Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-06-25
KATIE.

meT on the anvil all combine to make Up
comfortable rural picture OF light and
warmth. The smithy at Godscroft on
cold December evening was no exception
TO this rule; II was warm and bright.
and filled to overlooking with village
gossps. met to talk over the events Of the
day. The group Of men collected
around the fire was Just such "A group
as may be found round any smithy fire
In the country, hard-headed. hard-fea-
tured. hard-fsted, shrewd, sensible men
Keen politicians. learned in polenical con-
iroversy. fond OF argument on most sub
| Jects. and able to take an intelligent.
although often prejudiced. interest IN al
| most all the leading topics Of the day.
such were the loungers collected round
the smithy fire at Godscroft. listening
eagerly TO a man who was in many re-
spccts dissimilar 10 them. There was
about him an easy breadth, q freedom,
an responsiveness Of gesture and manner.
which suggested colonial life. lie haa
an air as If the village street were scarce
ly wide enough for his swinging stride.
as II ne felt the little world Of the smithy.
the arena OF the intellectual heroes Of
He was good-lookng, with sun-em-
Drowned complexion. and dark eyes with
n merry twinkle IN them: while strong,
SquaTely-cut chin and jaw gave character
10 a face that would otherwls- have
been only weakly eood-natured \ large
why haired dog. OF mongrel and non
descrip; type, lay at his feet, and formed
the theme Of conversation.
IT'S a bonny dog o its kind, and
guild dog, Use warrant. but | will never
allow that it's a collie" said one speaker.
DID / ever say that it was? 1t has
nothing Of the collie about IT. although
1t has more than collie's intelligence"
ITS dour-looking beast" said an
other
at reminds me OF wolf I once saw
In Womwells menagere that cams
round this countryside four years ago,
come Iammas. Yen mind 1t, Geord'e?
You're none so handsome yourself,
Jock" said the stranger. that you should
object 10 the Want OF beauty IN others.
Did you never hear tell of the old proverb.
Handsome IS as handsom. does? Bill
here. is better than he is bonny and that
he has proved"
Tell US all about It, It's Just grand 70
hear ye telling these outlandish stories
said one Of the bystanders
1T would be- away out there In Aus
tralia. Use warrant" said another
Eyes. boys IL was" said the tall,
bronzed, bearded man. who owned BIZ;
and he tossed back his hair and gave his
forehead a rub. az IL to quicken the bump
OF memory, and straightway began.
"You want Bilrs story. mates? Well,
here il Is. Some OF you here, / don't
doubt. will remember that when the OLD
man died in the hard winter Of 1870 left
the old country. that was pretty Wei
used up for me. TO try my luck ~ thr
Australian god-lelGs. where IN 'y used Sd"
tell us down here that the goli might he
got for the mere trouble az lifting II up
What l got. anl that was never very
much, TOOK n precious deal OF Ldid W'iN'
/ can tell you; and what with one thing
and another tired Of IL. and went up the
country 10 a big sguatter, kennel man
and a kindly, for he was one o. Hunter
of GodScrofrs sons. and hired myself 10
be one Of his shepherds. / had GOOD
berth with him. nothing 70 complain Of
either I'm the way Of work. or meat. or
WAGES: but 70 was an out-ststiou, and IL
was terribly lonesome. l missed my
mother. poor old body. more than ! can
tell you. Many a time 1t would have done
my heart good Just TO have heard the
click Of her knitt.ng-needleS. or seen the
vhisk or the skirts Of her old blacH gown,
| almost shed tears. when | thought how
II would have amused her to have seen
me with my sleeves turned up kneading
GaInper or toasting a bit Of mutton at
the smoky fire.
However. il was better. as ! often said
10 myself to be alone than tethtrcd 10 a
bad neighbor: and my sheep kept me IN
SO much work that l had very little time
for thinking Every now as1 again they
t.7a rfr ND
get UP some fine morning and find the
half Of the hirsel gone. and nothing for
il but TO scOur the country far AMI near
till | came upon the track of them. |
have seen me ride fifty miles before /
came up with them"
'T-h. man. but We would be fearsome
when We did" sad an old schOol-felloW
appreciauvely.
The big Australian withered him with
a look. and went calmly on.
Il was out one day after a lot Of these
Iong-legged, woolly trespassers. that were
as swift as deer and "a cunning as the
oldest fox In your spinneys here; and |
had not seen as much as a print of one
of their feet. / had been riding since the
morning broke, and | was spent with
hunger and fatigue. when the night came
down upon me pitch dark. not q star yisi-
be-a deep. Egyptian darkness that could
almost be felt. | could not so much a.
see my hand when / held 1t UP before
me"
I'VE were aye baud billy" said
another retrospective school-fellow, but
that would daunton ye. What did ye
do
"What could l do? To turn back was
more dangerous than 10 go forward. /
let my hOrs. solve the difficulty: BE-
seemed 10 see what was before him. ]
could not, and We went on and on and
on, tin / saw shimmering CLEAN flash
through the mirk darkness OF the night
and heard the rush of water. IL was a
creek. as We call them in those parts.
and as the horse made no pause I rode
boldly on. and by Gods mercy. rather
than my own good guidance, We stumbled
on a place that was fordable. and got
safely 10 the other side. The steep bank
was overgrown win bush. as / could see
by q clint Of moonlight that flashed out
all Of a sudden, and ] was just taking a
look round 10 see If | could make out
where ! was when my ears Were pierced
by the most awful cry ! think / ever
heard. II was 80 loud and SO shrill, and
so fun Of pain. that it fairly made my
blood run cold. | leaped out OF the saddle
In sheer fright and looked around me
Ike a man bswildered. The wide. bare
ia kAlffs ana sNEubDN UlNl tIDunl were
void OF any human habitation, and yet IL
was Ike the cry Of some poor human
creature I'm the extremity of distress.
Ii was 50 ghastly, so unearthly, that the
horse l was riding. although ne was a
steady old brute. SHE'D, and swerved
sharply round. lie was In such d panic
that ! could not help remembering
mothers Old-WOrd stories about ghosts,
although | tried 10 tell myself thai there
was no such thing. However, ghost or
no ghost. | was bound to 50 on; 50 / set
stout heart 10 a stey brae. and when
| found that l could not force the terri
fed brute up the bank I dismounted
and tied him to a young gum tree.
Il had scarcely set my face 10 the bank
again when the same Cry sounded out
once more. tell you. mates. II made
The blood run cold around my heart. IT
was so shrilly Wild 80 unearihly. 50 des-
pairing; and. TO make 1t worse the black
night came down on me again, nurk and
heavy, like the blackness OF the parish
mOrt-cloth / used 10 wonder at wacn /
WAS boy. | had not the least idea in
what direction 10 turn. and was standing
irresolute when i heard the cry again,
and IL sounded nearer, and was so dis
tinct that / thought | could 80 straight
TO the very spot II came from. The bank
was so steep that i had TO scramble up
on my hands and knees. often slipping
back and stopping 10 listen: but l could