The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1899-05-04
STEVENS STORY.

Th.rs as osiy one real ironble Oil
BIB sitysE,. vbich vas that be bad
story 10 tell Aad Indeed this wonid bss'
betu we'll saoash II 10 could ever hsv'
disposed Of IL that 10. II he could eve
have told il Bat fate msst have mediis
"a revenge ap9n Stevens. She nuss hss'
eecfesd ihsi be shouid never hnish hi
recital TIE i.ct IL be wss slov. lie "a
too ,Iaet, snd too much tIscsness 10 |
fatal ciirsse-a cDnsumriiou When Z
f.stens tseli upon att We may prals'
90 sIse, usn for tis psins. bot We deplor'
bis ,sdiousness,
A reporter told me be Sonld gel Sse'
ens story, slye him ell the time be van
"a snd prlai The thi0s 10 Monday mert
iug edition Of bis psper. thai being th'
day shen there vas room for almost sny
ihiug. sna be made 90 sppointmelt with
bin. Bnt Stevens got drnpk before be
had entered upon the home stretch. snd
The reporter found bs held tsiIless kite
shilling 10 tbs sir,
Itwasa Csli;ofnis Il ry, relating 10 The
esrly dsys OF that wonderful oouniry. sad
4 have aimee discovered that life il iul OF
nuflnshed C,hiofpis stories ! don't
knoY why mao can't tnisb Califoruis
story, lie can finish an Arkansas ttoft or
TeI.s story. bnt there is something the
matter VI b CaliforDii Q ory. Stevens
had lived a long time 10 the tosn. Tue
people we're pescesble and industrious.
and for years they we're disposei to listen
to his story; they bad given him every op
portuaity q mso could desire; they had
even encouraged him, but be Away fell
down. No ons charged the fault to him -
| that is, directly but every one felt that
IN so. regardless Of circumstances. should
be to some extent the master OF lis own
story. /, seemed. though that SieVels
never could be the matter Of his narrative,
aud IL became lcke throughout com
muuity marked for its whimsical love OF
humor. Whenever an impoitiut stranger
came to town IL was regarded as wit to
| introju uce him to Stevens and sex for the
story. Although this was often repested,
Stevens never seemed to appreciate the
fact tbst be vas the object OF ridicuie.
How often have seen him 'wsllop" the
tobacco ibout in bis mouth with pleasure
al the though, that bis time had come at
last, and how familiar we're bis introduc
ory words:
1t may not be OF vital interest. you nm
derstsnd but You never can tell what .
vital Interest is ill you have beard 1t, for
a story IS not ttory till it's told but IL
WAS 10 lsI9 Now OF coarse there are
thousands OF men in this community who
hsvs grown up since then certainly, for ss
you can well see | am no younger. and
they may ant indeed they have not any
patience with things that took place way
back there, but We haven't the time to
take them into account. have begun to
gusse a mans intelligence surely o
young mans by the wsy be listens to
som ehing told by other men, Well
But sre you certain, Bob, it WAS 10
1s4o2 some one at this point would invsri
sbly ask. Here look OF trouble would
come iuto the narrstor's eyes.
Why, OF course know what year il was
| have oil my life made II point never to
tell thing that hasn't been thoroughly
verified In my own mind.
But you know man is likely to DO mis-
taken.
Oh, know that ss we'll rs anybody. |
and no one could be more careful than l
EN-, because | = wouldn't mislesd child
II | could avoi ii.
The misleading Of child is srAvtr
of snse 10 the sight VI the Lord than tb,
misleading OF 3 man. an authority on
morals and early irosts would here re
mark.
Thal's true. Stevens would declare.
know II, end wbenev ~ talk t. chil
dren l always bear that f.ct in mind. -
Bot your story. Bob2 We all want to
bear 1t.
Yes; oil right. l suppose many Of you
older men remember I'D Lestherhead
Dawson. Lived out here on the old mill
tsry road. He
IL be the man who owned the two hssi
cd calf2
1t vas two headed pig.
No; |, was cali.
Well, nov. hold on. ] oush, t, knew
for be and were
I'll bet you $40 it was a calf,
On several occasions the money was
put ur, but it could never be settled,
though Stevens always maintained. and
sometimes with violence. that the freak
was pig. oace be called Sam DAbuey q
liar, and any one who knows the Dsbney
family can we'll imseiue what the result
might have been had 20, some one sug
eested . drink oil sronnd.
AZ Stevens became older he became
morbid. Ooce be armed himself and
swore one 10 that town mus, b, ~ the end
Of The story. The mayor. s dry . fellow
ss ever jilted . jug. He'd for volunteers,
snd one msn came forssrd. or rather was
pushed forward. he wss luraed over to
Stevsne, and lhe ether. With rev. The
story bad proceeded, as sss said, pact the
9Th trot, through The hobble snd into the
lsisurely walk when S evsrs discovered
,hs. the man vss deaf mute. He sued
the mayor. bnt 10 lice 10 that Community
sn slou, AID the case bever came 10 irisl.