Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1902-04-28
sudden anger and length of speech.

Canadian, Sandy'S sworn ally and de-
voted admirer ever since the day when
the big Scotsman, under great provo
cation, had knocked him clean off the
dump into the river and then jumped
in for him.
It was not till afterward I learned
the cause of Sandy's sudden wrath
which urged him to such unwonted
length of speech. 1t was not simply
that the Presbyterian blood carried
with it reverence for the minister and
contempt for papists and Fenians, but
that he had vivid remembrance of
how, only a month ago, the minister
had got him out of Mike Slavin's sa-
loon and out of the clutches of Keefe
and Slavin and their gang of blood
suckers.
Keefe started up with a curse. Bap-
tiste sprang to Sandy's side, slapped
him on the back and called out:
"You keel him! I'll hit (eaD him up,
me-"
1t looked as if there might be fight
when a harsh voice said in low, saw
age tone:
"Stop your row, you blank fools!
Settle it, if you want to, somewhere
else"
! 1 turned and was amazed to see old
man Nelson, who was very seldom
moved to speech.
There was a look Of scorn on his
| hard, iron gray face and Of such set
| tied fierceness as made me quite be-
lieve the tales I had heard of his dead
J ly fights in the mines at the coast. Be
fore any reply could be made the min
| lister drove up and called out in a
CHEEKY voice:
Merry Christmas. boys! Hello, San
dy! Comment ca va, Baptiste? How
do you do, Mr.. Graeme"
"First rate. Let me introduce my
friend, Mr.. Conner, sometime medical
student, now artist, hunter and tramp
at large, but not bad sort"
"a man to be envied," said the min
lister, smiling. 81 am glad to know any
friend Of Mr.. Graeme's."
liked Mr.. Craig from the first. He
had good eyes that looked straight out
at you, a clean cut, strong face, well
set on his shoulders, and altogether
an outstanding, manly bearing. He in
sisted on going with Sandy to the sta
bles to see Dandy, his bronchO, put up
Decent fellow" said Graeme; "but
though he is good enough to his bron
cho, it is Sandy that's in his min(
now"
"Does he come out often? I NEAR
are you part of his parish, so tt
speakY
81 have no doubt he thinks so, ani
I'm blowed if he doesn't make the
Presbyterians of us think so too" Ant
he added, after a pause: "a dandy 10
of parishioners we are for any man
There's Sandy, now. He would knocl
Keefe's head off as kind of religion!
exercise, but tomorrow Keefe will b.
sober, and Sandy will be drunk as &
lord, and the drunken he is the better
Presbyterian he'll be, to the preacher
disgust" Then, after another pause
he added bitterly: "But it is not TO
me to throw rocks at Sandy. l am no
the same kind of fool, but l am a foo
of several other SORTS"
Then the cook came out and beat
tattoo on the bottom Of a dishpar
Baptiste answered with a yell; but
though keenly hungry, no man woul'
demean himself to do other than wal
with apparent reluctance to his plac
at the table. At the farther end of tn
camp was big fireplace, and from tn
door to the fireplace extended the lon
board tables, covered with platters O
turkey not too scientifically carved
dishes of potatoes, bowls of appl
sauce, plates of butter, pies and smalle
dishes distributed at regular interval:
Two lanterns hanging from the roc
and a row Of candles stuck into tn
wall on either side by means of sli
sticks cast a dim, weird light over tn
scene.
There was a moments silence, an(
at q nod from Graeme, Mr.. Craig ros
and said:
81 don't know how you feel about i
men. but to me this looks good enoug
to be thankful for"
Fire ahead, sir" called out voic
quite respectfully, and the ministe
bent his head and said:
"For Christ the Lord. who came
, save us, for all the love and goodnes
we have known and for these thy gift
to us this Christmas night, our Fathe
make us thankful. Amen"
; bon! OATS fuss rate" said Bal
, tiste; Seems lax OATS make me b
, more better for sure"
And then no word was spoken for
quarter of an hour. The occasion We
far too solemn and moments too pr
cious for anything so empty as word
but when the white piles of bread al
the brown piles of turkey had for
! second time vanished and after the la
pie had disappeared there came pau'
. and hush of expectancy, whereupc
the cook and cookee, each bearing alo
n hinge blazing Dudding came forth.