Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1890-04-24
Don
THE SCH0OLMASTBR'S

The villains of my story were two
poor men named Peter and Bryan
They lived on the banks of u lonely
Irish lake, and supported themselves by
fishing and ferrying the gentry who
came to visit the ruined castle beyond.
They made poor living in this way,
and from being lighthearted they grew
morosa, and grumblel about the tyran-
ny of the rich and their hard fate in
life.
One night richly clad young man
rode up to the farmhouse and asked tc
be pilotcd across the lake.
! am young Mr.. Firth, he said.-
My father owns the mills and III pay
You WELL
As he spoke he shifted a double bag
of leather that hung over the saddle,
which gave out chink as if filed with
gold.
I'll speak to my partner, said Bry.
an. Withdrawing INTO the hut. 'Yon.
der he whispered in Peters ear, 'is
young Firth with the millhands' wages
in his saddIebags He wants to be fer
yied over the la1e.'
well: ? said Peter.
There must be fonr hundred pounds
in those bags. A fortune to rs.
But the law would soon put Il stop
to our enjoyment Of IT,
And who is to know If young Firth
goes to the bottom of the lake p asked
Bryan. 1 tell you luck has come to
us Don't thrust it away
Peter looked him full in the face and
rose up and took the oars from the wall.
Well ferry Master Firth over the
lake, he said aloud and the two tramp
Ell out together.
Young Firth had alighted. lie led
his horse, with the saddlebags, to the
edge Of the lake. The long boat in
which 50 many ladies and gentlemen,
parties of fifteen often, had crossed to
see the ruins, lay there.
King will bchaye himself well, SAID
the boy. Hes horse with brains and
a heart, aren't You, King:'
The horse whined and rubbed his
nose against young Frth's shoulder.
Peter and Bryan took their places,
and the boat moved heavily out into the
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 the palm
Was looking up at the moon, think
ing of his sweetheart, perhaps. He
dropped his eyes to Bryan's gloomy face
in SURPRISE
.'What's this for?' he asked.
AS he spoke, Bryan brought his fist,
with a 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.
diebags, but King seemed to know that
something was wrong, turned and bit
him furiously.
He struck out with his hoofs, crash
ing against Peters knee, and sprarg
over the side of the boat
so much the BETTER said Bryan, lu.
riously. If he swims home vel never
be suspected.
lie dragged the chink 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 Bry-
am right arm was burning as though
scared with red hot irons; but they
bcached the boat, and dragged their
prize to the cabin, barred the misera-
bic door, and lit their yellow tallow dip
at the smouldcring peat fire.
Lets see what we We got,' said Bry
an, lifting the bags to the deal table,
Our pam will to over soon, but our
money will last Gll knows how much
there must be here, all in hard coin.--
Ne bills to tell tales Of how they were
come by. All hard, solid gold and sill
yer