Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1895-08-29

den and street the town sounds flO2ted
I'M boy whistling. the far-off roll Of
solitary carriage, murmur of voices,
the church clock striking in lordlv
leisure nine mellow strokes on tho
trcmuous waiting air, and then u
long way of, a sharp, quick click rous-
ing thin. sharp echo. The click grow
sharper. vet fuller, it broadcncd and
was click no moro, tho echo ceased,
and the tailor's son recognized in the
fuller seniority Of the strokes the hoof'
beats of Ealloping horse on the hill;
they quiclencd down the steep descent,
grew louder and follower over the,
bridge, and full and strong on the hard
street road with confused ring of.
echoes from the houses. The people
turned at the sound Of the mad. ever
Quickcning callQNo, TO sec n strong. firm
ncckcd cob, streaming with sweat,
tlccllcd with foam. rcd OF nostril and
with bleeding mouth. ridden by a hat
less man in shirtslecrcs, tear along the
street and thunder up TO the doctors
door, where. pulled on his launches,
he stopped and seemed to shoot his
rider to the ground. No sooner did tho
man touch the dusty road than he was
at tho door, tearing al the bells labeled
might" and Surgery" leaving the
painting. streaming horse to blow noiSi-
~ and shake himself ON his QuiverinF
lees with down-drooped head The
surgery boy lcisureiy finished his ne
farious drink and even rinscd the glass
before responding to the furious ring
ing of the bells, family curious to see
how long and how loud the man could
or would ring. The doctors vic
jumped ncrvously at the first sharp
peal, the little dog banked passionate
ly, the doctor dropped his pipe and
made face.
Come dj-rcctly; the chickens are
taken with the pip; old Granny Jones
has the tOoth-ache; pr0Y ring a little
louder. Whore is that scamp of
boy?" he murnurcd with sarcastic resig-
nation.
Horace you shall not go, Mrs. New.
man decided. "You've had nothing to
cat; you are tired out and such salad
I've mixed"
81 won't 20, III be hanged if III
go"
Come to supper, before the ice melts
in the pail. III say YOU arc"
Say I'm out, I'm dead | shan't be
home all night, I'm at church. I've got
the smallpoX," grunblcd the doctor,
steadily moving all the time, not sup
pcr-wards, whittier his wife tried to
draw him, but towards the surgery.
I've not been homo half an hour, Am
a slave? Cant | have minutes
peace? May never cate
And the clarct YOU ordered ycstcr
day dear. Iad the salad" pleaded the
anxious wife.
I'm doF-tircd, and not a horse in the
stable iii to GO
please, sir, it's Mr. Adams. Of
Thornly, and come at once and he's
rode hard and his horse j, blowcd,"
painted the surgery boy.
The tailOr's son was excited, he heard
not onlyth loud, continuous ringing at
the surgery door, but the urgent sum
mons Of the hatless rider, who now
loant, pale beneath the brown Of his
drawn, wet face, painting against the
door-post, staring vacantly at the oppo-
site window, regardless Of the com
ments and inquiries of little group Of
lounTers, including the tailor, while
the blown horse snortcd and shook his
quivcriag TANKS and rc.as thrown
loose on his neck.
Presently the man, after word with
the doctor, moved heavily from tho
door, and, taking the cob's bride on his
arm. led him slowly up and down the
road. The doctor and his wife. the lat
ter conspicuous in her white dress.
moved quickly about the surgery and
coneultinG-roo opening drawers and
hrass-bound mahogany boxes. taking
things ont and making ND a parcel
while the surgery boy fed like one pos
scsscd down the street and round the
corner, returning soon IN a dog-cart
driven by q groom who loapt to the
pavement at the door, when the doctor
as quickly leapt into the cart. slowing
the parcel under the scat and driving
off with a leSsening chatter and rattle
down the cchoing street, over the bridge
aud up the hill into the silence of the
sweet summer night.
CHAPTER H.
Stephen Adams stood still in the road.
WV 'IPlIt vi ms bil L Drown arm, ana
started stupidity after the doctors dog
cart A great sob broke from his broad
brown chest, the blue striped shirt on
which was open; it was a sob of relief.
Then he looked at the cob. and. going
over to the oldfashioncd inn, relic Of
past coaching days, the Rose and Crown,
called the ostlcr and helped him rub
the cob down, loosening the girths and
rinsing the mouth.
Somebody gave him hat which he
put on half consciously; and then he
called for ale, drank a pint and poured
"A pint down the cob's throat.
lie done it in half an hour. Seven
mile" he said, looking hard at the cob.
"a rare good gocr, gunner" the
ostler returned, patting and smoothing
the animals frm-set neck, " and rare
good un to stay. But you've took it
all out of en-; there amt 'alf a kick in
all his four legs"
Adams looked thoughtfully at the
cob, considering how much go was left
in him, and then, taking a parcel the
doctors man had brought him, fixed it
TO the sadde, feed the ostler and led
the horse brislsly away, walking him
down the street over the bridge and up
the hill before he mounted and trotted
along the level, slowly at first, and then
more quickly through the cooling dusk,