St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1882-03-24

ful threats, While the lad, with a hnal,
~ advise you to put good piece o.
road between you and Tige ~ closed
the door, softly sliding the bolt.
Then, going to the room where
grandma lay crOuched upon the bed,
scarcely daring to stir, he called
through the keyhole Z:
"They are gone. YOu can come out
now"
'The dogs :" gasped a faint voice.
"There amt any !" he answered soft
ly. "Open the door and I'll tell you"
The bolt was cautiously withdrawn
and the old lady's face appeared,
white and terrified.
"Come and sit down." said the boy,
tenderly. ~ am sorry l frightened
you so. l was afraid it would, but
really could not help it,"
81 won't stir a step!" said grandma,
stOutly. "What do you mean by this
You can't fool me 4! | heard the dogs
and men too"
A low, pleasant laugh sounded
through the room.
''Twas only me, grandma | saw
those men only meant mischief, and |
knew something must be done pretty
quick, so l made believe there was
something up there"
''But the dogs ~ cried the old lady,
bewildered. "Where are the dogs p
Il made them bark. Listen -
And then came from the throat of
the little ventrilOquist such a torrent
of growls, whines and yelps, inter
spersed with "Down Tiger and abe
still, Fritz :" that the door was swung
open and grandma leaned against the
wall, exclaiming:
"Well, never in all my life If
you don't beat all the boys | ever did
see ! And there | supposed you was
cOnnivin' with them critters, and
was so scarf | was just as weak as a
rat"
A while after this fright at the farm
house Old Billy, with his load of three,
was plodding peacefully over the brow
of the little hill, quarter of mile
from home, when suddenly Mrs. Grang-
er's voice, wild with terror, rang sharp
ly out on the still air.
''The house is afire ~ she screamed
"And if grandma-oh! Solomon, il
grandma is killed, will never forgive
myself, neverl Why did we leave
that boy? Oh, run the horse, Solo
mon, run the horse ~
"NOnsense :" said the easy-going
farmer. Nevertheless, he whipped VI
Old Billy, and anxiously scanned the
corner of the roof visible behind the
trees where the smoke was cOiling VI
gray and thick.
A dozen or more well directed pals
of water had done the work, however
and only wet, smoked timbers and {
blackened pile of rubbish met the far
mer's eye when he sprang from hi
wagon and alighted at the side of thu
breathless little worker.
The sight of the house and the barr
untouched, and the grandma standing
in the doorway alive and well, put al
fears to flight in an instant. But ther'
was Il story to relate, and the boy stood
mOdestly by while grandma dwelt up
on the exciting events of the past hour
| The tramps, it was supposed, were tn,
incendiaries; but happily the fire ha'
been discovered i'll time to prevent an,
damage.
The returning loads of church goers
eager to know the cause of the unus
ual excitement, stopped at the farm
gate; and the lad suddenly found him
self the hero Of the hour.
81 told 'em all the qualities of Tig
and Fritz, Uncle Georges dogs" eX
claimed the boy, unmindful till tn
words were spoken that the hearer
| had never heard of "Uncle George" be
fore. Then with bright blush h
| dropped behind one of the men, and fO
! IL +n1 L ,rnhaalnl
"Where O. doggies ?" persisted Eth
el, a few minutes later, unable to un
derstand from whence the sound pro
ceeded while the others laughed an,
wondered, as the ventrilOquist trie,
the powers which had done such eff
fective service that day.
81 do believe that boy saved my life
Lowly. Depend ont the Lord sen
him ~ And grandma, concluding he
story with ngdrawn breath, sa
down on the door step and was imme
diately engaged i'll an eager talk wit
old Mrs Atkins.
1t was many hours before quiet wa
settled down upon the inmates of tn
farm house; but before they settle
for the night Father Granger and hi
wife learned all that was needful t
know of Jasper GOodrich's former life
''The only reason why l haven
told you," said the boy, in reply to tn
farmers question, sis because | wa
afraid you would send me back.
might as well come out, though
have run away, but I'll never go bac
to Uncle Georges die first ~
1t was short story. Until he wa
several years old he knew only hap
py life. Then his fathers health fail
ing and sea voyage being decide
upon, his father and mother sailed fC
France, leaving him in care of the vi
, laee minister and wife. In six month
came the news of his fathers deatl
and some weeks later his mother, to,
died, and was buried in a foreign lane
The boy remained with his friends
few months only, for on the minister
removal to another town, he was take
possession of by a half-brOther of h
fathers, rascally, unprincipled maj
: who had no love or kind feelings Il
his young nephew. He was sham,
fully treated till he could endure it Il
: longer, and he determined to seek
home among strangers.
81 wanted to stay" the boy concluC
ed; "but | didn't dare to tell you, fC
A fear you would send me back"
4 "Never, my bOy!' interrupted IL
= farmer, earnestly. "You can stay wit
; us till you can find better home
y well do all we can for you"
e "Well," said Mrs, Granger, as 81
>, lay down that night, "the idea of III
= distrusting that boy | declare
e makes me feel mean to think of it,"
7 Early the next morning the farm,
harnessed Old Billy, and dressed in b
d Sunday best, took the east road Ov,
the mountain" He returned late
y the afternoon.
The announcement made at the T.