Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-12-26
The WILD-DUcE SHOOTER,
4 Christina Story.

experienced. Think OF the bitter wind
and driving Snow; think how you shook
and shivcrrd-hnw the sharp white part
clca were driven up against your face
how, within doors, the carpets were lifted
like pillows along the floors, the wind
howlcd and laancd in the chmneys, win
dows crrakcd. doors ratified, and every
HOW and then heavy Jumps ii snow came
laundering down with Il dull weight from
the roof.
Now hear my story.
In one Of the bread open plains Of LIN
colnshirc, there is a long, rccdy sheet of
water, It iavoritc resort Of Wild ducks. Al
its northern extremity stand two mud cot
tages, old and out OF repair
One bitter, bitter night, when the SNOW
lay three feet deep On the ground, and u
cutting east wind was driving II about,
aud whistling in the dry frozen reeds 10y
the waters edge, and swinging the bare
willow trees till their branches swept the
ice, an old woman sat spinning i'll one Of
these cottages before moderately cheer
ful fire. Her kettle was singing on the
cCals /; she had rccd-candlr, or home
made rrshlight ON her table. but the full
moon shOne in, and was the brighter light
Of the two. These two cottages were far
from any road, or any other lahitailon :;
the old woman was, therefore, surprised,
as she sat drawing ont her thread, and
grooming an old north-country song, to
hear sudden knock al the door.
1t was loud and impatient, not like the
knock Of her neighbors in the other cot
tage but the door was bolted, and the
old woman rose, and shutting to the Will
dow, looked ont, and saw shivering Jig
ure, apparently that of n youth.
'Trampers said the old woman, sen
tentiousiy; 'tramping folks benot wanted
here :; and so-saying, she went back to the
fire without deiGning TO answer the door.
The youth, upon this, tried the door.
and called to her TO beg admittance. She
heard him rap the snow from his shoes
against her Intel, and again Enock as if
he thought she was deaf. and he should
surely gain admittancc ii he could only
make her hear
The old woman, surprised ut his auda-
city, went to the easement. and. with all
the pride Of possession, opened it, and in
quired hi; business.
Good woman the stranger began, 4
only want . seat at Your fire.
Nay, said the old woman, giving effect
to her words by her uncouth dialect.
.tbouI't oa+ M shelter barn Tva nonobt
70 cive Le@,,ars- ,l;rty wct c,.;,,e,.' She
coEtinneJ v.rotbfnIIv slommincr to thc
,r;nJow .it's wonder vLnr. he found
any water, too seeing 1t freezes so hard,
wbot's broken nm with hatrbct
On tb;e tbc bcrror tnr1o1 bo.t;Iv
AWAY
AnJ ot this uo;nt in his norr,t;v, the
person Who told !. mo sfornoJ and sail
m ,-o,, tl,int tLo iii Vino, 1roe ,.o,.,
mrci IN blame .
she miGbt have octoJ mar, kindly I
renliad INT WHY do Won ,sl, y
.Beconse. said he i have bearJ her
conduct SO much reflected ON hv some who
world have fboucbt notbinG of if if il
had not been for thr conscnrrnrps
.Sbc might bova turna1 in, ouax- loss
rnuoLlv I nbscrvrd
That is true he answered .hut in
any case. I think. tlourh we MIGHT rive
them food or money we sLouId hardly in
wife berrors in TO sit bv the fir.
.Certoinly moi I rt,lieJ .,rJ fins
woman cn,,iI nat taI1 tLot tho baoo,,,. ,,.ce
bonest
" soi1b o lint ,,,,.t c,,, ,,, Will,
my narrat;ra'
rho stranCor turmoil ,.5,,- hastily from
bor Joor onI woJcJ tbrnnch tha Jenn
~, t,,,,'a,.i' H., IL 80, TIo III
t1,. ,,.;nJ Lol,oJ :, IL h;,'7 tou-arIs !,
II IooIIsJ mo- les. moor tbon tIo tir.t orJ
when he had tried tba door fnrnJ il holt
aI anJ lnaaI-a1 80 ;ti,a,,t ot,.oot;nc,
ottont;an lie haort So,l, yritI,;r Inn U;s
L,nJ wos sn-rnn,hoJ VIII coId tLot he
hal p,oJa s.arcnI,- a,,I, ,,,;zn he trind
go,
. rrs,, .o,.Ii., wen. bn,,ir,. With, and
- ,natrnnI,- inaI;n,, w,",am cat hafnra tLa
fro SLc baIJ an ;,,fant in Lnr arms ami
had JronnaJ asicnn Int lis tbirj knock
rnnsoJ hn, AMI ,,.ra,,,,;mc, Lo, cnron
ronnJ tbn ci,;IJ slo nnemr1 tLn jnnr =
vow iittio r,or r' ,r, ~ dcIomIcJ what he
woIteJ ''''
.GooJ woman, tha von,h HOGAN u
bova hal tho ,"iIs,,.tiino ~ faII in tha wo-
ta A. L;..o, lifri,t anl Ian, 80 NIL
tbat 7 can scarnaII. Ill, '''''
The woman ,,oya him - sr1.Iap esrn.si
LODI .mJ t'ar s;o,Ld Nm = '''''>
sC,,na in ; She and .th,u arr ,o u;.sh
tho aiga of nv Jam tbnnrLi Of first If
yos him come homo from sea
The youth stepped across the thrtsh
old trembling with cold and wet : and no
wonder for his clothes were completely
cncosed in Wet muJ and the wafer drin-
ned from them with every strn he took ON
the sanded floor
eIhou art in a sorry plight said the
woman and II be two miles TO the highest
housen : come and kuecl down aforc the
fire thy teeth chatter SO nitifully | can
scarce beor to hear them.
She looked at him more attentive Wand
saw that he was a mere boy. not more
than sixteen wears of age Her motherly
heart WINS toncbed for him. Art hun
grv . she asked. turning to the table
.tLou ort wet TO the skin. What hast been
doingg'
.Shootiper wild ducks s,id the boy
o. sail his hostess .thou art one Of
the keerars' bows. then. | reckon .
He followed the direction of her ewes,
and saw two portions of bread set upon
the table. with small piece of bacon
mon euch
NV master he very LATE she observed.
for CHARITY did not make her use elegant
lannuagr' and bv her master she meant
her husband but chou art welcome TO
nv bit and sup. for | was waiting for
him maybe ii will pnt Il little warmth in
thee to eat and drink : so saving, she took
M mug of beer from the hearth. and
pushed it towards him. with her share Of
the suppcr.
Thank Won. SAID the bov. .but am SO
wet am making quite a pool before vour
fire with the drippines from NV clothes.
.Av. thou art wet. indeed. said the wo-
man and. rising again, she went To an old
hnv in which she began 10 search. and
came to the fire with perfectly
rleon checked shirt in her hand. and a
tolrroblv GOOD suit Of clothes
There said she sbowino tbrm with no
small pride these he nv masters Sun
law clothes and if thou Wilt h, rc,.y c0,,.-
ri at tL,,, ri Ict tbae waor tbem in
tIirc ho Jrv, SLe then exrlaiucJ .but
shn wos C,nino to mt Ler .Lo;rn' IA he'd
o,,1 ,,racoo,jnJ m, :, Iadler into tl,o room
H. Iooyin" IN. bov tn array himself in
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