Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1895-01-03

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Negroes constantly swarmed in through
the gate and half filed the dooryard,
offering their services, vending fruits
and vegetables, or attracted by curiosity
This was a novelty to Mr.. Brown, and
he listened patiently to what they had
to say, several times uncomplainingly
saw them pocket small articles, and
only turned away with sly laugh.
1t was different with Mrs. Brown, who,
as time went on, declared that every
thing owned by the family would be
stolen unless something We're done
quickly.
MIR. Brown meditated. Then he said,
''Thomas, | wish you had brought your
stereopticon along"
~ did bring it, Thomas replied.
II thought it might amuse us in the
long winter evenings
Good, " said the electrician. "Then
suppose you unpack it and put it in
order, | think we will use it tomorrow
evening""
Thomas set about cleaning and put
ting together the stereopticon, and Mr..
Brown went to work cutting into small
pieces long iron bar When it was
all cut up, he put each piece on lathe,
and bored it three inches deep with a
three-quarter-inch bit, thus making
each one a hollow tube, solid at one
end. When this was done, he put each
| piece on the lathe again and bored a
tiny hole through the side, about big
enough to hold a knitting needle, and
an inch and quarter from the solid
end. He then put bit of fine wire,
not much larger than a horsehair, in
each of the tiny holes, and fastened it
in place with an atom of solder, so that
the hole was not entirely stopped, and
with about two inches of the wire pro-
truding. When they were done they
were eighty little cannon, and looked
as if they had been made by master
workman, as indeed they had Mr..
Brown then loaded ten of them with
powde", but no ball, and rammed the
charge home tight.
The following afternoon the electri-
clan spent an unusual time in the
orange grove, which lay between the
house and the road. And he spent an
hour or more in one of the upper rooms,
which had window overlooking the
orange trees. In the short tropical twi-
light, while sitting on the piazza smok-
ing his pipe, he quietly asked Mrs.
Brown whether she had ever seen
darky robbing an orange tree.
"No,n that lady replied, land it
wouldn't be well for the darky if |
should. They rob our trees every night,
and we will soon be without any
oranges at ALL
The electrician led his wife upstairs
to the room overlooking the orange
grove. There she saw the stereopticon
mounted by the open window, and
small board shelf on which were sever
al telegraph keys. 1t was already so
dark that person sitting by the Win
dow could not be seen, although NOV
ing form outside would be visible.
Nov, if you will take that chair by
the window, my dear, and not say
word under any circumstances, will,
if | have good luck, show you darby
robbing an orange tree"
Mrs. Brown did as she was requested,
and Mr.. Brown drew a chair in front
of the key bcard where he could see the
orange trees, and smoked his pipe
There was not a sound on the still even
ing but the slight humming made by
the dynamo. They had not long to
wait. Soon they heard the voices of a
party of darkies coming up the road,
some singing and some talking. They
came nearer and nearer, till they were
in front of the orange grove. The voices
ceased, and the six or eight in the party
came up close to the wall One spry
young darby raised himself to the top
of the wall, looked around, climbed up,
and dropped inside. The Others evil
IDENTITY were to wait outside and have
the oranges brought to them. The
The youngster inside waited moment,
then disappeared in the gloom under
the orange trees. Mrs. Brown sat
breathless, and Mr. Brown sat with his
finger on one of the keys. A scraping
sound was heard, as of boy climbing
a tree; there was slight rustic OF
leaves, and an orange dropped. The
electrician pressed the key.
Bang ~ said one of the guns not
far from the tree the boy was in.
"Oh! hi F.! hi! Mass Boss ! Mass
Boss ~ cried the darky in the tree.
Bang ~ said another gun in dis
tant part of the grove, and the feet of
the darkies outside We're heard flying
up the road.
Bang bang ~ said two more guns.
"Nlass' Boss, dom shoot, dom shoot,
Leone down. cried the terrified darky.
and his words were instantly verified,
for at that moment the electrician
touched another key and the stereopti-
con threw its full glare of light into
the tree, which startled the boy into
loosening his hold, and he ''came
down. shoulder first and struck the
ground with a thud. He was on his
feet again at once, but too bewildered
to stir, and at that instant, at the touch
of another key, big bell began to ring
violently.
Bang bang! bang ~ in every di-
rection it was enough to frighten
stouter heart than bea, inside the young
darky's jacket, and with terrified cry
he started for the wall. But he changed
his course before he had taken three
steps, for at the touch of another key
there flashed up before him bright
red flame. A wild shrek, bewildered
dashes in several directions, and the
boy reached the wall and went over it
at bound, the last section of his heels
being saluted with ''Bang bang %
The electrician coolly closed the win
dow.
"Well, my DEAR he said, "you have
not yet seen a darby rob an orange tree,
but you have seen one try it,"
Mr. Brown had never INDUCED in