The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1896-01-24

sleeves, ready to uncork on to thei
ditter tails?'
"Ay, ay!"
"And your dltter snuff to throw int
their eyes?'
Yes, that, too
And your guns ditter cooked, AM
safe under your coats you that are +
freq
"Ay, all right and ready-lead on Z
Der well, but remember we ditto
separate here, SO as to come up OF
different sides of the crowd and mind
don't let off your guns till the Great
ures begin to ditter grow uneasy ant
der snort and blow"
While Fitch was repeating the bid
he had received for the oxen, and wa
about to knock them off to the highes
bidder, which still CHANGED to b,
Peters, he was suddenly told to holt
on, by several persons who had Just a.
that moment made their appearances
in different parts of the crowd, anc
who expressed their wish to bid, al
soon as they could get up to examine
the cattle. Owing to the duskiness,
the faces of the new corners did moi
seem to be recognized by the tories,
who unsuspectingly opened and ad
mitted them to the stand. Quickly
availing themselves of the opportunity,
the former, among the foremost OF
whom, were Piper and Bart, now
crowded eagerly round the cattle, and,
after rapidly passing their hands over
the COW and each of the. oxen a mo-
ment, and then stepping back, began
to banter and bid. Not much time,
however, was allowed them to do
either; for the cattle, all at once, be-
came unaccountably restless, at first
backing and wheeling about in their
confined space, and then wildly tossing
up their heads, snuffing and assuming
the startled and furious appear
ance generally exhibited by this class
of animals when about to make des-
perate effort to break away.
At this critical juncture, the fierce
flashes and stunning reports Of half
dozen muskets burst over the heads OF
the startled and astonished company
from various points on the outer edge
of the crowd; and the next instant the
already maddened cattle, with loud
shorts, leaping over or trampling down
all in their way, broke through the
living hedge of tories around them,
and bounded off with their tails
thrown aloft, and believing in wild
alright, in different directions, to
wards the woods, leaving the amazed
and broken crowd jostling and pitch
ing about with ordinations of sur
prise, groans of pain, volleys Of oaths,
and shouts of laughter, all mingled in
Babel like confusion.
g 'Tis all the work of the cursed
rebelsn' exclaimed Peters, the first
to rally and comprehend the affair.
Fitch - he added, pointing after the
runaway cattle, where the devil are
your wits, that you don't order pur-
suit?''
Yes, pursue and bring 'em back,
instantly! !" screamed the constable,
awaking from the stupor and confu-
sion of ideas into which he seemed to
have been thrown by the strange and
unexpected occurrence. 'fes, tits an
unlawful rescue-it's conspiracy
bring back the cattle! seize the
offenders, every one of 'em! in the
kings name command ye."
Obedient to the call, the obsequious
tories instantly rallied for the pursuit,
and, breaking off into three distinct
bands, eagerly set forward in the diff
cattle, then just disappearing over the
woods. Dunning, Piper and Bart,
who, in the meanwhile, had, unknown
and unsupported in the darkness and
confusion, stood in the throng, keenly
watching the result of their plan, no
sooner heard the expected order of
pursuit given, than, separating, like
their opponents, and each joining a |
different band of the pursuers, they |
sparing in before the rest, and by their |
superior aacrity and speed, soon sue
ceeded in taking the lead and finally |
in completely distancing all others in |
the promiscuous chase. The tories, |
now soon wholly losing sight of their
feet and, as they still supposed, trusty
guides in the pursuit, became, in short |
time confused and at fault respecting
the courses to be taken; and, after
and running about the woods
and pastures at random, nearly an
hour, without discovering any traces
either of the lost cattle or the missing
pursuers, at length came struggling
back to the Town House, and, by way
Of saving their own credit, reported
Fitch, Peters and the small party re-
there, that their swiftest run
lers were last seen nearly up with the
.attle, and would soon be in with them,
II that the creatures had been headed,
md we're on their way back, in an
,ther direction. On this, the company
waited another hour; when, neither
he cattle nor the expected pursuers
they began to suspect
amiss: and the inquiries
md Investigations then put afoot soon
esulted in the notifying conviction,
hat the cattle had been overtaken and
lriven off by the same persons who
previously had caused them to break
way. Prompted by the enraged
'eters, Fitch then offered reward for
he recovery of the cattle and the de-
ection of those who had abducted
hem: when the company separated,
o resume the search the next day.
Sut although this was done, and the
ountry secured in every direction for
everal days, yet the search proved
holly fruitless. Not one of the cattle
,as TO be found. Nor were the actors
q the transaction, with any certainty,
IDENTIFIED, though the absence OF
'iper and Bart, for some days after
ne event, caused them to be suspected
nd marked for punishment, when they
Mould again appear abroad.