The Newtown bee., 1878-08-08

wet with precipitation, and trembling vi- ntly.
 What Is the matter. Joef" she asked.
 Its that Harry and Billl" he nut tered. live found em out I'll pay om I'll fix the whole lot of 'em
 Helen qulcted him as usual, and lee turel the boys apart, Will was dispos- eI to be ashamed until Harry reminded him that "she was only girl" and that "all girls were chlcken-hearted.' .
 "So he threatened to fix us, exr" eon- tlnuod Harry. Come here, you suke? Be that hor5e-pond2 Into 1t you go to- night. Can you swim?'
 No, sir"
 "All the worse for you, for in you go!"
 Joe looked after his tormentors in ab- iect terror. Whenever the boys met him that day they muttcred "horse- pond" under their breath.
 If they had had an idea of the ago ny which the poor, half-witted being un- derwent, they would have despised themselves, being at heart manly boys.
 In the afternoon Joseph disappeared, but returned, and was in the kitchen be- fore the supper-bell rang, hanging over the stove while old Jane, the cook, sery- ed the meat.
 He watched her kcenly as she poured out the coffee, and when she carried it in, followed her to the dining-room, where he crouched in one corner.
 What's Sukey doing hsre?" cried Will. Get out of this! You can spend your time measuring the pond out yon- der"
 "What do you mean, William?" said his father
 Its only a joke, sir. Joe mder- stands"
 Let the poor boy alone he is doing no harm. Some coffee, my dear"
 Joseph stood by the window, watching Mrs. Cochran pour out the coffee. He tilted his body from heel to toe and his jaws moved as if he were talking. But he made no sound until Will and Harry were helped to coffee, when he cracked his thumbs and chuckled.
 Mother" said Will, "this coffee has queer taste. There's something grit ty in it."
 "Nonsense Jane always makes it alike. You're as captious about your eating as dyspeptic woman."
 Will raised the cup again to his lips, but set it down with grimace.
 At that moment Mrs. Cochran passed a cup to Helen. "Isnt it as good as usual, Nell?" she asked.
 "A little bitter mamma" Helen re- piled, and was lifting her cup up again 10 drink it, when Joe sprang forward and struck it down.
 "You shan't drink it! I don't mean to fix you!" he shrieked.
 MT. Cochran caught him by the shoul- der. What have you done?" he ask ed, sternly.
 The boy struggled madly to free him. self, laughing and sobbing both at once.
 Poison! poison! They'll die like the rats last week Hi-yi!"
 MT. Cochran flung him off as though he had been a venomous serpent.
 Murderer! He shall hang for this [" he cried.
 Joe stood still a moment. Then the meaning of the words reached his dull brain, and he turned and fled from the house without a word.
 Some time elapsed before the Coch- rans, in their terror and confusion, re- membercd that none of them had yet drank enough of the coffee to harm them. It was found, however that it had enough arsenic in it-that had been used in the barn to poison rats-to kill twenty men.
 Your kindness to the poor mad crea- ture has saved our lives" her father said to Helen. In their alarm they had forgotten Joe. At this moment there was a knock at the kitchen door, and Squire Hall, one of the neighbors, put in his head. Cochran--look, a-here! I-T don't want to frighten your wife-but-that boy of yours"
 "What is it? Whats he doing now? "
 He's got through doing anything. He's dead"
 "Dead!"
 They all crowded out. Well-within breath of it." con- tinued the squire. Here come the men with him. Jones and me was on the road, when we saw the poor crittel throw himself headlong into the pond wonder. The turn-pikers and us fished him out. But he's jest about gone. run ahead to break it to ye" There was only a breath between pool Joe and death. The men laid him down on the grass under the, apple-tree. He , breathed faintly and at long intervals.
 Now that his face was at rest, they all saw how immat,lrn and ebildich if ,sas Mrs. Cochran remembered, for the first time, that the work-house boy was an orphan never had known mothers gentle touch. or looked in loving face.
 Little Helen knelt down and took his