Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-04-25

an appropriate answer.
 "I lowed not, ye dad blasted valley man, ye," the old man interrupted me II could give ye the samo as ye sont, mebbe, with ole meat in the pot here, I but shootin's too good fur ye guess yell keep handy enough, so yell com modate me by leadin the way up that \ trail thar whilst mo an ole meat in tho pot brings up tho rear.''
 'No use talking over matters before we get up, is there, old fellow?' asked, breathing easier at the chance of res I pite, at least, and finding that the l trail was tho one pointed out by Thom- as McTair. put two and two together ! and concluded that my captor was tho 4 father of my whilom friend. and that fl perhaps matters might not prove as dis ! aStrous as they looked.
 I A half hours steady pull brought us to tho clearing which Thomas McTair had described, and, suro enough, mann was at the pen milking. The old man I directed my way up to tho rickety rail I fence and called his wife to him, speak \ ing to her in husky whispers which I could not understand. By and by he 4 made me dismount and lead tho way I into the cabin. "Onload, stranger, - 4 he said, motioning me to a seat ill the 1 chimney corner by the fire I gave him I my pistol and empty flask, which were ! all I had transferred from my pockets. N to Thomas McTair's when we changed \ clothes. Through tho open window 1 \ saw tho old woman leading away my l tired nag, and 1 hoped she would give, ! him a good supper. Presently sho came \ in.
 Bets" said tho old man, giving her the rifle, ''ye set thar by the table an keep the gun p'inted plumb. Elf tho \ skunk winks his eye unnecessary, why, let her go, Gallagher. I'd lil1o to keep l him till tho boys kin soc tho fun, but. blaze away of he shows his teeth. I'll | g'long down now"
 1 Bets was ''survigrOus" old woman, l as Thomas McTair had said, and she I gazed at mo with fire ill her eye and her finger on the trigger. calculated upon l the chances of Thomas McTair's prob l able return to the parental roof and con cluded that, for the sake of my health and the welfare of humanity at large, 1t would bo unwise to put off eating 1 and drinking until that time. I looked the old lady straight ill her fiery eye 1 and said with the deliberation of n soed tick grabbing for keeps and ill tho sane timonious tone of newly appointed I circuit rider:
 Madam. if I should by chance dio, of starvation before my friend Thomas, 1 MCTair returns from the wedding, kind 1 ly tell him that it hroko my heart to go without seeing him onco moro in this. life. and that shall hopo to meet him ill heaven The old woman's hand shook, and I feared tho trigger would fall, but it didn't, and 1 kept on. Tell my friend Thomas McTair that will and beQucath to him and his heirs for over my plug horse. my saddlcbags and all that ill them is, my six shooter and. my empty flask. and this do ill return for tho favor he showed mo in SO nobly' exchanging this excellent and altogcth- or lovely suit of brown jeans for my old. garments, which moth and dust doth, corrupt and thieves break through and. steal Amen.
 By this timo the old woman was in. tears. She laid the gun on tho table, grabbed a pumpkin pic from the shelf behind her with one hand and about a yard of fried smoked sausage links with, the other.
 Stranger, sho said, shaking n tear
 about the sizo of d m@rrowfat pea from
 the end of her thin nose. Stranger,
 set to"
 She laid plato upon the tablo as she spoke. f1anked it with bowl of apple
 sauce, a corn pono and about two dozen
 hard boiled eggs Tho cabins yourn,
 stranger, sho said as I drew my chair
 to the board.
 And tho jug behind tho door?" in-
 quired
 "An tho jug behin tho door. " she
 said, producing fat brown demijohn
 and a cracked glass
 By and by sho took tho gun, set it
 over in tho corner with thump. "Ole
 Tom Lane allus was born d fool, " she
 said emphatically as she fished her
 snuffbox and brush from her pocket and
 sat down to 1uminato. had about clear
 ed up everything ill sight and was feel
 ing wonderfully comfortable inside,
 when I heard yell like stray Co
 manche's and old Lano burst in upon us.
 Thank Gawd," ho said, grabbing
 my hand and almost crushing it in his
 own. "Thank Gawd, yo air 1.-Two all
 kickin. Blamed of didn't think yo'd
 killed my son Thomas McTair fur tn,
 clothes on his back, blarst my ulo fool
 hide"
 Thomas McTair camo in soon after
 and Nancy.
 By gum, stranger, said tho big fol
 low, "but you missed closo call fun I al - (,t
 all right now. You're safe, an Two Eo
 Nancy" Thomas McTair stuck to hi:
 bargain of giving mo a comfortable bed
 and I staid with them until tho SUI , 1 was high ill tho heavens next day. My , | empty flask was filled and in its righ place when wo changed clothes again. "You'vo been a gawdscn to me stranger, he said at parting, fur yoI got mo Nancy.
 f The distant tree tops blazed in th' , glory of the monday sun as l turned , from the little trail into the rock. f mountain road; the gray squirrel a warmed themselves amid the branche f overhead. rattling down chestnut hull upon the fallen leaves, and away bacl 6 in the underbrush I heard the higl s pitched, happy voice of Thomas MoTair , "Oh. git along, git along, git along i Nancy, way down in Rockingham. "-
 Lavinia H. Egan in Philadelphia Times q Paul Jones and the Privateer.
 The French ambassador, the Duo d V Vauguyon, committed tho astoundin d faux pas of suggesting to Paul Jone n that he take command of French pri n vateer and thus escape from his danger l. ous situation in tho TeXel. Paul Jones
 renly tn this WAS an instant md hanght