Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-11-22

Gu0 uOttSc. l Ibo lOuu BuOTlQR Ol Gl6 old folks, the occasional cough of one of the children, the chirp of cricket and the croak of a frog were the only sounds which dis turbed the almost perfect quiet.
 "'Twan't no harm nohow," she said to herself. "Ther law ain't no right to put yer in jail fur makin' money CT whisky And the moon travelled on. F'He did it, that thar Dobson." And again she relapsed into silence.
 Soon she arose and shook herself, as if to throw off the chill of the night air. She lighted the dip of tallow and placed it on chair; then she reached up over the door and took long rifle down from it's rest ing place on pair of tree forks. She extracted the charge with 8 long rod, wiped the gun clean and reloaded it; then she placed it back where she found it., removed her faded calico dress and went to bed. Her loud breathing soon told that she was asleep.
 In the morning she performed her household duties as If nothing had happened. No word was spo- ken of Eph except by the oldest boy, who asked once when "pop Il be back" No one answered him. The sun came out again in all its fierce ness. The children began their play and the old people their talk. When all were busy Mandy took the old rifle down from the rack over the door. She shouldered the weapon with the strength and sleight of . strong man and started off down the road. She seemed in hurrY for she took long strides like man Her body swayed in tune to her step, either from the weight of the gun or from habit.
 She passed several persons with the usual salutation, "Mornin' r She looked neither to the left nor to the right. Finally she reached a lane where the hazel bushes skirt ed the road. She walked more care fully then. She peered into field through an opening, but did not seem satisfied, for she continued her walking. She stopped again short ly and looked through the bushes. In the field, about twenty paces dis tant, was man patiently hoeing his corn. She poked the rife through the bushes just as the sol itary laborer strengthened up, took off his hat and wiped the perspira~ tion from his face with his shirt sleeve. She glanced along the bar rel of the gun. There was sharp report, and the man fell over in a furrow The blood flowed from a hole in his temple.
 Then Mandy replaced the gun on her shoulder. She walked off down the road without a. word. When she arrived at her home she put the rife in its resting place and went about her duties.
 In the afternoon the rumble of road wagon was heard below the house. It came nearer. All went to the door to see who 1t was. The wagon stopped before the house, All knew the. driver. It was Bill Bucker, the constable. As he climb ed over the fence all in the house started out to meet him.
 ''Mandy, I wan yer ter go with me fur ther sho2tin' of Dobson." :
 The woman's face was. as immov- able as it had been when she sat at the window the night before. Eph's father and mother and the children looked at her fxedly.
 "All right, Bill; I'll go with yer. And with this she climbed into the wagon.
 '.Zach," she said to the oldest child, "yer go over to yer Aunt Minerva's an tell her to cum round an look after yer all" The wagon rattled down the road, and the -chil- dren and old people looked after it.