Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1881-10-08

is man in wOman's clothes, and can
not bear children" now convinced that
'she belonged to gang of robbers" for
whose steps she was nervOusly listen
ing.
The mother washed and put away the
tea things, then took the baby on her lap
and said This pig went to market" to
his funny little toes, over and over again,
every toe seemed to thrill with delight
at the passage in that history in which it
was supposed actor.
Suddenly the wOman's quick ear de-
tected a sound outside, for she leaned
forward and seemed to listen more
eagerly than ever, and said, 81 think
there is some one coming the way 1
came" Now there was tap at the
door, Tom opened it, and in walked Ben.
The strange guest showed no visible
sign of surprise or interest in the en-
trance of Ben, but suddenly declared her.
self very sleepy and asked to be shown
to her room. The woman out of the way,
Ben branched out on the subject of his
suspicious and his preparation for all
emergencies, told what he would do if so
and so were to happen, all the while sup
posing such extreme and fearful situa-
tiOns that Tom in his inmOst heart be-
lieved he ought to be seated on high
mountain by the side of the biggest
giant he ever read of, when-what was
that2-surely the gate opened, yes, and
there were footsteps coming toward the
porch, there are voices, mems voices s.
the mother with clasped hands looks up
ward, Tom looks at Ben, and Ben, dear,
noble Ben, grasps his pistol, counts the
men as they step upon the pOrch-there
are six, but his hand does not quail; he
is prepared for the worst, and when the
leader raps at the door Ben's voice is
firm as he asks
"WhO is therep'
Friends; let us ill.," is the answer.
Ben drops the the pistol and with
queer smile on his face opens the door
six men cutter. The first is Ben's oldest
brother, who says, rs she woman, and
has she hurt anybody, and where is she
nOw~ and Ben answers
"A regular woman, Joe, poor old
harmless woman, not wanting to hurt
any body. She had good appetite for
her supper. and is now where you ought
to be, in bed and asleep"
Ben's mother, after he had told her
what Tom had said and had left the
house, felt very anxious about him. We
was scarcely out of sight when all sorts
of hOrrid mems faces took possession Of
her mind, and when Joe, Ben's brother,
came home from the village, she told
him that terrible man disguised in
wOman's clothes, with concealed weap-
Ons, was in her neighbours cottage wait
ing for accOmplices, that would, in the
night, kill helpless woman, a lot Of in
nOcent children, and his brother Ben!
Hearing this, Joe at once called out their
five Irish labOrers, and started to save
his friends and brother from such
fate.
Finding one old woman quietly asleep,
he and the men with him laughed most
heartily, though at their own expense,
and concluded that Ben would prove
equal to all further emergencies, with
drew. The little household felt quite
secure by this time, went to bed, and
were soon, forgetful of all dangers,
wrapt in profound slumbers.
The strange guest, who was most prob
ably little out of her head, prOfessed in
the morning to have had good nights
rest, and seemed totally ignorant of all
incOmings and OutgOings on her ac-
count.
She offered money for supper, lodging
and breakfast, and when it was declined,
gave warm thanks in womanly man
ner, and more than this, with sudden
impulse of affection it would seem, she
cent over the cradle, ran her thin fingers
through the little rings of baby's hair,
and kissed him heartily. In the peace
full and bright sunshine of the lovely
Sunday morning she looked nothing but
woman, and went her way, leaving the
mother, the children and Ben, with rath-
er disconnected cOuntenances, in the
doorway "And this is ALL" drawing a
long breath and looking very hard at
Ben, who was consulting his watch. As
he could do no better, he burst into a
hearty laugh, and as the rest could not
help it they laughed too. This was in
| deed all. for they never heard of heard