Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-10-09
JEREMIAHS CRIME.

Jeremiah" said I, 81 couldn't blame
you if you did. They is things, jeremiah, y
says |, .'tIat would make angel rise up
and strike out, and the conduck of them
medicated students is of that sort. Once
in way says /, 1--WE might put up with
it. But it is constant Do your wust."
You may think jeremiah and me severe,
but you don't know what we has had to
put up with jeremiah, he was a quiet
man, and was quiet woman. We had
lived in the same house thirty years, keep
ing our little farm while the village growed
up about us. When the medicated college
was built they wanted TO buy our land, but
we wouldn't sell. We had what we want
ed. and we hadn't no children, and we
didn't want to save up for nobody. We
was content, and kings can't be no more.
So we said they must excuse us, but we
wouldn't sell. They was no doubt plenty
of folks that would. And our words came
truer than we calculated, for old Uncle
Pierce, he went and sold his ground adj
filming on to ourn, and took and banked
the money. and went and boarded with
his son.
1t is well the future is not revelationed
to us. We didn't think nothin' of his
sellin' at first; didn't seem as eff it would
make no difrentz whether there was pri-
vate house or a medicated college next to
ourn, but as soon rs il was built and moved
into then we knowed.
When them young men that went to be
learned doctorin' into that medicated col
lege found time for to study they knowed
best. Most of their evenin's was spent
chasin' round the village, playin' tricks on
honest folks, stealth signs and pastin' up
bills ito let, y putin dead cats down wells,
ringin' the church bells in the middle of
the nights, hollerin' fire and murder"
kissin' any gals they met alone in the road,
tyin' string to knock high hats off sabber
day. You never knowed what they was up
TO. They ketched poor Deacon Gravy onct
and made him dance jig in the middle of
Hooker's woodses. They got out their
scalpulars, he said and got ready for to
scalp him eff he stopped, and scein' he be
lieved quadrilles sin, let alone jigs, it was
hard on him. More'n that, they stopped
old Miss Peechum goin' with basket of
eggs to the store, where she kinder used to
swap 'em off for things she wanted, and
sucked 'em all. To be sure they paid her
for 'em, but they skeered her more than
the moneys worth.
In pint of fact them medicated students
upset the place more'n u herd of buffalo
run wild could hev done, and when com
mittee called on the folks that was head of
affairs to ask 'em to tend to the BOYS they
jest said that there was no putin an end
to these practicable jokes in none of the
colleges nowhere. It was something fear
full the way they carried on, and our house
being nearest by we caught IL wuss than
others. When Jeremiah made that there
observation with which this here marry
tive commences we had had knocks on
knocks at all our doors and all our windys
mornin', noon and night. We couldn't sot
still for 'em; we'd got TO open the door
We couldn't help that-might a been
suthin' petickelar-and when we opened il
there warn't no one there | used to say
to jeremiah that if we had been spirituelle
we'd hev been Rochester knockers in no
time, but as we warn't we knowed il was
them medicated students and nobody else.
And jeremiah had made up his mind for
TO 60 for 'em, and he had cut himself a
real heavy, knobby stick, and there was
revenge into his eye, and the expression of
his mouth was skeerful
He sot the cane ag'in' his cheer, while
we was eatin' our teas, SOS TO be ready for
'em, but no knocks came. and when we
sot down arterward, him to read the paper
and me TO knit his stockings, none didn't
come neither. 'Twasn't until 8 O'Clock
one did sound onto the keepin' room door.
and then jeremiah was goin' to bounce
out, but | stopped him.
mo, jeremiah" says /. mot yet, not
until they've done it onct or twict. This
may be neighbor, and ef so you'd repent
hyin at him as long as You lived
So jeremiah he allowed hisself to be
guided by me, and | opened the door
There weren't no one there
after this, Jeremiah. says |, you kin
do your own way. They hev begun ag'in.
Go into the front parlor entry and stand
agin the wall. They won't expect you for
to open it quick, bein' we are sottini here
at the back Of the house And, jeremiah" |
says /, "bein' you air goin' TO give it to iem |
at all, give il TO em good" And never
since we was folks at all had we felt sech I
evil feelings into our hearts We had |
been riled up too onmerciful, and Satan /
took his opportunity for to ensnare Us.
sot knitting and listening. and at last /
l heard the knock come on the front door. 1
and the door fly open, and jeremiah fiy 4
out. The next minute they was awful /
groans. ! dropped my knitting and ran /
into the entry jeremiah, he came trem-
bling half way mp he caught hold OF my 4
hands; his was cold as ice
Whats the matter, jeremiah says l. i
catchin' hold Of him.
Fetch a lantern" says he. "rve hurt
some Of them boys wuss than meant to .
hurt en-
! lit the lantern quick, and we went out
together. All was jest as still AS could be. 1