Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1888-02-08

Chanoei Il did occur TO her once that she
| ought to interfere, TO try md prevent q
catastrophe; but it rained hard, the horses
were gone, and what could she say to nuy
legal OH cial, even II she should reach one3
a brief aDasm OF sense rescued her; she
only went about, as she expressed herself,
"Goose. flesh all over,n the rest OF the day.
having no living soul to contide In; for the
great Cheshire boar had managed to break
out OF his stye early that forenoon and
Hiram had to pursue him as best he might,
nor did he return till two o'clock in the
morning, even thentwithout his pig; though
he had driven it at last into = neighbor's
barn by the seductive and odorus influence
OF certain early apples, irresistible to any
pig Of character.
Sophronia passed troubled night. Her
past enjoyment Of the penny dreadfuls''
visited her now in the tangle Of dreams,
| and whenever she woke it was to shud-
dering recollection Of Aaron Miller's savage
voice and the impending fate Of the un-
known "he." But morning came at last,
still dreary with bowling winds and gusts
OF rain. Hiram had risen early, taken a
cold bite and gone after his pig; ANA So
phronia, In the fashion OF lonely women,
made her scant breakfast, standing at the
pantry shelf, Of tea, and bread and butter.
Watching through the green-paned little
window before her the draggled fowls pick
ing their slow way through the wet mire of
the barn-yard, uttering discounted croaks
about the weather. much like their fellows,
the nnfeathered bipeds Suddenly the
telephone rang: cup and saucer, bread and
butter, fell from her hands. She made
haste to selze the horn.
Within her ear the inevi table .'Hullow
resounded. g., 49, ..r-,..,-
THAT you, AaronW
'Tain't nobody else" r'.#
Little he knew that Sophronia heard it
''Well, have you did ite'
''Yes. He's done for"
"Where did you find hem?"
'Snoop;n' around the mill, as poplar as
though he was inspector OF b'ilers."
"Haw, haw! What ye don6with the re-
mans?"
They're deep enough where nobody
won't find 'em this hundred yeax'
"Hml that's good"
Sophronia dropped tho horn; she stiffened
with horror; here was fearful murder
right IN the neighborhood! But then she
had always expected it, or something like
~ VI oAOSO NAAAOA " uAO 6l6 SLOOO con.
sidering, Hiram drove into tho yard in q
neighbours wagon, the Cheshire boar lying
ignominiously bound therein, squealing
with all his piggish might, Hiram backed
up against the stye, which he had REIN
forced at early dawn, and deity slid Mas
ter Piggy over the tail-board, cutting his
bonds us he helped him along. for we'll he
knew the danger Of setting such captive
free too soon.
He had just finished the risky proceeding
when Sophronia appeared at the shed door
with her apron over her head.
"H.l-ram!" she screamed. ~ want We
to wait minute! I've got to go in to Stan
ton. must, right of. Won't Barber's
folks let ye keep the team spella"
Il guess So" was the gruff response.
He knew perfectly we'll that he had bor-
rowed the team to go to Stanton himself
and get a scythe'snath. Such is man!
ALI the way Sophronia preserved an aw-
full silence; she felt the magnitude of the
situation and revolved her plans in her
mind. What she did when she reached
Stanton, after receiving proper advice in
the matter, need not be detailed. In fact,
I don't know what she did But the very
next morning Aaron and Joseph Miller
were arrested on o charge of murder, and
We're brought before the proper authorities
for preliminary examination.
There was Sophronia, too, who with much
excitement and many needless words, de-
poned and testified TO what she had heard
ON the telephones; a grim smile distorted
Aaron Miller's face, and Joseph muttered,
The old fool!' under his breath; but it
was only muttered, SO Sophronia did not
resent it.
Judge S;opcock was the model of a rural
magnate; fat, red in the face, pompous,
crowned with sleek, brown wig, and a
tall shiny hat, tilted slightly askew; he ad-
ministered justice much as Mrs. Squeers
administered birthstone aud treacle, Sc
vere!y wi h a spoon. Throwing his head
back, clasping his hands over his stomach.
closing his eyes and pursuing up his mouth
he began his queries. I.
"And you, hum, the-ah, prisoners; what
have you to offer as HIM. aw, rebuttal of
Miss, ha, Perkins statementl'' Here he
opened his eve suddenly, aud darted
judicial glare at the offenders.
"Nothin'p srowled Aaron. II done it."
"O-o-ohp'
And with, delicious girIish scream o
pretty, rosy, curly headed girl rushed
across the courtroom, and flung her arms
around Aaron Miller's neck; she had just
come in at the door. -.-. ...s~ -.--
me ueVert Sno SOOOed, ADDRESSING as
founded Judge Stopdook with courageous
scorn. He never! he's the best and kind
est and dearest man in the world"
Miss Sophronia prepared to FAINT.
"You shut up, Fanl" sail Aaron, with q
peremptory voice and a tender smile.
b ''Go ahead, Jedgel l killed him, and
buried him now want the hull caboodle
OF ye to come along and dig him up, sos 10
hang me right ohshck; and not be q. maxim
no more fuss about it. Joe, did you send
arter the teaml" 500 9 g..
"Yea-ahw responded Joseph, with a
wink, an undeniable winki at the deputy
sheriff, q bullet-headed Irishman, who had
regarded the whole proceeding up'to this
time with subdued chuckies, as an exquis-
tie joke. tn a%u yas 5sgsiEg a&gl~a Il.
Now Mike reared aloud with laughter.
"Silence ~ shrieked the outraged Judge,
growing redder than q turkey-codk.
"Well, come along" went on Aaron;
'sthere's Slaclk's omnibus out of the door,
and / want the hull posse icommona Us to
come out an dig him up, as said afore;
there's spades enough out there" ss
E "Ye can han'cuff me and Joe, If you