the chest.
The funeral was Joined in the church
yard by a stranger who muffled his face,
and shed the only tears that fell upon that
grave. After the funeral he stayed be-
hind all the rest and mourned, but he
joined the family at the feast which fol-
lowed; and, behold! it was Carrot, come
a day too late. He was welcomed with
exuberant affection, not being down in the
will; but they did not ask him to sleep
there. They wanted to be alone and read
the will. He begged for some reminis-
cence Of his father, and they gave him
Lurcher. So he put Lurcher into his gig.
and drove away to that coed farmer, sure
of his welcome, and praying God he
might find him alive. Perhaps his BROTH
ers would not have left him go so easily
had they known he had made large for
tune in America, and was going to buy
quite slice of the county.
On the way he kept talking to Lurcher,
and reminding him of certain sports they
had enjoyed together, and feats of poach-
ing they had performed. Poor old Lurchcr
kept pricking his ears all the time, and
cudgeled his memory as to the tones of
the voice that was addressing him. Gar
ret reached the farm, and was received
first with stares, then with cries of Joy,
and was dragged into the house, SO to
speak. After the first ardOr of welcome,
he told them he had arrived only just in
time to bury his father. ''And this old
dog" said he, "is all that's left me of
him. He was mine first, and, when
left, he took to father. He was always a
wise dog"
1--WE know him." said the wife; "he
has been here before" And she was 20.
ing to blurt it all out, but her man said,
Sc Another time,'' and gave her a look as
black as thunder, which wasn't his way
at all, but he explained to her afterward:
&c They are friends, those three, over the
old mans grave. We should think twice
when he stopped her, she turned it off
dog must have his supper. Supper they
before the great fire. So there he lay, and
seemed to doze.
The best bed in the house was laid for
Garret, and when lie got up to 20 to it,
didn't that wise old dog get up too, with
an effort, and move stiffly toward Garret,
and lick his hand; then he lay down
again all OF piece, as VINO would say:
- I'm very tired of it all.' ''He knows
me now at last" said Garret, joyfully.
" That is his way of saying good night,
suppose. He was also a wonderful wise
dog"
In the morning they found Lurcher
dead and stiff upon the sheep-skin. 1t was
q long goodnight he had bid so quietly
to the friend of his youth.
Garret shed tears over him, and said:
% If 1 had only known what he meant,
I'd have sat up with him. But never
could see far. He was deal wiser for
a dog than I shall ever be for man."
Meantime the family party assembled
in the bedroom of the deceased. Every
tree of feigned regret had left their
faces, and all their eyes sparklcd with
joy and curiosity. They went to open
the chest. 1t was locked. They hunted
for the key; first quietly, then fussily.
The women found it at last, sewed up in
the bed; they cut it out and opened the
chest.
The first thing they found was lot of
stones. They glared at them, and the
color left their faces. What deviltry
WaS THAI