West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1878-06-08

ana then nastlly rttreated. On the bier
rested what seemed to be- an open coffin.
The cloth was thrown of, and from
within the coffin mans head rose up.
God be with all here = said hearty
voice.
80 God be with you, Kit" replied a
dozen voices.
80 Who could have turned YOU
out on such a night, lad% said my
uncle
" Oh, | would come. was at Larry
ONellIs and they were 10th 10 see me
60 But said I'm due at the Squire's
and I'll not disappoint him. And had
the salve for the misthress's burn TO
bring, and the wash for your throat.
Molly. | knew yees couldn't do without
me anuder day.
Thrue for you, Kit came from
half the people in the room.
Take him TO the fire said nv uncle.
who was cutting the best slices of meat
for his supper
Kit was, / found, a man who had
been Tor twenty years paralyzed i'm his
legs. He lived in narrow box like n
coffin, arranged as a comfortable bed
and went from house To house, staving
week or month at each, IA suited him
their share of entertaining him.
When my aunt whispered this ex-
planation TO me, looked at the wretched
creature, with one half of his BODY
dead, and wondered how he could bear
80 much misery.
"' Why doesn't he make them throw
him in the bog and make an end of itg
| asked. don't see how a man can en-
dure to be dead weight on others for so
many years
Wait, and you Will see, said my
aunt.
After supper, | went out TO the
kitchen, from whence came loud shouts
of laughter. Kits coffin was placed near
the fire, and square box, which he car
ried under his head, was open before
him. He was distributing, and at once.
his Jokes and cures-for burns. tooth
ache, corns, more serious diseases
patterns of children's clothes, recipes
for puddings, every kind of useful scraps
OF information, in a word, which could
be carried in his head, or his box.
l stood listening to him, and, boy
as | was, noticed the remarkable tact and
homely Kindness which he showed un-
der all his fun. He turned his bright.
shrewd eyes on me presently.
You see, young gentleman. | can't
follow profession or trade, so have TO
take upthe odds and ends which nobodv
else attends TO, to make myself useful
My uncle told me that Kit had
acquired much skill in the cure of sim
pie ailments, and that with his odds and
ends he was in fact one of the most use
ful men in the county.
The storm increased and K;t ra
mained all night. He was carried in
front of the kitchen fire, the straw of his
bed renewed, and warm coverlids spread
over the coffin.
My own chamber was over the
kitchen. There were cracks in the log
flooring through which / could look
down, and through which, too, ruddy
hashes OF freight came up cheerfully.
After the house was all quiet, Patsy.
the innocent came into the kitchen
and throwing down a blanket on the
warm hearth, near 10 Kit, curled up on
it like dog.
The neighborhood of the queer pair
made me restless, suppose, for could
not sleep. | heard the clock in the
hall strike midnight, and then one
o'clock. Then muffled sound struck
my ear, very different from the noises of
the storm. 1t was the drawing back of
the heavy bar from theouter door.
Probably Dennis, the shepherd. is
going out to look after his lambs.
thought, and turned over TO sleep. But
the next moment / rose uneasiiy. and
crept 70 the window Through the gray
storm without could see that the road
and yard were filled with dark figures.
stealthily surrounding the house.
understood IL all at a glance.
" The year had been one of great suf
ierlng-almost of famine and bands of
desperate men had attacked several of
the iarmhouses in that part of the coun-
try, which they had plundered, andt
set on fire. These desperate men were
still at large. IL was asserted that thev
were peasants, heretofore decent AID
honest men. Whoever they might be.
1t was certain that, as soon as caught,
they would swing for it,
" J shook with terror. / know that
my uncle had large sum of money in
MS chamber, Just received for cattle
and doubtless these men knew il too.
saw that there were enough Of them TO
oyerpower the men in the house, even if
they were awake and armed
My room was separated by a long
corridor from my uncle's / groped for
the door, my teeth chattering with cold
when the freight flashing up below,
showed me sight which held me motion
less.
They were already in the house
The kitchen was full of sturdy fellows
all armed, their frieze coats covered
with snow, their faces swathed in black
cloth.
The kitchen was separated from the
house by long passage. They made
no effort 10 keep quiet, therefore. but
began to drag out the provisions. talking
loudly, and in their natural voices. AZ
yet they had not seen Kit or Patsy. The
idiOtlay sound asleep on the warm hearth.
but Kit had raised his head. and bis
keen, pale face turned quickly from one
20 another as they spoke.
They'll murder himp I thought.
but my lips were glued together with
terror Kit, helpless as a dead man.
was cool and calm.
" BE jabers, said one, we'll hev
sOmethin 10 ate, before we 20 fur the
ould mans money! / didn't know how
near starved ] was as afore, but the
sight Of this mate mades me sick
Ye're a fool, Pat Grady. There's
enough silver in his chest to kape us for