National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-07-12
A SPECIAL CONSTABLE.
BY CHARLES REApE,

Two women, sisters, kept the toll bar
at village in Yorkshire. It stood apart
from the village, and they often felt un-
easy at night, being lone women.
Ono day they received considerable
sum Of money, bequeathed them by re-
lation, and that set the simple souls all in
o futter.
They had friend in the village, the
blacksmith's wife SO they went and told
their fears. She admitted that theirs
was lonesome place, and she would not
live there, for one, without man. Hor
discourse sent them homo downright
miserable.
The blacksmith's wife told her husband
all about IL when no came in for his din
nor. 1.-THE foolsp said he; 'how is any.
body to know they have got brass in the
house"
"Woll," said the wife, "they mako no
secret Of 1t to me; but you need not 70
for TO toll IL to all tho town-poor souls"
Not ], }" said the man; but they will
publish It, never fear; leave women folk
alone for making their own trouble with
their tongues"
Thoro the subject dropped. as man and
wife have things to talk about besides
their neighbors.
The old women of the toll-bar, what
with their own fears and their Jobs COM
forter, began to SILVER with apprehension
as night came on. However, at sunset
the carrier passed through tho gate, and
at sight Of his friendly face they bright
ened up. They told him their care, and
begged him to sleep in the house that
night. "Why, how can I~ said he.
I'm due at =; but I will leave you
t my dog" Tho dog was ap0wOrful mas
The good-naturod fellow took his great
coat out Of the cart and laid 1t down on
tho floor. The mastiff instantly laid him
self on u. Now" said John, sternly,
you take charge Of that till come back,
and don't 20 let nobody steal that there,
nor yet twives brass. There, now" said
he, kindly, to the women, II shall DO
back this way breakfast time, and he
won't bulge till then."
Thus protected they went to bed earlier
than usual, but they did not undress; they
were too much afraid of everything,
especially their protector.
But by and by, listening aoutely, they
heard scraping and a grating outside
the window of the room where the dog
was, and he continued growing low. This
was enough, they slipped out at tho back
door to save their lives; they got into tho
vil,iage, 1t was pitch dark and all the
houses black but two-one was the public
house, casting triangular CLEAN across
tho road long way off, and the other
was the blacksmith's house. Here was q
piece Of fortune for the terrified women
They burst into their friends house. ooh,
Jane! the thieves are comeW and they
told her in few words oil that had hap
pened.
'La?" said she, chow timorous you arc!
Ten to one he was only growing at some
ono that passed BY"
May, Jane, we heard the scraping out
side the window. Oh, woman, call your
man and let him 60 with u.s."
my mamie is not here. I'll come
with you," said she. '.I'll take the poker,
and we have got our tongues to raise the
town with, / suppose"
So they marched to tho toll bar. When
they got near 1t they saw something that
staggered this heroine. There was actually
man half in and half out of the window.
This brought tho blacksmith's wife to a
standstill, and the timid pair implored her
to 90 back to the village.
ope-and-hark it Is my belief the dog
is holding of him." However she thought
it safest to be on the same side with the
dog, lest the man might turn on her. So
she made her way into the kitchen, fol-
lowed by the other two, and there sight
met her eyes that changed all their feel
ings both toward the robber and toward
each other. The great mastiff had pinned
man by the throat, and was pulling at
him to draw him through the window,
with fierce but mufiled snarls. The mans
weight alone prevented it. The window
was like picture frame, and in that
frame there glared, with rolling tongue
and starting eyes, the white face of the
blacksmith, their courageous friends viii
famous husband. She uttered an appal-
ling scream, and few upon the dog and
choked him with her two hands. He
held and growled and tore till he was all
but throttled himself; then he let 60, and
| the man fell. But what struck the
ground outside like q lump Of lead was
in truth lump of clay! The man was
quito dead and fearfully torn about the
throat. So did comedy end in an ap-
palling and most piteous tragedy; not
| that tho scoundrel himself deserved any
pity, but his poor. brave, honest wife, to
whom he had not dared confide the viii
| lainy no meditated.