Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1879-11-19

said no. You mustn't 80 away with
your IDEAS the country too much
couler de rose
THAT was In truth a strange pro-
duction. II was written, or rather
laboriously printed, on q sheet ol
coarse paper, headed by a rough but
spirited drawing Of collins and bell
mouthed blunderbusses, Below was
the composition, of which made
copy ont of curiosity
"'M. M DON'T, 90, MOTE. oR, l. WI
u. YOUR. END. IT, u, Rr. OF. WRONG
Igr. PVT, HIGGINS srvy. A. HOME
II looked at my host Tor an explna-
ton.
alt Is q threatening letter said he,
and not the first either | have receiv-
cd. The printing is easy enough. to
read on the photographic principle
with the caution that most OF the As
and Us arc upside down The mean
ing Is that one of my tenants having
ageinst my express orders ploushed
up grass field, l have given him
notice to quit, and went into Moale
Yesterday to consult my attorney. as to
what compensation was obliged to
nav under the Irish Land Act. got
thus the day before. ! am not person
ally much afraid OF tho fellow, but 1t
is very annoying and am always on
,horns les one Of these letters should
reach my wife; 1t would almost
frighten her to death fancy
You met with no interruptions going
into Moate, said |.
mo but took my precautions.
cot policeman on my car and drove
in by round about route IT isn't
a pleasant way Of doing things is 1t 7
81 quite agreed with Mr.. M
that it was not and expressed my
surprise that the author OF the letter
could not be bruoght to justice.
"You don't know the Irish Mr..
Ellerslie f; there is not n soul about
here who would not swear black and
white rather than be the means OF
convicting a neighbor. You know
yourself how completely the police
system failed over so daring an offence
as the murder of the late Lord Lei
!. trim. With such people as witnesses
and jury, what is to be done' For
my own part have no doubt that
Mr.. Pat Higgins wrote that letter
himself, but hunting up any evidence
Woulu ne hoPeless'
A sudden thought struck me. l had
seen that the last few words OF the
document we're lighter in color, as it
thew had been blotted. If so would
there not remain an impression on the
' blotting paper!
, 81 don't know what evil spirite
t possessed mo at this juncture, unless
3 II own it with contrition-it were
that of inordnate selt-conclet.
Should l be able to get evidence
to convict Pat Higgins myself, l
should derive much credit for my
sagacity, and have an excellent story
, for my friends in England on my re-
turn. With this end in view l said
, nothing Of my happy thoughts, deter
8 mined to work it out myself.
"Next morning having found out the
locality of Higgins cottage from Cor
macks. I went to make call there.
The sole occupant Of the tenement
when I arrived there was wrinkled
, old woman sitting on a three-legged
!. stool and smoking black clay pipe.
. She looked at ms suspiciously, but her
native hospitality forbade her to refuse
me seat. For the first time l felt
some oualms of conscience at the char
acter Of my errand, but these were
speedily dissipated by the sight in the
= corner of the large open hearth, OF the
very thing was seeking, piece OF
! dirty blotting-paper crumbled up in a
ball. TO be sure the floor had moi
been swept for years, Judging from
the appearance, aud there was no tell
ing how long the paper might have
laid there still felt conviction that
It was the object OF my search.
"The devices to which resorted
. to get possession Of that mute piece oil
evidence were worthy. of q detective
, policeman. I manoeuvred my chair
closer to it under the pretence of feel
o ing draught, though with the un'
pleasant consciousness that the old
/. woman did not believe me. Fortune,
however favored me at last in the
r shape of fierce contest between the
:, .Translation: "M-M---,don',