Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-10-31

mother
And if Gus Antoine, the eldest, was
sample of what the rest would be, hel
words had their weight Gus was fifteen
II clerk in II book store at Conflict, and il
was principally from his earnings that the
family were supported. They saw him
walking bravely to town every morning
carrying his dinner in little tin pail, his
jacket, whose buttons were all old bachel
ors, in that no one of them had mate
fastened lightly TO the throat, where it was
met by II turned paper collar and flashy
magenta necktie. Squire May liked the
boy.
Through their three years of neghbor.
hood the friendship between the two grew
and strengthened. till at the time at which
our story finds them the Squire remarked tc
his wife hat he didn't believe he could
think more of Gus Antoine if he were bis
own son, and he intended soon to com
mpnce reading law with him. There was
one other who looked forward to the boys
visits with pleasure, the Squire's only
child, little Hope. She had gone straw
berrying and hazel.nutting with him be-
fore he had won her fathers favor. All
the Antoine boys had strongly marked
French features, with startled black eyes
and hair TO match, forming n strong con
tras to Hopes blonde beauty.
While Gus was away with her father,
Hope went every day to rccite French
lessons to Mrs. Antoine, and to learn to
make the marvellous embroidery. whose
great eyclets were filled in with cobweb
like wheels in lace stitches of pointe d AL
encon. So the summer passed, but with
the fall came the elections. Squire May
returned from his brief vacation to learn
with surprise that the d" free State party
had nominated him rs their candidate for
the district judge.hip, and that his oppo-
nent on the democratic ticket was Colonel
Antoine. The election was closely CON
tested, but ended in the usual way, Colonel
Antoine's friends coming over from Mis-
souri,, voting for him, and rendering the
democrats triumphant Squire May was
heard to protest loudly against the Illegal.
ty of this proceeding, and rs he drove
toward home it was observed that his
usual calm temper was much disturbed.
The day following election WAS IN event
full one to Mrs. Antoine and Hope rs they
sat over their embroidery IN u bench under
the broad leaved alpas in front of the
Antoine mansion. A grotesque shadow
was thrown upon the path, and Hope
gMspcd Mrs. Antoine's arm in alarm,
wondering what strange animal would
follow. 1t was only Il peddler, and both
she and Mrs. Antoine were soon deep in
the contents of the pack, which consisted
Of several cases of cheap jewelry, few
pieces of ilimsy dress goods, and some
coarse Hamburg embroideries. Mrs. An
tome looked over these intercstcdly, but
with smile on her lips. :" | can embroi-
der better than that myself, and SO can this
little girl
Let me see what you do said the
peldlcr, and Hope displayed n long strip
of the mingled embroidery and lace work,
the pattern in each eyelet being one of
Gus Anloine's design--an anchor--it
meant hope, he said.
Il give you fifty cents for dat" said the
stranger.
" III! will you?" exclaimed Hope, de-
| lighted, while Mrs. Antoine rose hastened
into the house, and returned with the en-
tire collection. which she had worked since
she left the convent. The peddler was an
evl-looking man, and Hope was afraid to
be left alone with him, but Colonel An
tome sauntered in at the gate us his wife
entered the house. For wonder, he was
sober, and Hope felt her courage revive
He regarded the peddler gruf1ly, and be-
Gan to scold Mrs Antoine when she return.
ed, though his i'll humor vanished when
he saw that she was selling, not buying.
The stranger selected number of bands,
and paid them from II chamois-Skin purse
filled with gold pieces, which he took from
his bosom The Colonel's eye glittered
us it fell upon it, ana his manner changed
perceptibly.
Are you going on to Conflict" he
asked, MS the peddIcr returned the emptied
gourd which Mrs. Antoine had offered
him filled with water, and stopped to take
up his pack. Yes? Well, 50 am |, and
IN walk along with you. You look tired;
Just sling your pack across II Sarsaparilla
| don mind u tramp with II pleasant COM
panion.'
Mrs. Antoine looked frightened. Such
condecension on the part of the Colonel
was, to say the least, unusual and porten-
touS.
The next day the little Sabbath School
of which Squire May had been the origi
nator and which held its meetings in the
log school house two miles away, met at
his house fora celebration. 1t was Il pleas
ant sight, the children abouta table-cloth
spread upon the or; IS, on which the food
was laid in picnic fashion. As SOC n us the
children were helped the Squire disappear
ed, and while he was gone II report of u
pistol was heard He returned in the
course of an hour to say that IL swing was
ready, and Gus Antoine remained for
some time longer tossing the little ones in
the air.
On his way home, us his foot touched
the little bridge which was built across the
Wild CNt for the convenience of the two
farmers, Gus's eye was caught by TN OBJ
iect in the ravine below. 1t was his faith
er, lying half in and half out of the water,
with his face covered with blood. Quick
as thought he swung himself down to his
side There was q deep, round, terrible
hole in his forehead, from which the blood
| had flowed that formed this hideous mask,
and he was quite dead. The boy tried to
| lift him ont Of the water, but finding that
impossible, he washed away every trace of
blood from the face no one else should
see his father look like that-and then he
went on toward home for help. The
Missourians had nearly all gone but Big
Bill, IL cousin of Mrs Antoiue's had re-
mained after the election. and was Just bid
dino her good by and remained now to
render assistance
The funeral followed soon after. As
Squire May was on his way to attend it IL
sheriff seized him by the shoulder, and AZ
rested hm for the murder. Frightened
Hope ran with the news to her mother,
and even beneath this crushing blow the
heroic woman did not finch. 1t was her
arm that supported the hystercal widow
AS they stood together ut the brink of the
terrible grave, and it was Gus Antoine
who comforlcl sobbing Hope, saying that
he knew her father had not killed his, and
it would be so proven. When Mrs An
tome heard of it she was no less positive
as to the Squire's innocence, and her tears
/ fell like rain over her black bombazine
dress which she was making over for Hope
to wear ut the trial,
How stilingly hot the court room was,
backed to its utmost with IN intensely OK.
cited audience, and still they came long
after Hope was certain that there was not
room for another one. She hNd never
seen so many people before, and looking
around upon them from her seat in the
\ unnpr MART of the room. saw only Il sea OF