Milford chronicle., 1878-10-04
The Two Orchards.


Solomon Watts and Stephen Gree
were two well-to-do farmers. and the
both owned good orchards. Their fru
was mostly of choice kind, and NJ
only found ready market but con
manded high price. One thing vexe
ar. Green exceedingly, and was Il con
slant source of annoyance. No soonc
did his fruit begin to ripen on his tree
than nocturnal and diurnal marauder
commenced lefty depredations on Li
choicest gratis.
IL is very strange" muttered Greer
TO his wife, "that those .scamps viii
continue to rob my orchard SO Onl
night before last old Towser fore N,
clothes nearly all off from one Of tb,
williams, and from the marks of blood
that I found on the fence. I sbould
think somebody must have got severely
Pitte9n and yet last night some one was
IN the orchard again, [ declare it's
pnou6h to make one run i1ad.Y
r., IS curious" answered |he wife
ana I'm sure l can't see into i. How
is 1t with neighbor Watts orcharl?"
mat S lust what puzzles me. They
don trouble his fruit at all, and he
hasn't got any dog, either; and. what's
morei his frult is some Of it better than
mine, and rlore exposed, too. Just let
me catch one of EN-, that's all"
"It's too bad, certainly" uttered
Mrs. Green, for she knew not wlat else
to say.
Father, "excIalmed one of the bows.
who came running into the. house
tTowser's dead. Just as stiff as a LOG .
dead I"
eyes, out in the shed"
AN oath escaped from Green's lips, as
he leaped from his chair and fastened
TO the shed. There he found his dog
real bulldog, that he had bought on
purpose to bite those who troubled
hm-dead, to use his own expression
" as a door-nail." This was the most
severe cut he had yet experienced. and
Tor long time his mingled feelings of
rage and chagrin rendered him literally |
frantic. He knew at once that the |
animal had been poisoned, by the frotb |
that had collected about the mouth and !
ne vowed vengeance most dire on the
Perpetrator of the deed, if he ever found
him. -,
1t was several hours after the above
event, that the family were seated bv
5ne supper-table. 1t was already slightly
5usklsh, yet not so dark but that the
Instant landscape was visible.
" By crackee, dad," exclaimed one of
ne boys, whose attention had been
hrected toward the orchard. "there'g
down IN the corner hooking
lpples,
Mr. Green leaped from the table. put
N his hat, and then seizing q stont
Whip, he hurried from the house. He
distinctly saw two young fellows under
ne OF MS trees, and having gained the /
Soad, he carefully crept down upon
ne other side of the wall, until he had t
eac6ed point opposite to where the
wo boys-for boys they were-were
lllng their pockets with the fruit that a
al fallen upon the ground.
Ana my young amps 3" shouted C
iteen, as he leaped the barrier, "I've a
aught ye, have I ?" And as he spoke.
seized one of the unlucky youths bv t,
10 collar, and commenced beating him
ost numerically. Fl
:" I'll teach ye |" he growled, shaking W
e crying boy. II
20 don't I only picked up few. 81
p" You won't, won't ye? No. I'll be
'und ye won't. There, take that, and
at, and" oc
Before the next word escaped his Inns q
r. Green felt himself hit in the side bv m
'tone which had been thrown from the to
"a oy the boy who had escaped. The M
clted man let go his hold and sprang dc
the wall, but he failed to catch the ore
nble urchin who had assaulted him. off
in the attempt he lost the one he no
d caught. When the farmer reached cri
mouse he was not only enraged. but wa
was really miserable. The ill-feelinp mr.
had cherished had poisoned eyery for
ntaln OF feeling, and his soul was the pol
y gall of bitterness. Before he went dis
bed that night he had sworn that he ha,
nd get bear-trap and set it in his Cir
hard. on,
Can I have a few of your apples. a |,
7 asked o traveller of Mr.. Green. Th
applicant was way-worn and weary. hat
he sat down upon n stone near the ON
hard wall, where the farmer was at he
k. IN,
No." returned Green, "I don't VIII
g apples to give away" ma
! ne ITaveler arose from his seat and and
on his way. A little further on he san
e across the orchard of Mr.. Watts. Gre
stopped and looked over the wall. "
re were many apples laying upon rem
ground and he got over to pick up at t
', not noticing that the owner was -
has
Good day, cir, " said Mr., Watts. ap. yeal