The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1882-07-14
DEAD NED.
a TaIa of the yorkshire wOlds,

DEAD NED,
ATaIs of the Yorkshire WOIds.
Fifty years ago the laws were not 80
thoroughly enforced as they are now
upon the wild ranges of England called
the Yorkshire Wolds. Few of the busy
jewellers in populous London have any
idea of their grandeur in winter snow
storm, or of their beauty when an Au-
gust sun pours down its rays upon
stretches Of waving corn, that lie like
sheets Of gold along the ridges, fringed
above with dark plantations. During
the great exhibition of 1851, few friends
and took real holiday for once in our
lives, and went for week to see the
wonderful things in London which the
papers were so full of. We saw all that
could be seen in that time, and we did
not lose a momont, assure you. But,
after all, saw nothing like our grand
old hills. 1t was the first time that most
of us had been so far away from home.
My tale2-O yes, that was what I
started to tell you but that was twenty
five years before our London visit, when
was young man, farming a hundred
and sixty acres of land. 1 had occupied
the farm about two years, renting at the
same time house in the nearest village.
two miles away, for my wife and two
children. The farm buildings consis ed
of barn, which went by the name of
the Red Barn, it being built of red
bricks an old six-horse stable, matched
with whins; fold-yard, paled around,
and TWO or three wood-sheds. A good
sized house and better out-buildings
were being built, but none of them were
far enough advanced to be habitable for
man or beast. A plantation of ash and
spruce trees sheltered the farmstead
from wind and storm, as it was situated
high up on the hillside.
Returning home rather later than
usual one Saturday night from our mar
ket town, distance of twelve miles, I
was told by the man who came out to
take my horse that an accident had hap
pened that afternoon.
whats the matter, David?" 1
asked.
"Roger has run fork into his foot"
was the answer.
Roger was one OF the horses. It ap-
peared, on further questioning. that one
of the large steel forks, used for stack
ing III harvest time, had been carelessly
laid upon the stable floor, and Roger, q
farm horse, had run its prongs into his
foot. The man thought it was a serious
wound.
. "What have you done to it ?" was my
next question.
"Sent off for Coats" Coats was the
veterinary surgeon for the district.
"Has he comeW
"No, sir; he had gone to Melby."
Melby, knew, was eighteen miles
away across the country from Coats
home and, after that journey, he would
not feel inclined, at IL o'clock, ON cold
winter night, to start again for another
sixteen miles.
Turning my horses head, / told David
to go to bed, and I would ride up to the
Red Barn.
"Shall I sit up for your horse p he
asked, yawning, tired from a long days
exposure to cold and storm.
No, no one need wait for me :" and
/ started off.
Fifteen minutes brought me to the
stable-door; but / paused to let my
heated mare drink from the pond close
by, and as stood caught murmur of
human voices within the stable. Sur
prised, as not man lived at the stead
ing, | tried the door. 1t was fastened
from the inside. I knocked, still hold
ing my horse by the bride, the thought
coming across my mind that Goats must
have come straight here, without watt
ing for any one to assist him. There
was no answer to my first summons, so
Knocked and called again more loudly.
What dye want ?" demanded gruff
voice from the inside.
Want? / want in, to be sure.
What are you doing there, should like
to know? Open the door at once ~
:" Likely J" was grunted back again,
"when we are warm and settled after a
nasty, cold tramp"
Now knew who my unlimited guests
were. 1t is not every one who knows,
or knew, of the existence of class OF
mendiconts, Familiarity termed among
us "Wold Rangers" a pest to the
farmers; and great dread to the in
haoltants OF outlying farms. They
were constant pilferers ind rarely
would work, though often applying for
1t None of them was above poaching !;
and most of them had been to prison in
some time or another. A few protested
to be. hawkers of some sort; but the
majority begged from door to door. We
had no policeman nearer than ten miles,
and his face was almost as strange as
the Shah's in our district. These law
less wanderers rarely travelled alone,
but were generally accompanied by q
numerous following of women and
children, horse and cart or t 70, often
donkey, and two or three dogs.
My visitors were in no particular hur-
ry to comply with my reiterated demand
for admlttance, and their loud snores
were most irritating to hear from the
outside. Again l vigorously pummeled
the door with an ash sapling that car
ried in my hand, aud loudly stormed at
their obstinacy. It was no use. as a
growl was all the reply got. As de-
termined to be inside as they were to
keep me out, L went back few PAGES.
then dashed open the door with my foot.
The moonlight just shone in with
sufficient light to enable me to see what
strange lot of bedfellows were grouped
together among the straw; and the loose
horse-box was at the end of the stable,
right through the thick of them. or
dered them one and all to turn out. !"
An lrishman, who went by the nickname
OF Dead Ned, lifted his fierce, shaggy
face, and dared me, in strong language,
to attempt to disturb them.
But my horse" | reasoned; "I must
see to him."
But reason was drowned in the oppo-
sition of dozen hoarse voices.
l was young then, and reckless Of
danger; more SO than 1 am now. on the
wrong side of sixty. Incensed, 1 drew
back from the open door. slipped the
bride over my thoroughbred's neck, and
struck her sharply across the TANKS with