St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1895-08-09

anu III tne dispute rather lost his temper
ana said that Rufus had given him under.
weight AT that Rufus swore an oath
and seized father by the throat. Rufus
wife screamed, "Oh, don't! don't! Oh,
he'll kill him!
went up to Rufus and took hold of
his arm.
Rufus Bennett" said !, "you let my
father gOn
But Rufus eyes glared like mad.
mans, and he would not LET go. Then ]
went to the dcsk-drawer where father
had kept n pistol since some houses in
the village were broken into; got out
the pistol. laid hold of Rufus again, and
held the muzzle against his forchcnd
You let 20 my father" seid !, cor vi
frep
Then Rufus let go, and father dropped
like n log. He was purple in the face.
Rufus wife and | worked n long time
over him TO bring him TO.
Rufus Bennett" said |. $50 to the
well and get Il pitcher Of water" TIe
went, but when father had revived and
got up Rufus gave him n look that showed
he was not over his rage.
"l'l get even with YOU yet, Martin Fair
banks old man rs you are!' he shouted
out, ANA went into the outer room.
We got father TO bed soon. He slept
IN the bedroom downstairs, out of the
sitting rOGm. Rufus and his wife had
the north chamber, and had the south
one. left my door open that night, and
did not sleep any listened; no one
stirred in the night. Rufus and his wife
nv ~, Ia, Ia, Il
before O'Clock left for Vermont They
had days journey and would reach
home about 9 in the evening. Rufus
wife babe father good-by, crying while
Rufus was getting their trunks down
stairs, but Rufus did not 60 near father
nor me. He ate no breakfast; his very
back looked ugly when he went out of the
yard
That very day. about I O'Clock il the
evening, after tea, | had just washed the
dishes and put them away and went out
on the north doorstep, where father was
sitting, and sat down on the lowest step.
There was cool breeze there it had
been very hot day.
II want to know if that Ellis fellow has
been to see you any lately said father
all ut once
Not II great deal answered.
did he come 70 see you the last night
you were there" said father
Yes sir. said |, "he did come"
"lf you ever have another word TO say
to that fellow while | live I'll kick you
out of this house like dog, daughter Of
mine though you be- said he. Then he
swore Il great oath and called God to
witness Speak to that fellow again,
if you dare, while live said he.
/ | did not say Il word; just looked mp
at him as | sat there Father turned
pale, and shrauk back, and put his hard
TO his throat, where Rufus had clutched
him There wern some purple finger
prints there.
II suppose you would have been glad
/ if he'd killed me-" father cried out.
81 saved your life said |.
what did you do with that pistol?"
he asked
81 put it back in the deskdrawer.'
| got up and went around and sat on
the west doorstep which is the front one.
AS | sat there the bell rang for the Tues
day evening meeting, and Phoebe Dole
and Maria Woods, two old maiden la
dies, dressmakers. our next door neigh
bors, went past on their way to meeting.
Phoebe stopped and asked if Rufus and
his wife had gone. Maria went around
the house Very soon they went On, and
several other people passed. When they
had all gone it was as still as death.
sat alone IA long time, until | could
see by the shadows that the full moon
had risen Then | went up to my room
and went to bed.
| lay awake long time crying. 1t
seemed to me that all hope of marriage
between Henry and me was over. | could
not expect him to wait for me. | thought
of that other girl could see her pretty
face wherever | looked But at last |
cried myself to sleep.
At about o'clock | woke and got up,
Father always wanted his breakfast at
6 clock, and had to prepare it now.
When father and | were alone he al
ways built the fire i'll the kitchen stove.
But that morning did not hear him
stirring as usual, and | fancied that he
must be so out of temper with me that
he would not build the fire
| went to my closet for a dark-blue cal
in. 1t had hung there during all the
school term. AS | took it off the nook,
nv attention Yves caught by something
strange about the dress | had worn the
night before. This dress was made of
thin summer silk; it was green in color
sprinkled over with white rings. 1t had
been NV best dress for two summers
but now | was wearing it on hot after
Moons at home, for it is the coolest
dress | have. The night before too,
had thought of the possibility of Henry
driving over from Digby and passing the
house He had done this sometimes dur
ing the last summer vacation, and
wished to look my best if he did.
AS took down the calico dress | saw
what seemed to be stain on the greer
silk. | threw ON the calico hastily anC
then took the green silk and carried II
over to the window. 1t was covered with
spcfs-horrible great splashes ant
strea&s down the front The right sleeve
too. was stained and all the stains were
wet.
"What have got on my dressT
said |.
1t looked like blood. Then | smeIled Of
II and il was sickening in my nostrils
bnt was not sure what the smell o
blood was like. thought | must have
Got the stains by some accident the nigh
before
"If that is blood on my Dress" | said
~ must do something to get it off Il
once or the dress will be ruined"