The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-05-31

without fear Of purloinng. SO their door
was never locked. Their esthetic taste APP
peared In the sumptuous furnishings OF
their abode. No carpet covered the floor
ana IL was never swept; an old-fashioned
table held the center of the room; an ancient
secretary was the receptacle for rything
except what is customarily put into such an
article OF furniture; an old sofa invited the
weary Shade to repose; the chairs-well
these changed so often with the varying
needs OF the club for fuei or other uses, it is
not easy TO describe them; "box stove, I"
supported on three legs and brick, when
there was fuel, dispelled the chills of the
early fall and spring and the cold of winter.
Ihls completed the furniture OF the room.
AS 10 1ueiT IL was an unwritten law that
no money should be wasted on stove wood.
The revenues of the Shades were needed
Tor other uses. Down in the room on the
second floor, on the State and Main street
corner, met an older order OF citizens,
somewhat severer in their notions OF some
things. They laid in goodly store of dry
wood, and had confidence in their younger
neighbors on the third floor. Their wood
however, disappeared faster than the state
OF the weather and their own requirements
warranted. An investigation in the realms
Oh "Ihe Shades" was instituted, but no in.
eliminating. evidence was found. Never
theless. stick by 3 lex, the bulk OF that gem
erous supply OF fuel had passed up to the
hoor above and had gladdened the mid.
winter nights by the warmth it had diffused.
One cold night the wood box was empty
ana the supply on the second floor was ex-
hausted. Gold on the hearth the last faint
spark expired" Then upspoke a chatter
ing Shade: "YOnder is my fathers we'll
hlled wood shed. Come with mel" A
squad OF spirits followed their pilot TO the
neigh boring wood pile. filled their arms
with we'll dried rock maple sticks and be-
gan their return. Here the precaution of
the shrewd fuel owner appeared-an omi- '
nous "bow-wow" and the plunging charge |
OF bull dog. The retreat became a stam-
line OF the vanishing shades. But the dog
was chained and pursuit was limited to the |
length OF his tether. 1t was no fault of his |
that his jowls were not decorated with an |
assorted lot OF trousers seats as trophies OF |
his fidelity. by thunder" said the parent |
to the son the next morning, that dogs a |
good one. l wouldn't take 800 for him.
Some sneak thieves tried to steal my wood |
last night and he drove them off" The
son quietly conceded that the dog was a
good one. Seems TO me that wood looks
kinder familiar" now and then Shade
would observe who recognized his property
In the provision some foraging brother had
made for the common comfort. When
wood piles were inaccessible or bull dogs
were too watchful, and the night was cold
and fuel was scarce, the emergency was
met by levying on the chairs in the adjoin-
ing band room. These had come from the
military hospital on the hill. They were
built on military principles, the legs were
readily unscrewed from the seats, the latter
were easily converted into stove wood and
the shades were warm again. When the
fortunes OF the brotherhood were az their
worst their own chairs revived the dying
embers in the box stove.
, sporting Shade once produced twenty.
nve live turkeys at headquarters and insti-
tuted lively rattle for the birds. The fun
waxed fast and furious. 80 often as a tur-
key was drawn the owner cast II behind
him, but in the excitement OF the moment
he forgot his possession, which was soon up
again Tor disposal to the holder OF lucky