Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1900-02-02
AT THE PISTOLS POINT.
By T. ". looming.

hoarse Outside the scene had all the
CHEEKY sparkle, all the peaceful glamour
of an old fashioned Christmas card.
There was the snow covered village,
there the church spire coated all down
one side, the chancel windows standing
out like oil paintings, the silver sickle
of a moon, the ideal matched cottage,
with warm, red light breaking from
the open door, and the peace Of heaven
seemingly pervading and enveloping
all Yet on earth we know that this
peace is not, and the door of the ideal
cottage had been opened and was shut
by a crushed woman. whose husband
had but now refused her pennies for the
plate with a curse which followed her
into the snow, and the odor prevailing
beneath the matched roof was one of
hot brandy and water, mingled with
the fumes Of some rank tobacco.
Old Fitch was over 60 years Of age
and the woman on her way to church
was his third wife. She had borne him
no child, nor had Fitch son or daughter
living who would set foot inside his
house He was a singular old man, self
ish and sly and dissolute, yet not great
ly dsliked beyond his own door, and
withal miracle of health and energy
for his years. He drank TO his hearts
content, but he was never drunk, nor
was Sundays bottle ever known to lose
him the soft side of Mondays bargain
BY trade he was game dealer, corn fac
tor, money lender and MORTGAGE of
half the VILLAGE in appearance a man
of medium height, with bowlegs and
immense round shoulders, a hard mouth,
shrewd eyes and why hair as white as
the snow outside.
The bells ceased, and for a moment
there was no sound in the cottage but
the song of the kettle on the hob. Then
Fitch reached for the brandy bottle and
bTewed himself another steaming bum
per AS he watched the sugar dissolve
few notes from the organ reached his
ears, and the old man smiled cynically
as he slipped and smacked his lips. At
his elbow his tobacco pipe and the week
ly newspaper were ranged with the
brandy bottle, and he was soon in en-
joyment of all three. over the paper
Fitch had already fallen asleep after a
particularly hearty midday meal, but he
had not so much as glanced at the most
entertaining pages, and he found them
more entertaining now than usual
There was a scandal in high life run
+ ming to several columns and subdiyided
into paragraphs labeled with the most
pregnant headlines. The old man 5
mouth watered as he determined to
leave this item to the last. 1t was not
the only one Of interest. There were
several suicides, an admirable execu-
tion, burglary, and-what: Fitch
frowned as his quick eye came tumbling
down a paragraph; then all at once be
gasped out an oath and sat very still.
The pipe in his mouth went out. the
brandy and water was cooling in his
glass You might have heard them sing
ing the psalms in the church hard by,
but the old man heard nothing saw
nothing, thought of nothing but the
brief paragraph before his eyes
Escape from Portland one convict
killed, another wounded, but a thiTd
gets clean away
The greatest excitement was caused
at Weymouth yesterday morning on th,
report being circulated that several con
victs had effected their escape from tn,
grounds of the Portland convict estab
lishment. There appears to have been {
regularly concerted plan on the part o.
the prisoners working in one of tn,
outdoor gangs to attempt to regain thei
liberty, as yesterday morning three con
victs bolted simultaneously from thei
party They were instantly challenged
to stop; but as the order was not com
piled with the warders fired seyera
shots. One of the runaways fell dead
and another was 20 badly wounded tina
he was Immediately recaptured and /
now lying in a precarious condition
The third man, named Henry Cater
mole, continued his course, despite
succession of shots, and was soon be
yond range of the rifles, He was pur
sued for some distance, but was ulti
mately lost to view in the thick fo
which prevailed. A hue and cry wa
raised, and search parties continued t
scour the neighborhood long after dark
but up to a late hour his recapture ha
not been effected. Cattermole will b
remem bered as the man who was sen
fenced TO death some years ago for tn
murder of Lord Wolboro's gamekeepeI
: near Bury ST. Edmunds, but who aft
erward received the benefit Of the dout
involved in the production of a wa
which did not fit the oonvicts gun.
r spite of the successful efforts then mad
on his behalf, however, the authorize
at Portland describe Cattermole as
most daring criminal and one who
only too likely to prove danger to th
community as long as he remains &
!, large "
= Fitch stared stupidity at the wore
for several minutes after he had rea
y them through. 1t was the last sentenC
;, which at length fell into focus with h
), seeing eye. Henry Cattermole at large
- How long had he been at larger 1t WI
a Sunday paper, but the Saturday ed
ton, and this was among the late
news. But it said yesterday morl
, ing, and that meant Friday morniI
> last So Henry Cattermole had been
. large since then, and this was the SUI
day evening, and that made near
. three days altogether. Another questiC
. now forced itself upon the old man
- mind. How far was it from PortlaI
!, prison-to-this-roo
= Like most rustios of his generation
" old Fitch had no spare knowledge