Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1892-12-30
The Prosecution of Mrs. bullet

wealth S attorney, When uOWH Jlc street ]
came, at long gallop, an old fellow .
mounted on a thin, ewe-necked sorrel colt, .
whose long, rusty tail whipped between .
his legs at every jump Up to the court .
ward gate he clattered, and dismountlng, /
flung the rein over the post, in utter dis /
regard of the large printed notice posted /
on it that no horses were to be hitched F.
there. Through the tunstile and up the |
walk he came swinging.
81 believe that's old Dnllet, from Jacks /
borough" said Dave. "He's man OF in |
fuence up there, and dead against me. ]
wonder what he wants"'
He had not long to wait, for the old tel |
low strobe up to group and said, "Whar's |
the commonwealth attorneyP'
81 am the man." said Dave. what |
can do for you, Mr.. Dullet?'
81 wants you to put my wife in the pen
itentiary," he said.
"What?" exclaimed Dave; then recov
cred himself. "What do you want that
for2"
"She's forged my name, and she, got to
go to the penitentiary,' said he.
"Wel, tell me about it, said Dave, see
ing the gravity of the situation; and turn
ing, he led the way into his office, and Of
fered chairs.
"Well, it's this way: My oldest gal Sairy
is been a-wantin' to marry Teller named
Torn Hacklc for gwine on two years, and
! wouldn't let her
"Why?" said Dave, in professional
tone, drawing pen and paper towards
him.
"Causo Torm's on tothcr side said
Outlet
"Ohl' said Dave, writing down some
thing. $50 on.'
"Well, wouldn't let Torn come over
on our side. | sont him word ef he did to
look out. And Sairy she got kind o sick
and peaked, and my old CONAN she want
ed me to do it then, and wouldn't, cause
l had to sign the dockiment Then she
got kinder worser, and my wife she want
ed me to 60 for the doctor. So day before
yistiddy ] went down for the doctor, and
he said he'd come today, and | staid at
Jim Miggins's store all night an yistiddy
a-waitin for him; an when ! got home
last night, my wife she said, 'Whar's the
doctorY And / said, Hes a-comin'. How's
Sairy?' And she said: She's done got
well. She's got all the doctor she wanted.
She's done married Torn Hackle.' How
did she done it, says l. and l amt signed
the lcense?' says |. i signed your name
for it, says she. And said, 'You has
done commit penitentary offence, and l
kin put you to the penitentiary for it,
says |. And she bet me dollar She hadn't
and / couldn't; and says, Il bet you two
dollars | ken and | will, says 1. And
now ! are gwine to do it. | kin do it,
can't II"
Dave reflected, whilst the old mountain
eer sat still, perfectly passive,
"Well," he said, slowly, "there are not
great many presidents" (The old fell
lows face hardened.) "But of course,
he added forgery is a very serious thing,
and, all (The old fellows eye was up
on him. "How long you been married?''
he asked.
Twenty year come next month";"
Dave wrote it down.
"Wfe always been good wife to you?'
"'Ain't got no fault to find wild her till
now, when she forged my name an
Ever have any trouble with her?'
'Never at all, 'cept, of course, fights like
all married folks has"
Dave wrote ii down
'lndustriousY'
SCOT no fault to find wild her about
that"
"Help you save what you gotS"
CANT a hard-workin' err savin'er 'oOm-
an on the mountain"
GLOW many children she gOt?'
"Nine-eight Twin | don't count that
one"
"How many dead?''
''Four"
Dave wrote labOriOusly.
"Wife good to emp"
"Jes as good as could be, Nursed 'em
faithful"
"Sit up with 'em whom they were sick?''
"Never went to bed at all; never took
her clothes off"
500 hard with her?"
"Went mighty hard, specially when
Johnny died. He was named after me-"
Dave wrote silently.
$50 hard with yOu2'
"Rght sort o. hard"
"Sort o. lonesome after that2"
"Mighty lonesome"
GLOW old your youngest one nowH"
"Gwine on three; that's Billy"
"Fond Of his m0ther2'
"Can't bear her out of his sight"
"Fond of yOu?"
"SOrt Of-rght smart"
"Say Sairy was your oldestP''
eyes"
"Thought right smart of her when you
didn't have any others, just at first, reck
on?"
"Umh. Might "a done; don't remem
ber."
"Wife did, anyhow"
eyes; always fool bout her. Oldest
see?"
"She was young and fresh then2"
eyes; likeliest woman on the mount
ain"
"Bet she was Used to have good tim
sitting up to her, going to see her summe
evenings, walking through the woods9'
eyes sir. did that
"She thought more of first baby thar
you. She had more trouble with her thar
you-when she was baby, 1 meanP"
sob, yes guess she did"
"Carried her round in her arms, nurse,
her when she was sick made her lttl
frocks for her2"
t'Yes."
''As she did Johnnysp
eyes"
"And does little BillysS"
"Yes. She's made Billy little pair o
breeches."
''With pockets in themS"
"Yes; two"
Dave laid down his pen, opened the code
and read little to himself "Well, cal