Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-04-19

Oreu nlGI dtlu MS WHO luu tfulllpeu
into the village. covered with dust and
carrying their worldly possessions in
an old tattered valise, and rented an
old tumble down cottage. Eph was an
idle, good natured, worthless vaga-
bond; and Eph's wife was a hard
working, careful and saving woman.
Mrs. Eph Gf tie couple had another
name no one ever used it, took in
washing, went out to help in house
work, and in others ways made enough
to support herself and her husband
who passed his time fishing from the
rickety old pier, shooting stray quail or
duck with rusty old gun he had picked
up, or hugging the stove in the gen
eral store of the village. And yet Eph
was favorite, for though he would
not stick steady at any employment,
he was always ready to do any small
odd job, and was perfectly satisfied
with THANK We, Eph, " for payment.
AT last one winter his wife fell sick,
and a hacking cough, the result of ex-
posture, threatened to turn into con-
sumption. Eph tended her as care
fully as a trained nurse, but the slen-
der stock of savings soon went and
the couple would have been hard put
to it, had it not been for the kindness
of the judges little daughter.
Sumner came, and the sick woman
seemed to revive, and in spite of the
doctors orders, insisted on riking up
her work again, while Eph, who dur
ing her illness had actually earned
some money, relapsed into his old
shiftless ways. He was passing the
/ =, p
evening, on his return from days
fishing, and he paused, meditating
whether or not he could slip up to the
kitchen and leave a string of fish with
| his "best respect fo' Miss Ella, when
| he found himself violently run into by
the judge himself.
"NVhat are you doing around here,
you skulking vagabondN roared the
! judge, whose temper was none OF the
best, and whose pet corn Eph had un-
willingly trodden on in his effort to
recover his disturbed balance. Look
ing round for what you can steal, ehl"
II begs yer pardon, jedge," said
Eph, with not a little dignity. But
l amt skulkin', and l amt never
stole muffin in my life No, sab. |
may be brack, but Use homes, | is. i"
And he strobe Indignantly off, leav-
ing the judge still more enraged from
the consciousness that he had been in
the wrong. But the judge was obsti-
nate, and when he had once commit
ted himself to a statement, he never
changed his mind.
iii be bound that was just what
he was after" he muttered to himself,
as he entered the house.
That night the judges house was
broken into and articles of value, in
Guiding some trinkcts of Elias, were
taken. When one of the scared SER
wants brought the news to the judge,
the old gentleman said not word,
but with a grim smile, as much as to
say, Il knew it, | told you so" he
dressed, put on his hat, and stumped
down the village street to Eph' S cot
tage. Early as it was he found Mrs.
Eph already bending over the wash
tub
"Mornin', said the judge, abruptly.
"Fo ERASMUS sake, eff it amt Jedge
Lawton," stammered the astonished
Mrs. Eph.
WAS your husband home all last
j
'Lemme see" pondered Mrs. Eph.
jes' slipped out to look alter some Of
dem ar fishin' lines @ his'n. Oats
wheer he's gone jes' now, jedge."
Thank you, my good woman
that's all l wanted to know" said the
!, Judge, his smile of satisfaction deepen
. ing, and he was striding up the stree
again, leaving Mrs. Eph staring oper
) mouthed after him.
When Eph came home to his din
ner he found Mat Raikes, the consta
BILE, sitting in his cottage, staring com
passionately at the weeping Mrs. Eph
and before the unfortunate Eph knew
where he was, he was arrested by Ma
5 on warrant sworn out by Judg'
= Lawton, and an hour later was on hi
way to the Jail of the county town
vainly protesting his innocence.
r For two months Eph lay Their
awaiting trial, and it is not unlikel,
: that he would have been sent to pris
r on, so set in his conviction was tn
r Judge that he had in Eph secured tn
burglar.
e Luckily for Eph, the discovery O
cClliC vi Liza q JO"Niiy III q ANN" Va
r pawnbrokers shop led to the arres
! and subsequent confession of tw
tramps, who had found the judge
: parlor window conveniently open, an
r had hurriedly helped themselves t
d all of value they could carry off with
, out attracting notice.
y Eph was released, of course, but h
came out of jail a changed man. Nc
r only did his unjust arrest, and tn
a consequent degradation of being lie
), through the street of Shoreport hanC
:, cuffed, weigh upon him, but his wifi
u had died while he was in prison, an
d nothing could convince him that hi
II misfortune was not the cause of he
death.
f. His former light hearted reckless
r ness was succeeded by moody broo(
d ing over his real and fancied wrongs
o Even when the gentle Ella came
n visit him, he turned on her like an ell
ragged lion.
n IIVour fo16ar COW 6opa Sto1a n