Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1894-04-27

To this made answer That / didn't
want as much even, and that would
prefer taking my risk of robbers to
being worried into brain fever. but
to this his uncomplimentary response
was 'poohl' and he went in, banging
his back door.
Nightly, for another week, was the
torture repeated, and then | resolved
that j would have no more OF it. /
purchased half-pound Of lean and ten
der steak, and, carrying it TO chem
list with whom was acquainted, got
him to dose it judiciously with prussic
acid
Il don't say that he will never howl
again after he has swallowed this
meat" remarked the dispenser of
drugs, grimly HE will give you one
good one as the last, dare say. But
you won't mind that?"
Between half-past ten and eleven,
the time when Vixen was turned loose,
and about an hour before, and while
my neighbor was within doors at sup
per, got over the low dividing fence
at the further end CT the garden, and
placed the "doctored'' meat on a cab
bage leaf, and where my four-lcgged
enemy would be sure TO discover it.
Then ] returned to my own little room
that had rearward look out from the
window, and put on my slippers, and
lit my pipe, and kept vindictive watch
for what might happen.
1t was a moonlight night, and my
view of Bumstead's garden was COM
plete, SO that when the tragedy COM
menced should be able to witness il
to the end. But it was not to be. l
had been at the window not more than
ten minutes, when startling appar-
ition attracted my watchful eye. There
were fields beyond the palings at the
end of the garden. and, revealed by
the moonlight, there stood ragged
youth looking over that part of them
that inclosed Bumstead's premises.
Presently, he caught sight of the steak
lying on the cabbage-leaf, and in an
instant leaped the barrier, and securing
the prize, which he thrust in the
bosom of his delapidated pocket, leaped
back again and vanished.
saw it all with perfect distinctness,
and could have recognized him again
from among thousand. A lanky
young fellow, with a scraggy throat,
and long, narrow face, with large
nose of the type known as Roman"
and tiery-red head of hair.
was 80 appalled, that fer several Sec
onds / could not move from the win
dow. There could be no shadow of o
doubt as to what the wretched lad
would do with the meat He would
eat it. and swift death would ensue,
and | should be his murderer!
In my dressing-gown and slippers,
rushed from the house, and scaled the
low palings, and pursued him. But he
had long start, and was at the far
end of the second field, when running
my fastest, l hailed him.
Hi, hi, my lad, my good lad, pray
stop l wish to speak to you"
But the good lad had his reasons for
declining an interview, and exercised
his long legs in such way that he was
speedily out of sight 1t was in vain
that kept on for mile or more. He
was gone.
In an agouized state of mind, made
my way homeward had lost Slip
per- and was splashed with dirt from
neck to heels, painting and perspiring.
! hoped to be able to get back into the
house unohserved, but it was impos-
sible
Ny loud outcries, when started in
the chase, had been heard in both
abodes, and when | had crossed the
fields, and arrived at our garden-pal-
ing S, there was my wife and our serv-
ant, and the whole of the Bumstead
family, eager to know what was the
matter. dare not tell all the truth,
but told part of it. had, said, seen
a fellow climbing the palings, and had
been after him, but couldn't catch him.
Mr.. Bumstead grinued knowingly
But yet we are to keep our watch
dogs shut up in wash houses, eh?" he
remarked Not If know it,"
1t was q matter of perfect indiffer-
ence to me after that, where he kept
his own brute, mean as regards its
preventing me from sleeping. Com
pared with what | had to keep me
awake now, ViXen's bowling and whin-
ing was a soothing lullaby. The horri-
BILE crime of which had inadve rtently
been guilty haunted me DO tn night and
day ] was afraid evea 10 seek relief
in slumber, for, sure as ever dropped
off" though it was in my easy chair,
the prowling vagabond appeared to me,
not full of active life as when he fled,
but in ghostly shape, shrouded and pal
lid, and pointing at me the finger of
accusing, had to go to London daily
to attend to my business, but no
longer had any heart for it. My appe-
lite failed me, the hue of health for
sock my cheeks. was really ill., My
friends, of course, observed it, and my
.,,.r,t1 m