Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-07-16
A Special Constable.

telt uneasy at nlgnU, DelnS lont Woincn.
One day they received a considerable
sum of money, bequeathed them by
relation, and that set the simple souls
all in fiutter.
They had friend in the village, a
blacksmith's wife; so they went and
told her their fears. She admitted that
theirs was a lonesome place, aud she
would not live there, for one, without
a man. Her discourse sent them home
downright miserable.
The blacksmith's wife told her hus-
band all about it when he came in for
his dinner. "The fools!'' said he; show
is anybody to know they have got brass
in their house?"
"Well,'' said the wife, ''they make
no secret of it to me, but you need not
go for to tell it to all the town-poor
soull"
"Not l." said the man: "but they
Will publish it, never fear; leave the
women-folk alone for making their own
trouble with their tongues"
There the subject dropped, as man
and wife have things to talk about be-
sides their neighbors.
The old women at the toll-bar, what
with their own fears and their Jacobs
comforter, began to shiver with appre-
hension as night came on. However,
at sun set. the carrier passed through
the gate. and at the sight of his friend
" face they frightened up. They told
him their care, and begged him to sleep
in the house that night. "Why, how
can u said he, 81 am due at; but
will leave you my dog" The dog
was powerful mastiff.
The women looked at each other
expressively. "He won't hurt us, will
be?n sighed one of them, family.
"Not he,'' said the carrier, cheerful
". Then he called the dog into the
house, told them to lock the door, and
went away whistling.
The women were left contemplating
the dog with that tender interest appre-
hension is sure to excite. AT first he
seemed staggered at this off-hand pro-
ceeding of his master; 1t confused him;
then he snuffed at the door; then as
the wheels retreated, he began 30 see
plainly he was an abandoned dog; he
delivered fearful howl and flew at the
door. scratching and barking furiously.
The old women fed the apartment
and were next seen at an upper window
screaming to the carrier: Come back!
come back, John! He is tearing the
house downl''
"Drat the varmintl" said John, and
came back On the road he thought
what was best to be done. The good
natured fellow took his great coat out
of the cart and laid it on the floor, The
mastiff instantly laid himself on it.
Now" said John, sternly, "let us
have no more nonsense; '.you take
charge of that till l come back, and
don't We let nobody steal that there,
nor vet the wives brass. There, now, !"
said he kindly to the women, II shall
be back this way breakfast time, and
he won't bulge till then"
And he won't hurt US, John?"
Lord, mol Bless your heart, he is
sensible as any Christian; only, Lord
sake, women, don't We go to take that
coat from him or you'll be wanting a
new gown yourself, and maybe petit
coat and all.
He retired, and the old women kept
a respectful distance from their protec-
tor. He never molested them; and
idneed; when they spoke caiolingly to
him he even wagged his tail IN dubi-
GUS way; but still, as they moved
about, he squinted at them out of his
blood-shot eve in way that checked
all desire on their part to try on the
| carriers coat.
Thus protected, they went to bed ear
lier than usual, but they did not un-
dress: they were too much afraid of
everything. especially their protector.
| The nigh wore on, and presently their
| sharpened senses let them know that
the dog was getting restless; he snuffed,
and then he growled, and then he got
UP and pattered about, muttering to
| himself. Straightway, with furniture,
they barricaded the door through which
J their protector must pass to deyour
| them.
But by and by, listening acutely, they
heard a scraping and grating outside
| the window of the room where the dog
was, and he continued growing low.
This was enough, they slipped out at
the back door, and left their money to
save their lives; they got into the vii
lage. 1t was pitch dark, and all the
houses black but two. Ohe was the
public house, casting triangular
gleam across the road a long way off,
| and the other was blacksmith's house.
Here was a piece of fortune for the
terrified women. They burst into their
! friends house. "Oh, janet the thieves
are comep' and they told her in few
words all that had happened.
"Lain said she; ''how tiresome you
are. Ten to one he was only growing
at some one that passed by"
''Nay, Jane, we heard the scraping
outside the window. Oh, woman, call
your man and let him go with us"
my mamie is not here"
s'Where is he, then?"
81 suppose he is where other working
women's husbands are, at the public
house." said she, rather bitterly, fol
she had her experience.
The old women wanted to go to the
public house for him, but the black
smiths wife was courageous woman,
and, besides. she thought it was more
likely false alarm. Nay, nay" said
she; last time l went for him there
got fine affront. Ill come with you,
She said. ''I'll take the poker and We
have got our tongues to IA Sc the towr
with, suppose" So they marched tc
the toll-bar. When they got near II
they saw something that staggered this
heroine. There was actually mai
| half in and half out of the window.
This brought the blacksmith's wife t.
a standstill, and the timid pair imploreC
her to go back to the village. Nay,
said she, "what foI? l see but one
and-harkl it is my belief the dog i:
holding of him." However, She
thought it safest to be on the same side
with the dog, lest the man might turr
on her. So she made her way into tn,
kitchen, followed by the other two, anC
there a sight met their eyes which
changed all their feelings both toward
the robber and toward each other. Tht
great mastiff had pinned a man by th'
throat and was pulling at him to draw
him through the window, with fierc'
but nnffied snarls. The mans weigh
alone prevented it. The window Wa.
, like picture frame, and in that fran,
there glared, with lolling tongue ant
starting eyes, the white face of tn
blacksmith, their courageous friend
yillainous husband. She uttered al
appalling scream and few upon the do,