Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-05-30
A,SPECIAL COTSTABIE Il,
y Little sketch by the late Charl,
Keade,

Two women, sisters. kept the tollbar
at a village in Yorkshire. 1t stood apart
from the village, and they often felt un-
easy at night being lone women.
One day they received a considerable
sum of money, bequeathed them by a
reistion, and that set the simple souls all
in "A futter.
They had friend in the village, the
blacksmith's wife so they went and told
her their fears She admitted that theirs
was II lonesome place, and she would not
live there, for one, without man. Her
discourse sent them home downright mis-
cradle.
The blacksmith's wife told her husband
all about it when he came in for his din
ner. 1.-The fools ~ said he show is any
body to know they have got brass in the
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 souls ~
"Not |, y said the man "but they will
publish, never fear leave women folk
alone for making their own trouble with
their tongues.
There the subject dropped, as man
and wife have things to talk about besides
their neighbors.
The old women at the tollbar, what with
their own fears and their Jobs comforter,
began to sls9Nsr with apprehension as
wight came on. IL )wever, at sunset the
carrier passed through the gate, and at
sight of his friendly face they frightened
up. They told him their care, and beg
ged lin to sleep in the house that nj ght.
"Why, how eau q said he I'm due
at but will leave you my dog"
The dog was powerful mastiff.
The women looked at each other ex-
pressively. "He won't hurt us, will he %
sighed one of them, family.
"Not he, said the carrier, cheerfully
Then he called the dog into the house,
and told them to lock the door, and went
away whistling.
The women were left contemplating the
dog with that teuder int rest apprehen-
sion is sure to excite At first he seemed
staggered at this finland proceeding of
his master 1t confused him then he
snuffed at the door then, as the VIII eels
retreated, he began to see plainly he was
an abandoned dog he delivered a earful
howl, and flew at the door, scratching and
barking furiously
The old women fed the ap lrtment, and
were next seen at an upper window,
screaming to the carrier, Come back
come back, john He is tearing the
house DOWN"
'Drat the varmint !" said John, ant
came back. On the road he thought
what was best to be done. The good
nature d fellow took his great-coat ont o.
the cart and laid 1t down Oh the floor
The mastitf instantly laid himself on it
Now, said John, sternly, "let us have
no more nonsense; you take charge o
that till | come back, and don't we let no
bod IT al that there, nor yet t'wives
brass. There now," said he, kindly, t.
the women, 81 shall be back this wa,
breakfast time, and he won't bulge til
then"
"And he won't hurt us Johu?"
Lord no! Bless your heart, he is II
sensible az any Christian only, Lor,
sake, woman, don't ye go to take the Goa
from him, or you'll be wanting ney
gown Yourself, and may be a petticoa
and all
He retired, aud the old women kept II
respectful distance from their protector
He never molestsd them and indee
when they spoke csjolingly to him h
sven waoF"d his tail in "A duhipus wRv
but still, Is they moved about, h,. -qliut
ed at thea ont Of his bloodshot ry in
way that checked all desite ON then par
to try on the carriers coat.
Thus protected, they went to bed eui
lier than usual, but they did not undress
they We're too much afraid of everything
especially their protector. The nigh
wore on, and presently their sharpene
senses let them know that the dog VIA
getting restless he suuffed, and then
growlsd, and then he got upand pattere
about muttering to himself. Straightway
With furniture, they barricaded the doc
through which their protector must pas
to devOur them.
But by-snd-by, listening acutely, the
heard scraping and grating outside I'll
window OF the room where the dog wal
and he continued growing low. This WI
enough they shipped out at the bac
door, and left their money to save the
lives they got into the village. 1t WI
pitch dark, and all the houses black bl
two; one was the public house, casting
triangular CLEAN across the road Ion
way off, and the other was the blacl
smiths house Here was piece of TO
tune for the terrified women. They bur
into their friends house "Oh, Jane
the thieves are come !" and they told h,
in a few words all that had happened.
''La y said she chow tiresome &c
arc ten to one he was only growing
some one that passed by"
may, Jane, We heard the scraping on
side the window. Oh, woman, call yoi
man and let him go with u.s."
'"My man--he is not here"
"Where is he, then?"
81 suppose he is where other workinI
vomen's husbands are, at the publ
house, said she, rather bitterly, for 81
had her experience.
The old women wanted to go to the pu1