Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-03-03


after that there was long. complete
silence. while the miry corners were
undisturbed by single hoof beat. No
unkempt colt nickered from his lnus,y
stall. The sparse young corn that used
to nod and chuckle grccnly stood rigid
In the fields Up the Plattville pike
dcspairingy cacklcd one old hen, with
her wabbling, sailor run. smit with n
supersttious horror of rothing. She
hid herself in the shadow underneath
rickety barn and was still
Only on the Windy farm were there
signs of life. The old lady who had
sent lIarkless roses sat by the window
all morning and wiped her eyes. watch
ing the horsemcn ride by. Sometimes
they would hail her and tell her there
was nothing yet. About o'clock her
husband ratified up in blackboard and
got out the shotgun of the late and
more authentic Mr.. Windy. This ne
carefully cleaned and oiled in spite OF
its hamlnerlcss and quite useless con-
dition. sitting meanwhile by the win
dow opposite his wife and often look
ing up from his work to shake his
weak fist at his neighbors' domiciles
and crcak decrepit curses and denun
Citations.
But the Crossroads was ready. II
knew what was coming now. Fright
ened desperate, sullcn. it was ready.
The afternoon wore on. and lcnCthcn
ing shadows fell upon IL peaceful one
would have said n sleeping country.
The sun dried pike. already dusty
stretched its serene length between
green borders necked with purple and
yellow and white weed flowers, and
the tree shadows were not shade. bu,
warm blue and lavender glows in the
general pervasion of still, bright light;
the sky CURING its deep, unburnished,
penetrable blue over all. with no sin
gle drift of fleece upon it TO be reflect.
cd in the creek that wound along past
willow and sycamore. dimplCd but IN
murmuring. a woodpcckers tclcera
ply broke the quiet like "A vollcy o.;
pistol shots.
But far eastward on the pike there
SION ~ htN 'loDtd IL Sol W lllt IlIZp.
It. grew denser and Ia. ger and grad
ually rolled nearer. Dimly behind il
could be discerncd darker. moving
nucleus that extended far back upon
the road.
A heavy tremor began to stir the air;
faint manifold sounds, n waxing in.
crcasing, multitudinous rumor.
The pike assembled long slight slone
leading west up to the Crossroads.
From thickct of ironweed at the
foot of this slope was thrust tho Nisago
Of an understood girl of fourteen. Her
cloud of dust intently. A redness rose
under the burnt yellow skin and col
orcd the wizened cheeks.
They were coming.
She stepped quickly out Of the tangle
and darted up the road. She ran with
the speed Of a feet little terrier, not
opening her lips. not calling out, but
holding her two thin hands high above
her head; that was all. But Birnnm
wood was come to Dunsinane ut last,
and the messenger sped. out OF the
weeds in the corner of the snake fence,
in the upper part of the rise. silently
lifted the heads of men whose sallow.
ness became Il sickish white as the child
dew by.
Tho mob was carefully organized.
They had taken ther time and had
prvyE "sd everything deliberately. know
Ing tkMt nothing could stop them No
one had any thought of conccalment
1t was all as open ns the light Of day,
all done in the broad sunshine Moth
ing had been determined as to what
was to be done ut the Crossroads more
definite than that the place was to be
wiped out. That was comprehensive
enough the details We're quite certain
70 occur. They were all on foot, march
ing in fairly regular ranks. In front
walked Mr.. Watts. the man IIarkleSs
had abhorred in public spirit and be-
fricnded in private. Today he was Il
hero and n leader. marching To Avengo
his professional oppro-5or and personal
brother. Cool, unrufiitd and to out
ward vision unarmed. marching the
miles in his brown frocli coat and ga
erous linen, he led the way. on Csc
side of him were tle i've How!!ers, on
the other was Lige Willetts, Mr. Watts
preserving peace between the young
men with perfect tact and sang froid
They kept good order and n simili-
tude OF quiet for so many except FAR to
the rear, where old Wilkerson was
bringing up the tail of the procession,
dragging wretched yellow dog by n
rope fastened around the poor ours
protesting neck. the knot carefully ar
ranged under his right ear. In spite of
every command and protest Wilkerson
had marched the whole way uproari-
ously singing John Browns Body"
The sun was in the west when they
came in sight of the Crossroads, and
angularly against the radiance beyond.
Al they bchcid the hated settlement
the heretofore orderly ranks showed a
disposition to depart from the steady
advance and rush the shanties. VIII
let's, the Bowlders. Parker. Ross Soho.
field and a dozen others did. in fact,
brenk away and set sharp pace up
the slope.
Watts tried to call them back.
"What's the use your gettin' killed p
he shouted.
"Why not?" answered Lige, and. like
the others, was increasing his speed
when old "Wimby" rose up suddenly
from tho roadside ahead Of them and