The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1882-08-17


My pension. My claim was allowed
last week, and ! got my money-fYe
hundred dollars-yesterd / was fool
ish not to put it in the bank right of,
but / didn't, and as I didn't have time
TO 60 to town yesterday 1 had to leave
it at home. reckon it's safe enough,
though, till tomorrow night, and
them
"Histr interrupted his companion,
suddenly. what s-thatP"
Tracey paused TO listen.
q didn't hear anything he said.
Il thought / heard some one over
there" pursued the other, pointing to a
large, high pile of boards a few feet
distant-the boards being piled in form
of square, with large cavity in the
center. 4" Most likely it was rats,
though.
More likely to be rats than anything
else, . there's so many about here, ?
answered Tracey. Then he added
joeularly: - Maybe, though. it's them
burr lars that been playin' mischief
round these parts for the last week or
sO-may be they re slowed away in that
pile OF lumber My if l really believed
that + d be uneasy myself, for the chaps
would have heard all I said about my
pension.
What burglars is thatP inquired
the other.
"What burglarsP Why. man, don't
you read the papers? Why, only yester-
day the Sheriff and his deputies rode by
my house on the hunt for EN-. Last
Saturday night they broke into Lawyer
Burkes house, in the village, and
carried off about hundred dollars, and
then on Sunday night they got into the
railroad station, broke open the safe,
and made off with about three hundred
more. That's the biggest of their hauls,
! though they've entered several other
places"
The conversation was continued on
this topic for a few minutes, and then
| dropped. Neither of the men thought
| it worth while to investigate the cause
of the noise, and they pursued their
work for a short time and were then
called over to the other side of the mill.
just as they disappeared a face peered
over the top of the board-pile from the
inside, another followed Il moment later,
and presently two rough, villainOus-
looking men came into view, and seeing
they were unobserved, sprang quickly
to the ground and fastened into the
forest.
"Close shave that, as bein' as we was
hid there all last night and all day till
now" said one, as he pushed through
the underbrush.
Eyes; | thought as once them mill
chaps was comm to look, - responded
! the other. Good for EN- as they
/ didn't, an took us for rats; cause the
! p'lice be on the lookout now an we
! don't want to use no shootin' irons an
make things too hot. We must move
out lively from ere, Bill"
- Not till we get that ere pension"
answered Bill, Significantly. THAT
/ layout were as good as pitched at us,
an it d be pity not to take it. Sides,
the Gov ment owes me pension for all
the time we lost in jails and prisons,
an this ere's a good chance to get it.
knows where the crib is, cause we
stopped there last week for somethin' to
eat, don't you mind? This teller that
owns it was there at the time. here is
nobody but a woman an two little uns,
an they're easy fixed, an there amt no
other house nigh"
but there's that ere other chap as
said as he was a goin' thereP"
''HimP He's crazy, an if he goes
there at all he'll only stop a'bit an move
on. A tap on the head II settle him,
anyway, if he's there-but then he won't
be there
During this time Nat was not idle.
His tall form, with long and steady
stride, was fastening forward - on bust
him what he should do when he reached
Tracey's, and had been supplied with
food. At present he was LOBBYING or
ders and beyond that his thought did
not 90. 1t was, indeed, long walk he
had undertaken, and il was just at dusk
that he reached his destination. The
Halfway House was lonely hOstelry,
situated at the intersection of two roads,
with no other house in sight, and was q
common stopping place for persons pass
ing to and from the city. Nat stepped
boldly upon the broad piazza in front,
and with full consciousness of his right
walked unhesitatingly into the pleasant
sitting-roOm. Mrs. Tracey came for
ward to meet him.
Why, Nat. is that you?"
Eyes M" he answered, gravely. al
was told to come here an get a square
meal. The, King sent me.
1.-The King sent you2 Well, l cues;
I'll have to give you a supper then, y
said she. And by the way, Nat, die
you see my husband on your way hereP'
" Yes m; and he said for me to tel
you he'd be home tO-morrer night, an
for you not to be uneasy bout thai
money"
% dear! did so hope he'd com,
this evening" she sighed.
She was, indeed, uneasy on account
Of the money in the house. She haC
slept but little the preceding night fol
thinking of it, and had worried about il
all through the day, and now another
lonely night was before her. AS she
was preparing supper for her guest an
other thought came to her. Could she
not induce Nat to stop there for tbs
nightP His notion of wandering made
it an uncertain request, and even if he
remained, with his beclouded intellect
he could not be depended on in case o
trouble. Still he would be company
praYed for that-if she needed help.
MAT" she said, as she poured out
glass of milk for him, ''won't you stay
here tonight"
81 don't know whether it be orders,
he answered, uncertainty. "Parsoi
said the King sent out His messengers
an they wasn't to take no money no
nothin' to eat. an don't know if it b,
right to stop"
90 yes it is" replied Mrs. Tracey
catching at once an idea of his thoughts
Il heard what the parson said too
When the Kings messenger entered
house he was to abide there-that is {,
stop. Don't you remember
Nat considered the proposition.
q" Yes m, that's His orders. I'll stop,
he said.
And, Nat" pursued the lady, rem
dered eager by her success, there
another thing the King said-you hear,
it at Sunday-sohool. He said
Suffer little children to COM