The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1886-05-27


two figures wers srsppia sssshsr Il
dsrce combat, striking. choking, In ths
poultry house. while Ill ths iovh addsd
10 tho tumult With fearful Ackling and
screaming.
Tho thief was holding Mn Cobb dovu
on the ground With one hsa1 and With ths
other defending himself ircln her Angers,
which were vigorously claxinsl his isos
and tearing ont handfuls ofAair.
Her 6rst attack had soSswhat dased
him. and shs vas just realizing this "a.
vantage and sxultisg in perspective VIC
tory when she discovered = her dismsy,
that there va more than sas Antagonist
in the feld.
A loud report ~ Of gun os pistol. vss
heard. and Mrs. Cobb felt sudden sharp
pain 10 her wrist. like the prisa x epd
hot nsedh. kM&k
Al The sans instant her hS@>3 ~apy
uttered howl. snd = be lo6sGnSd ~
hold Of her the heroic woman etruegled
10 her feet, dashed through The 90 ~,
and never paused till ~ fseo1sd "
house. where. sipking exhdastsd upon ths
nearest chair. tainted dead away.
When Mrs. Cobb recovsFing consci ous-
ness she found the room fun Of neighbora,
men and women, and recognized her hus-
bands voice. broken By dismal grunt,
and groanings.
Yes. / was Just in time. ] fonnd them
already in the hsnhouss and had : H.
perate tusscl With them. / vs. jast GET
ting the advantage when one Of them fred,
and the rest ran of. Thsfs were three oI
four Of the rascals. at least.
A dozen Of theml said Mrs. Cobb. faint
ly. But, Lyman, didn1 know that You
were there. You must have gotten there
after left.
You. Sarah? Why, you don't mean "a
say that you were mixed up in that fuss,
do you?
guess was. One OF the Williams near.
ly killed me, but got bold Of handker.
chief around his neck and would have
strangled him, only-only, -hysterically-
one of them shot me.
Here she held up her wrist, from which
drops of blood were oozing.
It's not much, said Mi. Kimberly, ex-
aminiug it--only grszs Of q bird shot;
the same sort that hit you, to Cobb, who
was gingerly stroking down the calf Of
his leg.
But how did it all happen? said Mrs.
Kimberly, while Master Tommy, who had
just entered, pressed eagerly forward with
wide-o open mouth and eyes.
Why, you see, commenced Cobb, we
had started for the country when the bug
gy broke down. and thought It best to
walk to town. Istopped at Cousin Mul.
by's-ughl-to supper. Got home little
alter nine. Thought 7 heard noise At
The poultry. house and crept up and put
my head In at the door when ugh!-one
n the rascals knocked me down with q
club. Igrappled him, aud had just got
him down, aud was about TO secure him,
when another shot me. / think that fell
low in his desperation must have torn
half the hair out Of my head, added Cobb,
slowly and tenderly pressing his hand ov-
he ed.hued locks remaining
I paid them back for it. said his wife.
,xnltantly. Why. when ! rsn 10 the
house, / had handkerchief and . hand
'ul Of hair that l had torn of the wretch
hat was choking me.
And I brought of coat that l stripped
rom the william who was pulling my hair
aid Cobb, vindictively. We shall be able
o identify them things.
Here he held up coat; and Mrs. Cobb,
Ifter little search on the floor, exhibited
handful Of red hair and blue, polka
lotted handkerchief, with knot tied in
me corner OF it,
Every body gszed at these familiar tell.
ale articles and then eazed u each other.
dr. Kimberly was the first to speak.
think, neighbors. he said, gravely-I
hink there's been something Of mutual
Mistake here. There have been no chick
q thieves in reality but only On unforsu-
ate meeting in the dark between our good
riends here and
But Mr.. Cobb Indignantly interrupted: |
don't see how you can say that. Mr..
when you yourself heard the
hot fred. and have seen with your own
yes the wounds made. How do you 40.
cunt for that?
Mr.. Kimberly made no verbal reply.
ut turned and gently pushed forward
faster Tommy Cobb, who. finding him
eli thus arrsgined. Ms it we're, At the bar
justice. instantly burst into fearful
owl. sT
50 1t was you, Tommy, was in said Cobb
,ore in sorrow than 10 anger
But Tommy saw : CLEAN in his mothers
yes, which warned him too surely Of what
waited him in the near future.
followed her, be pleaded, pointing
nth extended finger 10 bis maternal par
Mt; and saw her knock down ps With
be benhouse pole, aud seen pa a.wallop-
og Of her on the ground and IL I hadn't
hot, they would s-killed each other. But
didn't mean to hurt 'em, | jest did it
Or fun
Here the neighbors began hastily to de-
art. with rather curious expressions Of
ountenance. aud the family we're left to
heir usual domestic privacy.
There we're some mutual accusations
nd reproaches, ending 10 : plentiful
hover OF tears from Mrs. Cobb. aud .
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