News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1902-01-08

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He stood with his hand on the han
die of the bellows looking at me Will,
what said was slowly making its way
through his skull.
'Weel, noo." he said at last
Scotch knew it. I'll be taken be,
fore | can make him understand" Then
to him, "DO you want to save me from
death by guerrillas?
Certain, mon"
"Then take off that apron and give it
to me at once. Not moment to lose"
At this iuncture the desperate posi-
ton | was in entered his brain, and he
worked quickly enough once he real
lied what was wanted. | saw a wool
en- shirt, well begrimed hanging on a
nail and, seizing it, put it on. Then l
| took the smiths apron, rolled up my
sleeves, smeared my arms with cinders
and looked into bit of broken mirror
resting against the wooden wall to OBJ
serve the effect. was disappointed to
see that my face belied my calling.
"Your razor!" l exclaimed to the
| blacksmith.
He went through door leading from
! the shop to his dwelling and returned
with razor, soap and hot water, In
five minutes. had shorn my beard,
leaving a dark stubble; then, Selling
handful Of coke, rubbed out every re-
fined lineament. Taking another look
at myself, | was pleased to see that my
own mother would not know me- Seiz-
ing the handle of the bellows, | began
to blow vigorously.
"Weel, weel," laughed the black
smith, I'VE max a better lo'kin smith
than geentlemon."
play your own part WELL" | replied
"and have something nice for you at
the end Of the performance
1t was fully Is minutes after we
reached the hamlet before there were
any signs of the guerrilas, and then
three or four rode into the town and
asked for our party. Had they seen
us? Which way had we gone? and 9th
er questions, which the few people they
met responded to with a grunt or a
shake Of the head. put my head out
to see and, recognizing one of them,
drew back and began to blow my bel
lows as if my life depended on it. And
it did. Presently one of the outlaws
rode up to the shop.
Hello. thar" he shouted.
"Waal," replied, still blowing and
keeping my face turned from him.
''Sern Il man. two women, boy an
Niger 20 through the town."
"Uain't seen no one"
"ShoT'
"Sho lnG'
He rose off. but | knew the storm
hari~1fut-ypt blown over went on :
working the bellows, and it was well
did so, for presently more of the band
rode into town, and one of the horses
having lost a shoe, its rider dismounted
in front Of the shop and told me to put
it on.
This was something l had not count
ed on. | knew no more about horse
shoeing than about knitting. but | put
bold face on the matter and went to
work
"What the - yo' doin? yelled the
man. "Air yo goin ter put that shoe
on with nary trimmn?
Don't yo' s'pose | know my bust
ness" ! cried, bristling. Il was only
fittin it,"
With that l seized knife and began
to cut. But | was too excited to pare
the hoof even if had been an expert,
and in another moment the man yelled
again, EFF yo cut that critters hoof
off, I'll brain yo'r
Here, Sandy" / cried to the black
smith within, come shoe this mans
critter He thinks he knows more'n |
do about shoein."
The blacksmith finished the job, |
while l, pretending to be greatly irri- |
tated. was glad to escape into his |
dwelling house. Going to a front win
dow and dropping a curtain so that | !
could look into the road without being |
seen, | took a view of the situation.
The guerrilIas were scattered about the
town, some riding around the houses |
hunting for us. others sitting on their |
horses, questioning the Inhabitants as |
to our whereabouts. Captain Ringold |
was in command. A negro boy was |
playing "hopscotch" on the sidewalk. |
The captain called to him:
"Yo' boy thar, didn't yo' see anybody |
go this way awhile ago|
1.-TWO women an a boy bout big IS
me?"
Eyes"
"An white mar, an a colored man"
Eyes. Which way did they co.?
"Dey's gwine right long dar." And
he pointed to path leading across the
road westward.
Here, you" cried the captain to two
men who were watering their horses
at a wooden trough in front of the
shop, "strike out on that path"
The men darted away, leaving the
captain alone in the road A little old
woman came out of a house opposite
and began to guy him in cracked
voice poking fun at him for not being
able to catch a party Of women. She
talked so Familiarity with him that !
began TO suspect she knew him. l
trembled for fear she would betray us,
"You ms amt wo'th a persimmon,'
she said. "With them critters legs I'M
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