The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-11-28

Bridget she said to an old servant,
whom Tom had known all his life. "She's
lost and I've just found her in front of
the house. Give her some supper, and
when Mr.. Williams comes home, I'll send
word to the police station where she is"
If Toms aunt could have guessed how
quickly her words took away his appetite,
she would have realized that her speech
had wonderful effect on the deaf and
dumb. The statement that she would
send word to the police station, as soon
as his uncle came home, upset his stom-
ach instantly. He was getting into
tighter and tighter fix every minute, and
when alone with Bridget, who stared at
him furtively, he dropped down in the
nearest chair quite bewildered.
"Shure. she's dacent lookin' little
crayture,' said Bridget, talking to herself.
Tom wanted to laugh but he man.
aged to hold in.
eff she could spake a word now, I'd be
after askin' her where she got that nate
little hat" Bridget continued, while col
Letting things for the supper.
The thought occurred to Tom that per-
haps if he told Bridget who he was she
might be able somehow to help him out
of his fix. She might go over to his
house and ask Maria, his mothers ser.
want, to get his best suit of clothes and
smuggle them across to him. The clothes
were in the closet of one of the guest
chambers, and Maria could get them cas-
lily, he believed. At any rate, this scheme
is worth trying, and he determined forth.
with to let Bridget into the secret.
"Bridget |" he whispered softly while
she stood across the kitchen back to him,
Bridget p
The minute she turned round, how
ever, Toms courage gave out, and he
stared at the floor as dumb as mummy.
"Eh !? Did yer moind that Some
body's afther calm me-" she said, look
ing at Tom with wide open eyes. Then
she went to the door and listened.
Tom stood up, pulled off the girls hat
he wore, and whispered her name louder
than ever.
"Mither of the saints - she exclaimed,
dropping a saucepan and grasping the
door-knob to hold herself up. Its not
dumb the crayture is, but b'yl Away
wild yer-outer this afore | -
Hush Pm Tom, Bridget. Don't
you see who l amp Keep quiet and
don't let Aunt Jane hear you ?" Tom
gasped in one breath.
1t was now Bridget's turn to be dumb
and it took Tom several minutes to make
her understand just how he came to be
dressed in girls clothes. But as soon as
he did she babe him swat bit till she
whit over to Maria" Five or ten min
utes later she returned, bringing Maria
with her. The closet in which the best
suit was kept was locked and the suit
could not be obtained.
"Its Maria herself, though" said
Bridget in hoarse whisper, who'll be
afther goiu' to the store for the other
clothes. You can jist step behind the
door and slip off the gurl's duds, and thin
tie me apron round yer an cuddle up wild
me shawl whilst she carries thin back an
gifts yer own"
Maria giggled, and said she would carry
the clothes back if Tom would only hurry
and not keep her waiting.
Tom made haste to accept this offer
glad to get rid of the girls clothes any
how, and soon appeared from behind the
door in the scanty costume Bridget haC
suggested. Then Maria had another fit
of the giggles, and departed. She hsd
been gone only few minutes, however
when Tom heard his aunt coming dowr
to the kitchen, and realized that he was
now in really the worst fix he had been
at all.
Goodness gracious, Bridget Quick
hurry! Where shall hide ?" he asked
dartin G around the kitchen.
"Down into the cellar wild YER" sh,
answered, grabbing him by the arm aut
pushing him to the door which opened t.
that region.
The cellar was dark and Tom stumbled
over a coal-hod and two or three boxe
before he recovered his composure. H
could hear his aunt talking in the kitchen
} and he wondered much what Bridget wa
telling her had become of the deaf an,
dumb girl. But after short time he be
J lieved he heard his aunt go upstairs again
"Whist /" Bridget called from tn
top of the stairs a moment later. GAR
yer there, Tom, me b'y"
eyes, down here in the dark" he an
swered, beginning to creep up to her.
, "Keep yer hidin' thin, an be cas-
bout it; fur yer aunt's comm wild ye
! uncle in minute"
Bridget shut the door, and Ton
scrambled over the boxes and the coal
: hod again. Did she mean that his au
and uncle were coming down to the celia
, after himf He would be caught in
pretty fix if they did, he reflected. The
! would all have nice laugh at him; an
his brother John would tell all the boy
in the neighborhood what little Mis-
Nancy he had been.
He hunted around desperately for
place of concealment, and finally shu
r himself in the coal vault Just as ligh
appeared at the head of the stairs, and b
3 heard his uncle say;
"These water pipes are a great nu
sance. They are always getting out c
/, ORDER"