River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-10-24

y
, looked as knowing and deep as an old
! dog fox Bye-and-bye they gets to a
J field, and old Ruddle tells my chap 10
, stop by the hedge, and he did, while Rud-
/ die poes looking about bit slowly and
/ quietly. and last of all he mounts up on a
] gate and stands with his hands over his
hyes. Last of all he walks quietly right
out into the middle of the pasture, and
stoops down, picks up hare and holds
} it kicking aud struggling by the ears.
when he hugs it up ON his arm, strokin'
on it like you'd see little girl with a
kitten.
t My chap feels ready to burst himself
with delight TO see how old Ruddle had
fallen into the trap. First-rate it was,
] You know---t taking hare in open day.
/ light. and in sight of a witness. So he
scuffles up to him, looking as innocent all
the time as babbY, and he SAYS TO him,
he says
, "'My, what fine un! never thought
as there was another one in England
could ha' done that ere. You ere deep
'un,' be says, trying hard not TO grin. But
aintcher going to kill itl'
IA nastyfoxy warmth, not he though;
for when my chap says, says he, 'Aintcher
going TO kill it?'
'What9 he says, kill the pooty cree
tur Oh, no poor soft pussy, wouldn't
hurt it; let it go. poor thing
when if he didn't put it down and
LET it dart off like shot, while my chap
stood dumfounded, and staring with his
mouth half open, till Ruddle tipped him
wink, and went off and left him. No
sir, there amt no taking that chap nohow
and they do say it was his hand that
fred the shot as killed Squire Todd
keeper in Bunkin's spinney;"
Three nights after Christmas was mild
and open, and was watching busy lit
tie set of fingers prepare the lea, while
my uncle was mapping in his easy chair,
with yellow silk handkerchief spread
over his face. / had been Whispering
very earnestly, while all my impressive
words had been treated as if airy moth
lngs; ana more then once l had been
most decidedly snubbed. / was at last
sitting with very lachrymese counter
ance, looking appealingly at the stern
little tyrant, who would keep looking
so Overwhelmingly pretty by trying to
frown with beautiful little white brow
that wou d not wrinkle, when the parlor-
maid came up, and announced Brown
| sem.
"No, Sir" muttered my uncle; "I'll put
stod-- stop" the rest was lnaudiblc.
"The keeper waits to see you, uncle
DEAR" whispered his late sisters child. in
her soft, kittenish way.
"Kceper, sir; yes, sir, I'll give him
Bless my heart, Jennyp exclaimed the
cid gentleman, starting UP, dragging off
his h ndkerchief, and, bringing the
hair down over his forehead" my
heart, Jenny; why, was almost asleepl'
Here's Browsem, uncle | said.
"Show him up, show him up" cried |
my uncle, VINO would not have accorded |
more attention to an ambassador than he
did to his keeper-that gentleman being
prime minister to his pleasures.
Browsem was shown up-a process
which did not become the keep'r at all,
for he came in delicately TO pace, not APP
pearapce, and held his red cotton hand
kerchiel in his hand, as if in doubt
whether to employ it in dabbing his
damp brow, or to spread upon the carpet
for fear that his boots might soil the
brightness.
Snow, Browsem," cried the old gentle
man, as the keeper was pulling his fore
lock to Miss jenny, thereby making the
poor fellow start anu stammer-"now,
Browsem, whom have you caughtW
"Caught. sir? No one, sir. Only the
cat, sir, Ponto run her down, but she
stretched one of his eyes Almost OUT
''Cat--what cat2n said my uncle, lean
ing forward, with hand on each ann of
the chair.
"Why, you see, sir" said Browsem,
confdentially, "there's dodge in it."
And then the man turned round and
wIpked at me.
"Confound you, go on!'' cried my
uncle, in most exasperated tone OF voice;
when Browsem backed against Jenny's
little marqueterie workable, and, over
turning it, sent bobbins, tapes, reels,
woods, silks and crochet and tatting APP
paratus into irredeemable chaos.
"There, never mind that trash" shout
ed the old man--"speak up at once"
''Well, SIR" said Browsem, they've
been a-dodgin of me-"
"Well2" cried my uncle.
Tiled lanthorn to a cats neck, and
sent her out in the open, to make belief
as it were dog driving the partridges."
"Well?"
And this was only to get us outer the
way, for / heard gun down Bunkin's
sp nneY."
"Well2' shouted nv uncle.
'And I've come to know whats right
to be done"
"Done!n roared my uncle; "wby, run
down to the Spinny, or there won't be q
pheasan. left. Here, my stick-my pis
tols-here, -confound-scoundrels
Look sharp"
And then he hobbled out of the room
after the keeper, when, warm with the
excitement of perhaps having brush
with the poachers, was following, but
voice detained me on the threshold.
Richard" whispered Jenny; and there
was something in the earnest eyes and
frightened look that drew me back in an
Interchangeable, Richard. pray There
don't. What would your uncle say?"
II didn't know, neither did pause TO
think, for the newly awakened earnest
ness whispered such sweet hopes that,
darling back, was for the instant for
getful of all propriety, till some one
stood blushing before me, arranging
those bright little curls 50 lately resting
upon my arm.
But you won't go3' pleaded jenny.
"For my sake, Richard2"
"Di-i.i-ii-ckw roared my uncle.
And, wrestling myself from the silken
chains, darted down into the hall.
"Here, lay hold of that stick, my lad, !"
cried my uncle, furnishing large blud-
geon; while Browsem, grinning and
showing his teeth, was quietly twisting
the leathern thong of a short, stout staff
round his wrist.
'All right, my darling said the old |
man, turning to the pale-faced Jenny,
who had come quietly downstairs to
where we stood. don't be alarmed, we
shall take care of one another, ana march |
half dozen poaching- Here, come
along, or we shall miss the scoundrels."
Browsem led the way at half-trot, |
and, grasping my arm, the old gentle /
tleman followed as fast as his sometimes
equity leg would allow him. We were
soon out Of the grounds, and, clambering |
gate, made our way toward the wood, |
where the keeper had heard the gun.
@Confound themH' growled my uncle
"that's where that poor fellow was shot
ten years ago."
Bang pang.m
'There they are, sir" growled the
keeper, batting to LEI us get up along