The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1882-07-13

brightly in the dusk, and the odor of
broiling bacon filed the air.
Hello! there's the lad that made his
gran mother give us the milk said
one of the gypsies. as Tom came trOt-
ting along. where you goin', bub,
SO late? Can't you stop bit?''
&" No, / can't do it. have to go to
town for some medicine for my gram
pa. He's sick'
Then stop a minute when you come
back. l NAV want to send something
to yer gran mother"
As Tom rode into the village the first
man he met was Silas, who had Just
started for home on foot Silas Fergu-
son was MIR. Elroy's hired man. He
was not quite as deaf as the traditional
post, but he did not lack much OF it.
''Silasl SilaSp' screamed the lad.
But Silas' head was bent forward. and
his straw hat pulled down so far over
his face that he did not see the boy or
hear him call. Tom rode mis- horse in
front of him, and Bets nose and the
mans coming in contact the latter
stopped with a sudden jerk.
What arc yer doin' Why, Tommy,
is that yOug How you skeered me! But
what in the world are you dOin' here?"
said Silas.
0Idu D1 > SIGN anu L HAVE COlUb
for medicine" cried Tom, in q high
treble.
"Hey?'' said Silas, turning one side
of his head toward Tom and putting his
hand behind his ear to scoop in the an
swer.
." L came to getsome Number Six, :"
shouted the boy, leaning down over the
neck Of his horse to get as near the wait
ing ear as he could.
''Mothers sick2'' repeated Silas.
''What's the matter with her?"
''Oh, no. l want to get this bottle
filed" shouted Tom, louder than
ever.
Somebody's killedg'' cried SiIas.
with alarm in his face.
''NO, no, no, Silas. Come with me-"
and Tom beckoned Silas to follow
At DR.. Hicks's office Tom managed to
tell Silas what was wanted. He also
got the medicine and some advice from
the good old physician. who dealt
out both from behind his little counter.
Silas mounted Bets. and the boy
climbed on behind the man and put his
arms around him, while the bottle of
Number Six was safely placed in his
jacket pocket. By this time it had be-
come quite dark.
''We'll take the short cut through
the woods, an be home in less'n an
hour" said SIlas, giving the mare dig
with his heels.
The boy made no response, because
he knew it would be wasted on the air
1t had rained while they were in the
doctors office, and the road was filled
with little pools of water, that shone
brightly whenever the moon came out
from behind the clouds.
Silas made old Bets step of at quick
pace, and it was not long before they
reached the creek were the gypsies were
camped. The coming of the riders was
made known by chorus of barks in
various keys, from the family of dogs
that trOtted under the gypsies' wagon
by day, and secured the country around
their camp by night.
There seemed to be a hurried stir
among the gypsies for a few minutes,
and while the horse was drinking in the
creek, Silas and Tom saw a gypsy care
fully lift basket from the wagon, tuck
an old shawl over it aud press down the
lid, after which he brought it to the
side of the road.
"Well, my lad, yer back again. Had
a purity sharp ride of it, didn't you?
Yer mares a-blowin' like as if she run
n steeple chase. Good mare though"
said the gypsy, walking slowly around
the animal and running his eye over her
from her head to her heels. Like to
swap her for one o. mine?" he con-
tinued, looking up at Silas.
Hey?" said Silas.
The gypsy was about to repeat his
inquiry, when Tom answered.: " He's
deaf. He didn't hear what you said.
We don't want to trade. Rode pretty
fast, and can't stop now, because it
looks S if it would rain again, and we
want to get home before it begins.
We'll, I'll not keep you minute.
But yer a good boy an the gran DANES
as kind seemin' a woman as I've seen
out o. Cornwall. Now 1 want you to
take this basket an give it to her, It's
little present fur her-an' for you,
said the gypsy.
The boy hesitated. Il don't know
whether L can carry it or not-be-
sides'-
''Oh, it's not so heavy, lad, an yer
sister will like
i've got no sister, except a little
bit of a one only that high and Tom
held his hands about two feet apart to
indicate her stature and she isn't
year old yet"
Its all right, anyhow" answered
the rlan. THE baskets not heavy.
Come, now, take il. =" You'll not be
sorry fur it. The man there'I help
you lug it, he continued, pointing to
Silas.
"Wen, Til take it, said Tom.
An not drop it?''
land not drop it, repeated the boy.
"An' give it to yer granny?'
"Of course. When l say I will I
mean it, said Tom, nettied at the
seeming want of faith in his trustiness.
Silas was a silent looker-On, and, of
course, heard nothing of what had
been said. He asked no questions
when he saw Tom take the basket, be-
cause he knew Tom could not make
him hear while they were splashing
along through the road, and he didn't
want to spare the time to hear about it
before starting.
The path lay through what was
known as the Fallen Timber" a strip
of woods a mile or two wide and sew
eral miles in length.
The clearings in it were 'sfew and far
between. The greater part of the
path lay along the east side of the
Fallen Timber and when the moon
shone from the west it could be fol-
lowed almost as easily as the highway.
The leaves were dripping wet, and
Tom, bending over the basket to shield
its contents, often caught the great
drops of water on the back of his neck.
II wish hadn't promised to take
the basket" he said to himself half
dozen times. Its awful heavy"
Too whit! too whool whool whoor'
broke out on the still air from among
the branches of burr oak that almost
swept their heads. The cry startled The
boy, but Silas rode calmly on. They
were now nearly half way through the