The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-04-20
Asshur' sStory.


! was not silly enough TO delay obey
ing the call.
found Goodman Morss standing
lsaning against the wall OF the meeting
house, supporting grandmother, who
was white as ashes save that her lips
were OF purplish color. AS 4 came
up saw a shudder pass over her / ran
headlong 10 the brook "A few rods away
and brought some water in my has,
and he dashed IL over her face, where
upon she Immediately showed signs of
recovery.
Then II came upon me that all the
people about were very odd and
strange. They eyed my grandmother
with curious looks. and appeared to
me to want 10 edge away from him.
They said whispered words To each
other But 1 do not think he noticed
anything. His whole mind was on his
wife. All at once she opened her eyes,
saw him, and flung herself closer still
on his breast She spoke his name iH
low voice that had a wondrous love
In IL.
He withdrew one arm from her and
took off his hat and looked up 20
heaven. saying aloud:
"Oh. Almighty God. thank thee,"
Then they all pressed into the meet
Ing house. AS we were going i'm some
one plucked at my jacket sleeve. and
there was Israel He screwed up his
lips close To my ear and whispered:
Horse hair is better than twne."
He drew back and his countenance
was so solemn / hardly knew II. and /
almost doubted that he had spoken 10
me.
At first, when the sermon began, |
was watching my grandmothers face
ana fearing she would have another
ht Presently. however. my mind went
on 20 the one subject that horse hair
was better than twine. | decided how
| would pull some hairs out OF the
mares tail when ! put her in the barn
after sunset that very night, which 4
did 1 was very very cunning and
seighty with my hands.
The next night when the candle was
lighted and my grandfather was read
ing aloud N chapter of the Scriptures,
his leg suddenly twitched far 10 one
eide so violently that the candle and
little round stand whereon IL stood wera
knocked down 10 the floor and the hi.
BILE came nigh going into the fire.
was at the far end of the room, be-
ing an attentive boy. With all my
might I sprang forward and made great
show Of helping.
1t being mild night the fire wa,
low, and IL was 80 very dusky i'm the
hair moose round one of the legs OF the
table.
When all was again to rights j sat
me down once more on the stool I'm the
corner and listened to the word being
read.
/ was all the more eager at the doing
of this. for l had had a taste OF the OK
hide that night because / was charged
with drying mp the roam COW with not
milking fast enough.
He had got we'll into the next chap!er
when the stand, with the candle and
the book on IL. began to slide slowly
along the floor. with no mortal touching
IL, 1t moved In this fashion till it came
To Knot In the planks, and down it
went. There was darkness again. save
for the glow OF the Goals on the hearth.
We were all very still. I was near
bursting with laughter Still. such was
the evil and the deceit i'm me that
managed To cry out in a trembling
voice that L was afraid.
Very soon my grandfather stood up
and began 10 pray loudly. Ny grand
mother crept a little nearer TO him. He
asked that the Lord would keep his
household from the powers of witch
craft
l was soon sent 10 bed / managed
to slip my moose hair line into my Jack
ct before i went up to the pallet under
| laughed as I undressed. put when /
was on my bed in the dark my tricks
did not seem so fancy. and | resolved
| would have no more OF them. But
when the daylight came l forgot my
good intentions
That very day. when ] was sent for
my grandfather's awl and thread
which We're by the window. l hid them
up my sleeve, and presently l threw
them up the chimney when he did not
notice. He saw them when they came
down. He turned white
l did plenty of tricks which are not
to my credit to tell about. l thought
all the time I was having great enjoy
ment. while I'm the bottom OF my heart
was something which kept aching, and
l did not know what ii was.
/ was very sly. ] stopped in time the
making Of my tricks on the goodman.
| began them on a calf and "a colt he
was raising for Deacon Loud, who liV-
ca the other side Of Pine Hill. | kept
the calf a roaring by putting e---Aa4t,-
pointed stick inside the strap on Its
neck I kept the colt suffering by
means of small things which were so
cruel that 1 am ashamed 20 tell any
more about them. The more I did these
things the less sorry | was for them
when IL came dark ana | was in my
could laugh beneath the coverings
when I thought how the cair had jump
ed and moaned when my grandfather
tried to lead her 10 the COW.
one day the colt was so maddened.
apparently by nothing. though I knew
what II was. that IL jumped wildly at
wall and fell on IL. swapping the bone
in one foreleg. 1, gave such a scream
that | thought my thrOat would burst
just at the hearing. | put my hands
10 my ears and ran off over the pas
ture | did not know whether I was
called or not. When I did go back my
grandfathers face was very stern and
I was sure my grandmother had been
weeping. ! was sent away on tho mare
the i've miles that lay between US aud
the man who owned the colt When !
gave him the message 7 Was bid 60 de-
liver. he looked At me blackly ana said
that he was convinced now that rumor
was true, and therc were unholy deal
ings at Brother l4emucl MUrss' house.
and that Morss musl be dealt with for
,t..rLFnov tba black He had hanf,