The Irish standard., 1899-05-20
Stolen Guards
0NE evening in November my father,
! at sunper remarked:
By Lewis B. Miller.

L x4>4I CNOnAAS5 III 4>OSSAAOC1
" at supper, remarked:
Jim Williams told me to-day thath
had about 400 pounds of cotton stolen.
Our wagon is in pretty good place to
be robbed, away up there at the back
of the field"
My brother Dape suggested that he
and I sleep in the wagon, as we had
often done earlier in the season, just
because we liked it; but this evening a
norther was blowing, and we expected
u night of rain and storm. We could,
however, be comfortable enough by COW
ering ourselves with cotton.
'"That's a good idea," said my IA
ther.
But mother laughingly remarked:
"Thieves could steal half the load out
from under you two sleepyheads, and
you wouldn't know it,
mo matter how sound they Sleep"
said father. "Sneak-thieves would ske-
daddle the instant they found some.
body there"
So, not long after supper, Dape and
I went back to the wagon. We found
it just as we had left it, packed full
of seed cotton ready to be hauled to the
gin, and covered with the white canvas
sheet, which was spread over bows and
fastened along the sides of the box, and
tied down over the end boards. The
two end bows Of the cover were missing,
and the sheet, there unsupported, slant
ed down in front and behind.
The night was dark. While not Sc
yerely cold, the wind, like all Texas
northers, bad penetrating chill that
made our teeth chatter.
Standing on the brake, united the
sheet at the side, then put my head I'M
der it and climbed upon the cotton.
Dape crawled up after me, after tying
the sheet again.
Taking off our boots and outer
clothes, we put them in the fore end.
Then we crawled back and began to
hollow out bed, pilng the cotton
forward. When the bed was deep
enough, we got into it, by side, and
raked the cotton back upon ourselves.
Lastly, we worked our arms under, and
were ready to sleep.
BY this time the wind was driving
rain-drops against the wagon sheet, and
soon there was a constant pattering
over us. This meant no cotton picking
the next day, and Dape and felt free
to lie awake till late. talking. The last
thing heard was the wind and rain,
which dashed against the wagon so
violently that it rocked and ratified as
if in motion.
-Four hours I slept as only healthy
boy can, who has worked from day
light till dark; but again I became
vaguely aware of that rocking and rat
Ting of the wagon. The wind must be
violent now; wasn't it lifting the wagon
OFF the ground? I could feel the iolts
as the wheels came down.
Drowsily I conceived that the wagon
might be blown over and rose up on
my elbow, still half-aslcep. Twas in alb.
solute darkness. All could hear was
the beating of the rain and the Tapping
of the sheet.
Just then came a jolt--anotherl Then
I knew. The wind did not cause the
jolting. The wagon was moving-trav.
cling!
Startled, sat up, wide awake and
frightened. What could it mean?
Strange tales came back to me, and I
seemed to be in the midst of one stranger
than any. Who had ever heard of
wagon starting off across country of its
own accord-pulling itself?
In great wonder l began to investi-
gate. Untying the sheet at one side, l
raised it and put my head out in the
rain. There was little light from a
clouded moon, and could see that the
wagon was not an automobile. One
horse was in view, and knew there
must be another. The driver-but were
there not two? heard one mans voice.
though not his words.
Hastily I drew in my head. and wiped
the cold water from my face and neck.
Who were these thieves that had put
their horses to my fathers wagon and
cotton? I had heard of a similar case
in an adjoining county. A wagon load