Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-04-14
'IV.

Ana now the wool was leIb Ouce ulOIe
in profound peace. Since old Oliver
passed through it the shadows had grown
still longer, and from the west there now
came a flush of sunset through the
boughs, turning the blue carpet into one
of deeper purple, while against the
fading light the great tree-trunks stood
up solemnly, slowly blackening as their
shadows died away. Here and there
wood-pigeon broke the stiffness in the
boughs or a nightingale broke out into
flash of song, and ceased again as sud
denly; but the owls in the old tree be-
gan TO bestir themselves in soft silence,
and reserved their hOotings until they
should have procured a meal for the
downy nestlings in the deep, warm hole.
But beware, Oh, We owls and owlets, for
the Philistines are at hand, and the
warrant of the ladies is out against you
AS the last hues Of sunset died away
on the Coltswold hills there came
through the wood unlucky little Mr..
Weekes; small in person and small IN
acres. discontented with his dealings at
the fair and with thugs in general, and
ready for any project that might put
pound or two into his pocket without ac-
tually endangering his limbs or his lib
erty. AS he passed the great oak large
creature flew noiselessly over his head
in the direction of the tree, and woke up
Mr.. Weekess memory, which had been
hating in the slough OF his discomfort.
"Ah. the owls he thought. Half
guinea apiece did he say? Well 1t
might be if there's run on EN-; and
that fellow Pogson said he was coming
here first thing tomorrow morning to
shoot 'em but III be even with the
prosperous fat brute"
Mr.. Weekes thought OF the mornings
pig-driving, into which he had been COM
PEELED by Pogson's superior force Of
character, of the two ribs of his wife's
umbrella which he had broken on the
back of one hayward squeaker, and of
the long detour he had taken when leav-
ing Northstow to avoid falling in again
with the pigdriver and being once
more driven TO drive.
SO he went home to his rickety little
homestead beyond the wood, and reached
down his old gun from its place above
the chimney piece only yielding to the
Injunction of his wife that he must eat
bit O supper first, and that if he must
be for shooting owls he must begin by
shooting the one which was stealing all
their young pigeons. Obedlent as usual,
though querulous, MIR. Weekes present
" took up his station in his yard. watch
ing the dovecote and the darkening sky.
bat luckily for the pigeons, whom the
owls we're nightly protecting from their
enemies the rats, no owl made his ap-
pearance for full half hour after Mr..
Weekes had given them up In despair,
and had carried off his gun to the wood
in hopes of better luck.
Meanwhile Mr.. Pogson, after pur-
chasing some dozen or so of fine pork
ers and a bottle OF brandy to help him in
the arduous task OF getting them home
safely, began III the late afternoon to
drive them down the long high road to-
ward the wood. The pigs were lively,
and their owner began to be little I'M
steady on his legs-a sensation which he
more than once sought to correct by
draught of strong ale at a roadside public
house. The remedy did not have the de-
sired effect, and his progress became
slower and slower, but In spite of all
obstacles, and by dint OF extreme Sc
verify and lavish outlay of bad Ian
guage, he contrived to conduct himself
and his charges across the bridge and
the meadows 70 the edge of the wood
without serious mishap, arriving there
about the time at which Weekes was
prowling in his yard after the barn.ow
The bottle of brandy was by this time
more than half empty, and the wood was
as dark as pitch.
If Mr.. Pogson had been in full possess
sion of bis wits he would hardly have
tried to force his way through the wood,
and would have avoided the bridle-psth,
and taken his pigs couple OF miles
round by the road but he had gone
like an unreasoning animal in the way
he was accustomed to, and now it was
too late TO turn back. He took another
phil at the bottle. switched the nearest
pigs, and, pulling himself for moment
together, forced his drove into the mar
row ride, trusting that they would fol-
low their noses and keep to the open
path.
In the dense black darkness and still
ness, sleepy and sickly feeling came
over Mr.. Pogson's usually hide-bound
senses, from which he was only for a
moment awakened by sudden move
ment OF the pigs in front OF him.
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