Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1885-05-29


others to 60 home, and come to "borry"
the hammer the next night. Alb agreed
to the latter proposition, but still sat on
the log and talked. "Old Bob say" he
remarked, cheerfully, THAT when he do
git em, he shakes 'em-shakes the life
out'n emp
This was inexplicable. Stephen Ryder
pondered vainly on it for an instant. But
the oft reiterated formula, "0ld Bob
says" caught his ears, and he was alb
sorbed anew in Abs discourse.
"Old Bob says ez my m1ther air one
of the best women in this world. But
she air so gin ter humoring every critter
a-nigh her, an tends ter 'em so much,
an feeds 'em so high an hearty, ez they
jes' gifts good fur nothin' in this world.
That's how KEN she air eat out'n house
an home now. Old Bob say ez how he
air the hongriest critterl Say he jes' de-
spise ter see him comm round of meal
times. Old Bob say eff be wiIot emmy
good ief' in a Kindness. y
The blacksmith felt, as he turned back
into the shop and reused the sleepy
headed ''striker," that within the hour
all the world had changed for him.
These coarse taunts were enough to show
in what estimation he was held. And
he had fancied himself, in countryfied
phase, respected by all, and had been
proud of his standing!
So the bellows began to sigh and pant
once more, and kept the red light tiarin9
athwart in the darkness. The people
down in the valley looked up at it, glow
ing like star that had slipped out of
the sky and lodged somehow on Cross
mountain, and wondered what Stephen
RYDER could be about so late at night.
When he left the shop, there was no
sign of the boys who had ornamented the
log earlier in the evening. He walked
up the road to his house, and found his
wife sitting alone in the rickety little
porch.
"Hev that thar boy gone ter bed9" he
asked.
"Waal," she slowly drawled, in soft,
placid voice, che KEN hyar bout N haf-
fen hour ago so nigh crazed ter go ter
stay all night with Jim an Benny Gryce
ez he'd ter let him. Old man Gryce rid
by hyar in his wagon on his way home
from the settlemint. So Alb went off
with the Gryce boys an thar gran'dad. y"
Thus the blacksmith concluded his
tools were not liable to be "borrowed"
tonight. He had scheme to insure
their safety for the future, but in order
to avoid his wife's remonstrances on
Abs behalf, he told her nothing of it,
nor of what he had overhead.
Early the next morning he set out for
the mill, intending to confront sold
Bob" and demand retraction. The road
down the deep, wild ravine was rugged,
and he logged along slow until at last
he came within sight of the crazy,
weather-beaten old building tottering
precariously on the brink of the impetu-
Gus torrent which gashes the mountain
side. Crags tower above it; vines and
moses cling to its walls; it is dank,
COOL shady place, but noisy enough with
the turmoil of its primitive machinery,
and the loud, hoarse voices of the loung-
ers striving to make themselves heard
above the uproar.
There were several of these idle noun
taineers aimlessly strClling among the
BAGS of corn and wheat that were piled
about. Long, dusty cobwebs hung from
the rafters. Sometimes a rat, powdered
white, and rendered reckless by high
living, raced boldly across the floor
The golden grain poured ceaselessly
through the hopper, and leaning against
it was tall, stoop shouldered man Of
some forty odd years of age, with floury
smile lurking in his beard, and twinkle
in the good -humored eyes overhung by
heavy meally eyebrows.
"Waal, Steve" yelled the miller
shambling forward as the blacksmith ap
peared in the doorway. "Come long in
Whar's yer grist9"
81 hev got no gristy" thundered Steve,
sternly. -.
"Waal-ye're jes' ez welcome" sale
the miller, not noticing the rigid lines o.
the set, swarthy face, accented here anc
there by cinder, nor the ferceness o
the intent dark eyes.
II reckon I'm powerful welcome !!
sneered Stephen Ryder.
;; The tone attracted cold Bob's" atten
ton. "What ails ye, SteveW he asked
surprised.
''rm deceivin', sneakin' critter-
hey?" shouted the visitor, shaking hi
blackened fist-he had intended to b.
calm, but his longrepressed fury ha'
found vent at last.
The miller drew back hastily, aston
G ishment and fear mingled in pallit
: paste, as it were, with the flour ON hi
face.
, The six startled on-lookers stood as i
y petri6ed. aye say I'm thief "a thief
"a thiefp'
s With the odious word he made fran
tic lungc at the miller, who lodged hi
G strong right arm at the moment when hi
+ foot struck against bag of corn lyin!
on the floor and he stumbled. He recov
t cred his equilibrium instantly. But tn
d six by-standers had seized him.
: tHold him hard, folksesl' cried hor
est Bob Peachin. Hold hard I'll te
> We what ails him-though ye mustn't le
on ter him-he air fetched in the head
/. He winked at them with a confidentis
n intention as he roared this out, forget
d ting, in his excitement, that mental il
d trinity does not impair the sense of heal
ing.
This folly on his part was salutar
q thing for Stephen Ryder. 1t calme
n him instantly. He felt that he had nee
Is for caution. A fearful vista of possibilitit
vt opened before him. He remembered hay
lie ing seen in his childhood man repute
Or to be suddenly bereft of his reason, bl
whom he believed was entirely san
is bound hand and feet, and every wore
lie every groan, every effort to free himsel
re accounted the demonstration of a man
to ac This fate was imminent for hin
g They were seven to one. He tremble
IL as he felt their hands pressing upon Il
I'd ,,roil;cc. ,,uaolou of hia limha With 8