Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-03-13


she couldn't believe her eyes, but my
Young woman was as cool as you please,
and she had me showed into room oil
the hall, and then she went upstairs.
"I sat a-waitin' long time, which
gave me good chance to look around
at things. The room was real hand
some, and / took peep at the window
fastenin's and the lay of the doors, think
in the knowledge might come in handy
some time. Right in front OF me on a
table was little yellow mouse, and 1t
struck me as / looked at it that that
must be gold. listened IL anybody was
comm, and then l picked 1t up to see
what it really was. l thought heard
the door bell ring just then and shut it
up in my hand quick, but nobody went
to the door; and then l looked at the
little mouse, and il it wasn't pure gold
it was the best imitation ever / see, so /
slipped it quietly into my pocket to look
at 1t again when l had time.
"Pretty soon old Groppeltacker come
in, shut the door and sot down. so you
brought my daughter back, says he.
Yes says l. And you expect to be
paid for ftp" says no. Yes, says !, i
do. How much do you ask for your
services?' says he. Now this was sort
of staggerer, for | hadn't made up my
mind how much l was goin' to ask, but
there wasn't time for no moro thinkin'
about 1t, and so says l, plumi "A hun
dred dollars, and there was some ex-
penses besides Well, WE'LL says he,
that seems like a good deal, just for
bringing a little gal from school. 1t
couldn't have took you more'n a couple
of hours 4 don't charge for time says /,
| it's for the risks and the science OF
the thing There's mighty few men
| in this town could have brought your
daughter home as neat as did We'll,
we'll, says he, rubin his hands, Il ex-
pect I'll have to pay for the whole term
of the school, whether she's there or
not, and the business vii come heavy
on me. Don't you think sixty dollars
would pay you?' Now l know when
| you deal with this sort of man there's
always good deal of difference split
| tin, and so, SAYS /: No, it won't
might take ninety dollars, but that's
the very lowest peg The very low
estT says he, gettin' up and walkin'
about q little, and then l thought ]
heard the door-bell ring again, and
was dreadful afraid somebody would
come and call off the old man before
he finished the bargain. WELL says /,
we'll call it eighty-fve and expenses,
and there I'll STOP
| "Groppeltacker, now he sot down
agin and looked hard at me. Il didn't
ask you to bring my daughter back,
says he, speal1in' gruff, and very
different from the way he spoke before,
and what's more, didn't wanther back,
and what's more yet, I'm not goin' to
pay you red cent Now, look here,
says l, mighty sharp, none o. that, old
man; fork over that money, or I'll lay
you out stiff as a poker and help myself
I'm not fellow to be fooled with and
there's nobody in this house can stoI
me- Old Groppeltacker, he didn't turn
hair, but just sot there, and says he
Before you blow any more, suppose you
take my little gold mouse out of YOU
pocket and hand it to me- l must say
/ was took hack at this, but
spoke back, as bold as brass, and
said never seed his gold mouse. %
no. says he, what you didn't see wa
the electric button under the table covel
which rung a bell when the mouse wa
picked up. That's what call my mous'
trap
cat this jist billed over. Now say
1, list you hand out every cent you've
got, and your watch, too; not anothe
word And l jumped up and clappeC
my hand on my pistol in my hip pocket
and Just that minute there was clicl
and the nippers was on me, and ther'
was big policeman with his hand OF
my shoulder. I couldn't speak was S,
bilin' and SO dpnfounded both at once
Old Groppeltacazer he just leaned baol