Connecticut western news., 1881-09-07

them. few days later. That evening, George carried them back into the cellar again, and shut down the outside or bulkhead door when he came up.
 But it was open in the morning; and those, with us, priceless Early Rose po- tatoes were gone from their basket The basket lay near the head of the bulkhead stairs, and the bottom of it seemed to have been wet. Some Roxbury russets had also been taken from out an open barrel in the cellar.
 Next night, George and I watched the cellar with loaded gun; though l hardly think we should have been reck- less enough of human life to fire on thief had one appeared. But none ap- peared and by the next night, after planting all day, we were tired enough to go to bed.
 It was what our folks in the house called "house-cleaning week." and grandmother had, to assist her, awoman whom she often had for such work, whom we called "Aunt Olive"
 Aunt Olive was avery resolute, elderly maiden, we'll turned forty, tall, sinewy, and strong, not to say brawny. She was fluent talker, and rather harsh critic, particularly of small boys and men.
 For the average man, and, in fact, for the whole sex, she had thorough con- tempt. She never saw a man yet she was afraid of, she said, and she would like to see one that could scare her-a statement she never tired of repeat ing. - .-rr' " .. ..
 But Aunt Olive was great worker, and very useful person. I well re- member how on one occasion, in having time, she went out with us boys to get in load of hay when thunder shower was coming up. At first she began raking scatterings," after the cart; but as the thunder pealed nearer, she took the pitchfork from us and fell to putting the hay on the load herself. Such pitch Ing we boys had never seen.
 "That's the way your Aunt Olive does it!" she kept saying to us, piling on whole tumble at forkful.
 Lye soap poisoned her hands while house. cleaning, but she would use it, because it had the ss scut " in it. Nights, after work, her hands would swell and be painful and the poor soul would be up at all hours rubbing them in vinegar and salt.
 Along in the small hours of this sec- ond night we were startled out of sound sleep by Aunt Olives by no means musi- cal voice shouting, from out in the yard:
 "Boys Boysl Here you, George and Christopher l I've got him I've got the pork thief Come out here Quick with you :"
 We had been sound asleep, but we rushed out, without loss of time-to find Aunt Olive standing fast on the bulkhead door with stick of four-foot wood in her hand.
 "He's down cellarl" she exclaimed to us. "But I've clapped the door down on him! He sha'n't come upl I'll keep him down! And now you two young sters get a rope, and an axe, and light, and go down the inside stairs, and tie him. Knock his old head off if he dares to show fight! I'll muckle him if he tries to get out here!'
 Thus exhorted, we got light and the gun, and opening the inside cellar door, started down the stairs; but our courage was far from firm. Just as we reached the bottom of the stairs, there was 8 great noise among the boxes and bar rels in the cellar. at which George dropped the candle, and we both beat an inglorious retreat up the stairs.
 "Have ye got him?" cried Aunt Olive.
 We had not, and she was greatly ex- at our cowardice. George wanted to fasten the doors and wait for daylight. I liked that plan, too.
 70 my heart! what brave stuff men are made of p exclaimed Aunt Olive. "Here, you two, stand on the door here. See if you can do that. I'll fetch him out"
 In she went, lighted another candle, and taking nail-hammer, started into the cellar. George and I, standing on the bulkhead door, heard her calling out, 'Where be ye? Where be yep several times.
 Then came tremendous racket and clatter, in the midst of which the bulk head door, with us on it, was sent flying open, when there bounded out 8 great speckled heifer, with loud "blart'' of fright.
 And the best of it was that Aunt Olive herself did not know that it was a heifer till they were out in the yard together! I honestly think she was disappointed; but grandmother and the girls were muc h relieved.
 The heifer which had thus strangely played the role of house. breaker was kind of cosset animal, belonging to an- other of our neighbors. It had been weakly calf, and they had fostered it in the house at first; and from always be- ing a pet about the yard, it had acquired a trick of pulling open gates and bars with its teeth. The folks had named it ''Moxy," from the circum- stance of having cured it of sick turn by the use of decoction made from the herb bearing that name.
 Thenceforward she was shut up nights in strong pen; and as no fur ther larcenies were reported, it is likely