Montgomery County sentinel., 1890-02-07
Miscellamenms.
THE SCHOOLMASTER'S STORY

| poor men named Peter ana Bryan.
They lived on tho banks of lonely
Irish lake, and supported themselves by
fishing and ferryng the gentry who
came to visit the ruined castle beyond
They made poor living in this way,
and from being lighthearted they grew
morose, and grumbled about the tyranny
of the rich and their hard fate in life.
Ono night richly clad young man
rode up to the farmhouse and asked to
be piloted across the lake
II am young Mr.. FIRTH" he said
"My father owns the mills and I'll pay
you we'll"
AS he spoke he shifted double bag
of leather that hung over the saddle,
which gave out a chink as if filled with
gold
"rll speak to my partner said
Bryan, Withdrawing into the hut. "Yon-
der" he whispered in Peters ear, sis
young Firth with the mill-hands' wages
in his saddlcbags. He wants to be fer
ried over the lake."
"Well 2" said Peter.
There must be four hundred pounds
in those bags. A fortune to us y
"But the law would soon put n stop
to our enjoyment of it.
"Apd who is to know if young Firth
goes to tho bottom of the lake 2" asked
Bryan. ~ tell you, luck has come to
US. Don't thrust il way"
Peter looked him full in the face and
rose up and took the oars from the wall
"Woll ferry Master Firth over the
lake." he said aloud; and the two
tramped out together.
Young Firth had alighted He led
his horse, with the saddlebags, to the
edge of the lake The long boat, in
which so many ladies and gentlemen,
parties of fifteen often, had crossed to
see ruins, lay there.
liking will behave himself well ;" said
the boy. "He's horse with brains and
heart, aren't you, King p
The horse whinnied and rubbed his
nose against young Firth's shoulder.
Peter and Bryan took their places,
and the boat moved heavily out into
tho middle of the deep lake. There
Bryan lifted his oars into the boat and
Peter followed his example.
The boy, with his elbow on the sad
die and his hand turned SO that the back
of his fair head rested on tho palm. was
looking up at the moon. thinking of his
sweetheart, perhaps. He dropped his
eyes to Bryan's gloomy face in surprise.
Whats this for % he asked.
AS he spoke, Bryan brought his fist,
with stone he held hid in it, against
his head and Peter caught his ankles
and tripped him. He fell into the lake
like dead thing, and vanished under
the dark water. Bryan seized the sad
dlebags, but King, seeming to know
something was wrong, turned and bit
him furiously.
He struck out with his hoofs, crashing
against Peters knee, and sprang over
the side Of the boat.
$50 much the better" said Bryan,
furiously. "If he swims home we'll
never be suspected" :"
He dragged the chnking bags toward
him, and the two men rowed back to
the spot they had started from with
difficulty, both suffering fearful pain.
Peter could not move his leg, and
Bryan's right arm was burning as
though scared with red hot iron; but
they reached the boat, and dragg ed
their prize to the cabin, barred the mis-
erable door, and lit their yellow tallow
tip at the smouldering peat fire
Lets see what we've got," said
Bryan, lifting the bags to the deal table.
"Our pain willie be over soon, but our
money will last. God knows how much
there must be here, all in hard coin.
No bills to tell tales of how they were
come by. All hard, solid gold and sill
ver."
He could only use his arm, but Peter
dragging himself to the table, helped
him to undo the stout leather fastenings
and pour the contents on the boards ;
and Satan, children, stood behind grin
ming for the round pieces Of metal that
tumbled out before their eyes, chinkiDg
and clashing together, were only bits Of
iron-little nuts and clamps, or what
not-I can't tell you just the names Of
the things--that were used in the ma
chinery.
Young Firth had been to the bank. sure
enough, but the money was in pocket.
book next his bosom. These bits oI
iron he had brought to save delay on
Monday morning, when repairs were to
be made.
1t was Peter who spoke first.
"We've done murder for this" ht
said, aud Byron flew at his throat as he
spoke, but shrank back and covered in
the corner the next moment.
The wind moaned about the hous'
and ratified the rickety door, and blew
the peat smoke down the chimney int
their faces, and the candle gutted dowr
and went out; but neither spoke to th'
other that night, and only the groaus o
pain broke the silence.
But in the dawn, when it came gra
aud soft over the lake, with fecks Q