The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1877-03-09
Miscellaneous
A Special Constable.
ny CHARLES RrADE.

DlHDt, Utln| i'it N'HiNHs
One day they received considerable sum
Of money bequeathed them by relation,
that set the simple souls all in fiutter
They had friend in the village, the
blacksmith's wife; SO they went and told
her their fears. She admitted that theirs
was lonely place. aud that she would not
live there for one--wthout a man. Her
discourse sent them home downright miser-
able
The blaeksmith's wife told her husband
MI about It when he came home to dinner.
"Thc FOOLS !" said he "how is anybody to
know they have brass in the house %
"Well," said the wife "they make
no secret of ii 10 me but you need not 60
for 70 tell it to all the town poor souls"
"Noti, y said the man, 'but they will
publish il, never f'ar leave women folks
alone for making their own trouble with
their tongues"
There the subject dropped, as a man and
wife have other things to talk about besides
their neighbors.
The old women at the toll bar, what with
their own fear and their Jobs comforter
shivered with fear aud apprehension as night
came on However at sunset the carrier
passed through the gate and their faces
frightened up They told him their care,
and begged him to sleep in their house that
night. "Why, how can | p said he, 81 am
due at----; but will leave you my dog. !"
The dog was q powerful masif
The women looked at each other appre.
hensively "He won't hurt us will he p
sighed one of them iaintly "Not he" said
the carrier chearfully. Then he called the
dog in the house and told them to lock the
door; and went away whistlng.
The women were contemplating the dog
with that tender interest apprehension il
sure to excite. At first he seemed staggered
at this oii-haud proceeding of his master it
confused him; then he snufed at the door /;
then as the wheels retreated, he began to see
plainly that he WAS an abandoned dog he
delivered fearful howl and then flew at the
door scratching and yelling furiously.
.'he old women fled the apartment and
warsaex, seen at an empty window, scream
ing to the carrier.
"Come back Come back, John He is
tearing the house down.
"Dmtthe varmint, said John, and came
back. On the road he thought what was to
be done. The good-natured fellow took his
great heavy coat out of the cart and laid it
down on The f0cr The mastff instantly
laid himself on it.
"Now,' said John, "let US have no more
nonsense you take charge of that till
come back, and don't you let nobody steal
that there, nor yet t'wives brass. There
now" said he kindly, to the women, Il
shall be back this way by breakfast time,
and he won't bulge till then"
lie won't hurt us, John?'
Lord no. Bless your heart, he's as SEN
sible as any Christian; only Lord sake,
woman, don't you go to take the coat from
him, or yen be wanting a new coat and
may be petticoat and all"
lie retired and the old women kent at a
respectable distance from their protector. He
never molested them and, indeed, when
they spoke cajolingly to him, he often wag-
ged his stail in q dubious way but still, as
they moved about he squinted at them out
of his blood shot eye in way that checked
all desire on their part try n the carriers
coat.
Thus protected they went to bed earlier
than usual; they did not undress they were
too afraid Of everything, especially irpro-
tector. The night wore on and presently
their sharpened sense let them know that
the dog was getting restless he snuffed and
then be growled and then he got up and pat
tered about mutterng to himself Straight
way with furniture they barricaded the door
through which their protector must pass to
devour them.
By and by, listening acutely, they heard a
scraping and grating outside the window OF
the room where the dog was and he con-
tinued growing low. This was enough
they slipped out Of the back door, and left
their money to save their lives; they got
into the village. II was pitch dark, and all
the houses were black but two one was n
public house, casting triangular aleam
across the road a long way off, the other was
the blacGsmiths house. Here was piece of
fortune for the terrified women. They hpr.t
ints their friends house
ooh, Jane the thieves have come ~
and thew told her in a few words what had
happened.
II =, said she "how timorous vo,, r,or.
,oI.a, ~" "'''
'"'' are leu 10 oh' ne was ohly growing
at some one that passed by p
ma, Jane, we heard the scrapinc outside
the window Oh woman coli ,a,,r 4
H.. t;,,. ..;h. O"'' ''"' MA" anu
ie. nm ~ "'," u.s.
dy mAn Is not here
"Where ia he then ."
"I supno.e h, /. v,oro H. ,..-
'"S'' "'heT working