The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1881-11-03

'H''S''N W. A>A''",' ~PS'' NA'S "'"i
at once |"
"Likely p was grunted back again,
"when we are just warm, and settled
after nasty cold tramp"
Now ] knew who my unlimited
guests were. 1t is not every one who
knows, or knew, of a class of mendi-
cants, familiarly termed, among us,
"Wold Rangers, pest to the farmers,
and q great dread to the inhabitants of
outlaying farms. They were constant
pilferers, and rarely would work,
though often applying for it. None of
them were above poaching, and most
Of them had been in prison some time
or another. a few protested to be
hawkers Of some sort; but the majority
begged from door to door. We had
no policemen nearer than ten miles,
and his face was almost as strange as
the sha's in our district. These lawless
wanderers rarely travelled alone, but
were generally accompanied by nu-
merous following of women and
children, u horse and cart or two, often
u donkey, and two or three dogs.
My visitors were in no particlar hur-
ry to comply with my reiterated de-
mand for admittance, and their loud
snores were most irritating to hear from
the outside. Again | vigorously POM
melled the door with an ash sapling
that 1 carried in my hand, and loudly
stormed at their obstinacy. 1t was Of
no use, as growl was all the reply l
got. AS determined to be inside as
they were to keep me out, went back
a few PAGES and then dashed open the
door with my foot
The moon just shown in with suffi-
cient light to enable me to see what d
strange lot of bed-fellows were grouped
together among the straw; and the
loose horse-box was at the end of the
stable, right through the thick of them.
l ordered them one and all to turn out"
An Irishman by the name of dead
Ned" lifted his fierce, shaggy face and
dared me, in strong language, to at
tempt to disturb them.
"But my horse,' reasoned; Il must
see to him"
But reason was drowned in the oppo-
sition of q dozen hoarse voices.
/ was young then and reckless Of
danger; more so than am now on the
wrong side of sixty, Incensed, drew
back from the open door, slipped the
bride over my thoroughbred's neck,
and struck her sharply across the TANKS
with the ash sapling. 1t was the work
of an instant. She bounded into the
stable door; and no sooner were her
hoofs heard on the threshold than eve
ny creature inside leaped up, the start
led men, women and children rushing
out pell-mell. | lost no time in striking
n light, after their quick exit, to see
after the wounded animal, leaving the
one one | had ridden to follow her own
devices, which she did by going outside
again. The foot was in q serious state
and evidently painful.
"Coats will never come to-night," l
thought, "and something must be
done" and to foment the swollen foot
was the only thing could think Of.
l went outside again, allowing the dis
to their straw, but requesting Dead
Ned and some of the others to hel p me
heat some water. We drove three
thick stakes into the ground, close be-
side the pond, crammed plenty of sticks
under the pot and soon had q blazing
fire. When the water was hot enough
for our purpose, we carried it into the
stable and fomented the wounded foot.
The process eased the pain, and, after
half an hours fermentation | wrapped
it up in some cloths saturated with
some healing oils which were kept in
the stable. One of the men held the
Pickering candle stuck On the top of
lantern, while eight or ten more were
grouped around, watching the proceed
ings and giving occasional assistance.
AS | was bandaging the foot, I caught a
motion or sign not intended for me to
see. 1t was a signal from Dead Ned
who, perceived to my horror, held in
his hand the heavy iron gavelock that
that we had used to hammer the stakes
into the ground--to another of his fra
ternity. Like flash it came over me,
how could / have been so reckless, so
foolhardy, as to trust myself, alone and
unarmed, among this ruffianly crew?
grew hot and cold by turns us | re-
membered that carried in my breast
pocket one hundred and sixty pounds.
It was large sum, you think, for a
farmer to have about him, but, you
see, it was not my own. That year
held the Office of income tax collector;
and / had taken the money with me to
market to pay to the Government Com
missioners. / had made mistake in
the hour appointed, and it was too late
for they had finished and were gone;
consequently ! brought the money
back, intending to forward it Monday.
The occurrence had passed out Of my
mind before reaching home; then
David's news completely put every.
thing else out Of my head, until
caught that gleam of evil in Dead
Ned's eye. 1t was not so much the
physical harm / feared, as the idea
| that they would not be content with
|stunning or numbering me, but would
rob the senseless body; and what would
become of my wife and children if m,
goods and chattels were sold TO repay
the lost Government taxes? Why
they would be turned out into ths
wide world homeless and unprotected
The bare thought made me tremble
i must not let them suspect that / hae
seen their signals. Oh! the agony o
that moment.
Making one venture for home, wife
and children, as we'll as life, careless
1 lee n al !, T. -