The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1884-02-01

from the barn. There is a crazy man
there. Heaven only knows what vio-
lence he may attempt to perpetrate.
Run tothe house as fast as YOU
can !"
And pansing only to see them flying
up the terracel slopes of the lawn,
hastened with blanched cheeks and
wildly-beating heart to the barn, and
was fortunate enough to secure both
doors by wooden bars and outside but
tons before the attention of a broa,l-
faced, brsi.siafred rulian was suf-
iiciently attracted to induce him to
present his moon-like countenance at
one of the stable windows.
Without heed to frantic gestures and
loudly shouted words, l fed back to
the house, and sank nearly fainting on
the sofa, with both hands clasped over
my eyes.
Il declare fort, though, that was real
gritty" was Betsy's admiring COM
ment, as she hurried to bring the cam
phor and red lavender to my rescue.
"Mamma, will he kill us ?" whispered
Donald, who was a timid child, and
chung close to me.
"Shall cut off his head with my
tin sword, mamma?" baWled Tommy.
the irrepressible.
"Betsy." l cried, rousing myself to
the paramount necessity of not faint
ing, "place yourself at the window
Watch for passers-by-"
Eyes 'um."
Explain to them our dreadful pre-
dicament," went on. Summon help
the instant it appears; and, above all,
keep every door and easement locked
and bolted, lest that fiend in human
shape should break loose and attack
us. There's an cid rifle up stairs in
the garret, isn't there, Betsy?" add
ed, with sudden inspiration.
"Yes, 'um." said Betsy; but it amt
just in firstrate workin' order, cal
culate."
"There isn't either stock nor lock to
it, mamma" chimed in Tommy. 81
loaded it with ashes last week, and put
in pebbles for bullets, and it wouldn't
ere off worth cent"
"But there's the carving-knife and
the potato-pounder, mamma" suggest
ed Donald.
looked at the clock. Only eleven
1t would be six hours, at the very near
est, before my husband would return
from the city. Suppose that there
should be no passers-by between that
time and thisl
"Betsy," said I, 'this won't do. l |
believe my hair will turn white with
this terrible agony of suspense"
"Maam?" said Betsy, who had the
Shakspearian faculty of mot marking
withal."
"Either you or must go for help
I uttered, distinctly.
"1f it wasn't for goin' right past the
barn door, l would't mind" said
Betsy.
"It's fastened" pleaded.
"But them there wooden buttons
doesn't amount to anything" said she.
"And only spose he jumps out at me?"
was just about to reproach Betsy
with having no elements of the heroine
in her composition, when little Donald.
who had posted himself in the garret
window to watch, came tumbling into
the room with Tommy close behind.
"Mammal mammal" they shouted in
chorus; there's somebody coming, and
we guess it's Deacon Gadsly on horse
back, riding back from the train.
stop him!' l gasped-"for mercy's
sake stop him"
"He's a-makin' straight for the barn,
ma'am," said Betsy, who had stretched
the skinny length of her neck further
out Of the window than l dared to.
"He's heard that feller hollerin'. He's
unbarrin' the big doors. Land O lib
erty! there comes the poor crazy cree
tur out with hop, skip and jump!
Wall, if the deacon likes to risk it l |
wouldn't"
81 have heard of instances where |
some particular individual exercised |
unbounded influence over the insane,"
said family, "and-"
At this moment the deacon himself |
knocked at the door. l made haste to |
open it.
"Be ye all crazy here?" said he, with
a smile on his sunburned countenance.
'If ye amt, what in the name of all
creation possessed ye to shut up my
son Hiram in the barn?"
"Your son Hiram l gasped feebly
"Was that your son Hiram? IL
thought it was an insane manp'
| "WhatY' roared the deacon.
"Betsey said that you shouted out as
you rode by, Tell your mistress to call
the children in-there's an insane man
in the bar al
"Good erusalemf' cried the deacon,