Middletown transcript., 1891-04-23

aDu OfOi III tuC rye, tuClT obluCnOu
and attenuated limbs bent at comical-
ly acute angles, like the elbows Of
grasshoppers.
Presently they picked up their hats
and climbed up on the fence, where
they sat, looking for all the world
like two starved but happily expec-
tant wizards discussing a subtle
charm.
.Let's do it ag'in," suggested Abe.
But they found that the paper was
hopelessly torn.
Bring along the boulder" said
Dave, picking up the string; "we
may find another paper some'eres in
the road"
Boulders is as plenty as papers"
responded Abe. "No need to lug it
along"
Side by side again in the dry, and
along here, somewhat dusty highway
they shambled stifiy, bursting into
fit Of chuckling now and then, until
they passed a sharp turn. Suddenly
Dave was reminded that he had left
his cane where they had hidden them
selves in the rye.
go git it an hurry back fore
somebody comes along" said Abe.
Dave did not wait to be told twice,
hut went back as fast as he could.
Abe looked after him as he toddled
along, shutting up little pufs of the
thin, light dust until he was lost
around the turn.
"The same old Dave he allus was"
he gently murmered Got more fun
into i'm AN a monkey"
The place where they had rolled
and tumbled in the rye was not hard
TO find !; but Dave looked in vain for
his distorted stick. He tramped
round and round; what could have
become of it? That dear old staff
which had been his support for so
many long years, how could he bear
to lose it? A feeling of sadness be-
gan to steal over him. Suddenly ne
saw ii lying right there in plain view.
He must have stepped over it a dozen
times during the protracted search
How light and happy he telt when he
picked It up and turned to 60 back to
where Abe was waiting for him!
"Dear old Abe" he thought, "what
funny fellow he is! Him a.cuttin'
up and doin' sech foolin' at his time .
life p
The currents of the air had COM
bined into gently pouring breeze
the sun was mounting rapidly and
deepening the splendor of the sky
mysterious silken sounds crept through
the rye and wandered on high among
the treetops.
Dave thumped the ground with hi
cane as he went along towards tn
bend in the road behind which ABB
. was waiting for him. He walked fast
blowing a little and mopping his fac
with his red-fowered handkerchief
How eager he was to resume once
more their sport 1t was as if h
feared the mood might vanish befor
he could get back. When he round
ed the turn brown thrush was sing
ing in wild crab-apple tree at tn
edge OF the woods, and somehow ther
was a doleful strain in its lay.
Where was Abe? Dave stood sti
and looked around. Suddenly ther
cam. strange dullness into the sua
shine. In the middle of the road la
Abe's old hat trampled and torn
there were deep marks of violen
struggle, and sort of broad, shallo'
furrow where a heavy body had bee
dragged down through a thicket t
f wards the mill-pond. Abe's greas
: leather pocket book, rifed of its con
0 tents, had been flung aside just yon
e der. A heavy club lay near, an
close by it futtered in the breeze
{. scrap Of the hats soiled lining.
Weak and sick at heart, the who
. painted, sunny shimmering wor
whirIing round him, Dave leaned
5 his staff and wavered to and fir
e quivering like dry leaf. He cou
not think his mind was NUMB; b
5 heart lay in his throat choking hir
while in his ears were noises dull al
d terrible.
:, Young farmer Jones with his wi
# and child, driving back from the vi
lage, found him standing thus.
s Hellol What's the matter ?"
d The spring wagon stopped, a
% Jones alighted. Poor old Dave cou
do nothing but point dumbly at tt
= hat and the club Jones star
h around.
What does this mean?" he d
sr manded, and he turned pale.
ABE, Abe-it's Abe that som
D. body has killed !" walled the shakl
u old man when presently he found
N voice. " They've robbed him; tn
have dragged him yonder !"
l. He pointed along the track into t
:" thicket towards the mill-pond. JoI
ID picked up the club and started in Il
j, direction, the old man tottering at
,g heels. There was no fence on tt
w side of the road, but the hazel and
ye paw bushes were all tangled togeth
ID making their progress slow. The c
birds scoided them as they stumbl
!' along, and now and again they hes
er the peculiar long-drawn sigh of
le brown thrush in the verdurous mesl
Ill of wild vines.
Id Deep in the thicket lay a la
nd messy log half sunken in the groun
to this the track led them. On
the moss was dragged off so that
rotton wood showed its red-bro
he fberless substance freshly torn s
to creased. They approached it, and
in the other side. all crampled {
ey crumpled, crushed together rs it We
of Law the form Of Abe.
Dave sank down and lay crossv
vs- on the messy and damp trunk, gaz
'e- helplessly. Jones stepped over
It's stopped low, reaching To take hold
III Tho noor tyvisted hodv