Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-02-18

Billiam pointed to an old overcoat
which hung upon a nail behind the
door.
THAT'S got pockets for Goals and
things too If you really want to come
along" he said not very hopefully, "but
/ think you had better look to the collie
till l come back"
"I'm in for it," said the hussar.
"It's my night out. Come on" he
cried, pulling at the coat, which threat
ened to turn out too small across the
shoulders for him. "What rum smell
it has, though, he added, lifting up
one of the lapels and shifting at it.
ooh" said Billiam, chats only the
dogs. Sometimes wrap the worst cases
up in it, But it's all right old chap"
he added hastily, II always disinfect it
carefully"
They went down the dimly lighted,
greasy stairs without meeting soul
When they arrived at the foot Billiam
turned sharp to the left, and the hussar
found himself in darkish wide lane,
in which were no gas lamps. At the
end Of the lane was great coal station
full Of wagons and stacks of coal, black
and shining, dimly seen between two
tall gateposts. The latest delivery
wagons of the day were just leaving the
yard on the way to the city coal stores,
there to be ready for the morning de
mand. They rumbled out in a long pro-
cession, manned by men as rough and
! grim and black as the coal they worked
among.
The coal carriers kept up brisk in
| terchange Of compliments with one an.
other, varying this by an occasional
| lump Of coal. Great wedges and nuts of
It were also being jolted continually off
the carts as they jostled and lurched
through the dark and deeply rutted
lane.
Come on" said Billiam. "We'n
soon get enough.
And he ran off among the grinding
wheels, nipping up every piece of coal
which lay on the road and pushing it
into his ulster pockets with trained
alacrity. His brother endeayored to imi-
tate him, but he was unaccustomed and
clumsy and got but few pieces, and
those small. 1t was interesting work,
however, for the wagons surged and
reared like a maelstrom between the
high walls and the tall houses The
hussar found that it needed much quick
ness to seize the prey and bag 1t, evad-
ing meanwhile the succeeding carts,
which came on at pace which was al
most a brisk trot.
Presently a huge coal carter standing
up on his wagon, caught sight Of the
captain lifting a piece Of coal from the
side of the road. He sent a ready missile
after him, which took effect just be-
tween his shoulder blades
"Get cot o. that, ye-- skulker, ye"
he shouted.
Captain Ormithwaite Of the One Hun
bred and Tenth hussars sprang toward
his assailant to take him by the throat,
but the watchful Billiam had his broth
er promptly by the arm.
Mind what you are about, " he said.
"See; stand in there, and We'll soon
get enough to last us three or four days y
The brothers took shelter in a cellar
doorway, both of them grimed tC
the eyes. Billiam produced a hideou:
mask out of his side pocket and put il
on. Then he slid off the doorstep and
took up his position on little mound
of hard trodden earth and engine ash.
"Ho, la" he cried. "Ye are a set o
dirty, lazy Gilmerton cairters!"
Every coachman on the wagons leapet
up at the word as if he had been stung
and the rain Of coal cobs which fell
about Billiam was astonishing and dead
ly, but by long practice he evaded every
one of them, letting some slip past hin
and catching the straight ones as clever
" as ever he had done the ball when hC
kept wicket ON the green playing fields
Presently the captain found Billiam
now a very swollen and bulky Billiam
once more beside him.
You 60 and fill up at the back Of tn,
! mound where was guying 'em, " III
said. "There's quite half a ton there. ,
: And very obediently the hussar went
with grim delight in his heart t.
J think Of the fit his c. o. would hay,
t if he could only have seen him. Present
ly he had filled up, and, leaving tn
: roar of the coal avenue for the quiet o
the house, Billiam and his brother slunl
l laboriously up stairs to their garnet.
LOIu, snail L tNIl NC NAtti HSSAAA'
Q groaned the captain, looking at hi
hands. ITO think what you have led al
officer Of the queen into you blesse'
young gallows bird, Billiamp'
+ Empty the Goals here, " commando
A Billiam, and his brother poured out hi
hoard into a large compartment bull
+ beside the window. How Billiam coul
= have carried so great load was pu2
!. zle, but certainly there could not hav
I been less than a hundredweight of Goa
i in his canvas pockets alone. He hasten
d ed to fill pot with water, and i'll Iii
e tie while he had a shallow bath full c
warm water. This he set out in the col
o ner behind a screen made of gray shee
;? which hung upon cord.
Il go in there" he said, land &c
yourself clean, you horrible sybarit(
n I'll go round the wards. Dogs don t OF
II ject to little CRIME.
When he came back to take his tur
u at the bath, fresh pot full Of watt
l was ready, and the room was brigE
70 ana warm. The hussar had attended
the fire and had swept the floor. TIL
e brothers were in the inner room i
It which Billiam usually camped TheI
k was sofa in it now, and an easy cha
of wickerwork.
IT. G.Till toez x-Ou Gov tba cpfa vOuu