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

a." Did We hear the gun then?" said
the keeper TO Oliver, AS they met lew
minutes later at the entrance 10 the wool.
"There's mischief here, forbye at the
BARRIERS. Tax you big stick, mon, and
gang We on wi the lantern.
They went softly down the ride to-
cether. neither speaking again. Present
~ the keeper stumbled over some solid
BODY lying in the grass, and Oliver, APP
plving the lantern to it, discovered the
corpse of a pig. The keeper whistled
softly, and turned it over with his foot.
Lawful spoil, he whispered, "law-
fu' spoil. le shall taste PogsOns bacon
vet afore We die, Oliver
Then they found the gun, which Mr..
McNab, now in his element, seized as
further spoil, and gave to Oliver to carry
instead Of the big stick. And now he
turned aside for few yards to see what
other sport his BARNS tricks OF that day
might have brought him. Oliver fol-
lowed close at his heels with the lantern.
"Whool Iu-whool" said the owl
overhead.
AYE, We may>weel boot at EN-, said
the keeper, as the lantern revealed the
PROSTATE forms of MIR, PogsOn and Mr.
Weekes, the latest arrival. lying across
the other, and seeming TO embrace HIM
with one arm, while the hand OF the
other was thrust into q TUT of faded
primroses.
Oliver and McNab regarded this spec
tacle for few moments in silence
Then Oliver, catching sight OF the bot
tie slipping from the pig-dealer's pocket,
turned his wistlul eyes on the Scotch
man.
"Mr. McNab," he said, "Tm an old
man. and maybe as | won't be woOdcut-
ting here much longer ; but don't you
for my sake don't you" there he shyly
laid his wrinkled hand on the keeper s
arm) "let such sodden brutes as these
come along and take the lives OF inno-
cent reatures-creatures az God above
loves and has made me for to love too
and all for a few shilhngs, or maybe
guineas, and to please the ladies in Lun-
non as don't know what wood DO like,
nor what creatures live their lives here.
I've known this tree for more nor fifty
year, but the owls ha' known 1t belize
for five hundred and now, afore I'm
dead, the warrants out agen them. The
fine ladies wants their feathers, but they
don't know what they're doing-they
don't think what they do, Mr.. McNab.
lis fashion, L take it, only fashion, and
it'll blow over in bit if you'll but stop
'em now. I'm an old fool, maybe, but
God knows I've none too many to care
about or for TO care about me, but my
old woman, and beside her there's none
but these birds and beasts in the wood.
And the peace of 1t. and the quiet OF the
life in it Don't you let it be rooted up,
Mr.. McNab, nor the wild beast OF the
field devour it. "
The keeper slapped him on the back
Of his smockfrock, and then seized him
by the hand. "Oliver, my auld lad,
he said, "ye've Jest saved them out O
the hand of the Pheelistines And ye
shall never want for friends to care for
We, be they owls or be they McNabs "
And this WAS the story that old Oliver
used to tell, with many O kindly word OF
respect for his friend the keeper, till one
day, as / said at the beginning, death
came upon him painlessly under that
very tree, while the cuckoo sang in the
distance, and the chi1i-chaff's two notes
echoed from the sunny end of the wood.
How he came to know what happened TO
MIR. Pogson and the pigs is more than |
can tell probably the owls told it to
him, or it may be that the conscience
stricken pig-dealerrevealed to him alone
the story, as to one who understood, as
none else did, the mysteries of Truerne
wood.
However that may be it is certain that
the enemy never again invaded his para
disc. The owls were never disturbed.
and by some mysterious agency the pla-
card disappeared almost at once from
the BARRIERS window. Mr.. Pogson
never passed through the wood again,
and finding that distorted versions of
his adventures were abroad in High
field (where they are still told with relish
by the winter freside) he removed to q
village some miles away milder and
more merciful man.. MIR. Weekes, too.
was not long in giving up his farm and
disappearing entirely from the neighbor.
hood. In peace the owls and Oliver
lived out their days under the grave but
kindly guardianship OF Mr.. MoNab, the
keeper, and when l last passed through
the wood ii showed no sign of tthe
presence OF the PhilistineR