Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1878-04-18

'Hellos! Uncle Barton called out.
'Helloa! returned the stranger; does
Mr.. White live here?'
Bart White dOes,' was the answer;
is he the chsp?'
is Miss Harmon staying here?'
is your name Hilliard?' queried my
uncle.
The stranger hestated, and then an.
swered in the affirmative.
We'll, my orders are not to let you
in. never turned visitor away in
my life, and l won't begin now; so If
you'll come in you're welcome; but
you can't see Nora
Good night, then,' said Hilliard,
and departed.
why didn't you tell me who he
wasp said Uncle Barton.
How could /? / never saw him be-
fore; and, besides, it is dark
He's clever-spoken fellow. But
he'd ought to be mOre'n that to come
after Nora. Seems to me she's rather
sweet on you, amt she? 1t wouldn't
be bad spec for you, young man.
j exclaimed instantly that could
never be influenced by such a motive;
but Miss Harmon was nice girl.
Miss HarmODp repeated Uncle Bart,
With the most profound contempt;
why can't you call people by their
christened names? j always do. Hell
LOAF as two figures came stumbling
round the corner of the house, talking
loudly and angrily.
Pete and Jake, drunk as fools.
What do you want?'
'Want our rights stammered one.
well, you won't get 'em here. L
amt hangman,' answered Uncle
Barton.
I'VE amt agoin to work for no twen-
ty dollars month in fayin'. Mar.
wins darkeys gifts two dollars day.
Just turn in and go to sleep, and
we'll talk it over in the morning. said
my uncle. But this pacific suggestion
was a failure. The men were deter
mined; so was Uncle Barton; and the
next morning he found himself with
only one man and four large fields
ready for moving. However, he was
equal TO the emergency, having had
long experience. He rOse early, drove
off somewhere, and before ten O'Clock
had secured two men, and put them
to WORK. l volunteered my assistance,
but it was rejected; so Nora and i
drove off to spend the day with some
friends. We did not return until eve
ming; end as we entered, we heard
voices speaking in the most unintelli-
gibie sounds tongue ever uttered. We
stood a moment in the doorway and
looked in. There sat Uncle Barton
and one of the new men in the middle
of the room, while the rest of the fam
ilx- arnunA lnnHinn m
open-mouthed wonder.
Come, Kenneth said Uncle Bar
ton. You are a scholar, see if you
can't talk to Philip. Pm trying to find
out who he is. He can't understand
me when I speak Dutch, and he don't
know the first word of English.
l sat down by Phillip and tried my
lingual powers, but he evidently did
pot understand. As soon as l stopped
talking he took up slate which lay
upon the table and began to tell US a
long story in some unknown tongue.
He seemed pleased, and kept on talk
ing for long time, utterly oblivious
of the fact that we knew no more OF
his language than he of ours.
On Sunday afternoon Uncle Barton
came into the sitting room, and told
US that Philip was hard at work in the
kitchen, writing letter and talking
about Garibaldi. The children rushed
out to see, and presently came back,
saying the letter was finished, and he
wanted an envelope. This rendering
it practicable for me to see what was
going on without lowering my digni-
ty by any exhibition of curiosity about
such person. | got one and took it
out to him. He was as good natured
as ever; indeed, his face was on a
Eroad grin most of the time; and as
handed him the envelope l glanced
of course-at the writing.
1t was in German, bnt l could distin
guisb the words 'soldat' and 'Garibal
di' in large letters in many places. He
produced piece of red sealing wax,
and after carefully folding the Litter
and putting it in an envelope, secured
it with nine large seals; after which he
proceeded to direct to His Majesty |
Victor Emanuel, Mexico, in America.
Then he handed it to me, saying
post? l nodded my head, and went
back to the sitting room.
Uncle Barton said l, look here!
That man is crazy
STUFF y said my uncle. He's tip
top fellow to work. What makes you
think that?'
l handed him the letter.
Il suppose he's been a soldier, and
wants a pension or something,' said
he.
If he had been i'm Garibaldi's army
he'd know better than to direct to
Victor Emanuel in America i sug-
gested; but this argument was totally
effect. My uncle brought for
ward much better one.
Il think there's something queer
about him, myself he said. He's
got books in his room; two or three OF
them. And he washes his hands and
face every morning, and that's what
none of 'em ever do
Yes and he talks and laughs to
said cousin Mary.
Last night, when 1 went to look for
Nora, heard some one laughing, and
| looked in the barn door, and there
he was all alone.
Pm afraid of him, said Aunt Kate.
Suppose he should come down stairs
some night and murder us alp
Lock the door of the stairway said
Uncle Barton.
Il can't. The locks broken. Do send
him away
BY Jimmy was the answer; hes
no more crezy'n l am. amt afraid
Of him or dozen like him.
But am, said Mary.
And L. said Aunt Kate and the
children together.
Then lock your doors. Don't talk
ike a set of geese and Uncle Barton
walked off in disgust.
When we went to our rooms l no.
iced that every door was shut and
ocked, although we generally LETT
hem open little way, in the hot
weather, for the sake of the air. But
ny door had no lock; so, discretion be-
ng out of the question, 1 tried the
worst part of valor, and left the door
ljar as usual. Then l went to sleep
md dreamed of the Deering murder
Ind of Philip. After awhile l woke