Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-05-27

cudHSln SnapeS Dack IoFIn. blfds becomes animals, Il animals birds; m men n women become cows n pigs n cats n back to human shape agin. shall m so will you, n if I change fust, I'll find some way O tellin' you, n believe he would, jest as sure ez 1 believe I'm Twin. Then agin, he was good deal younger n am, n what l call handy in the woods. Give him an ax n a gun n drop him down in the middle O wilderness, n he'll take keer O himself in the dead O winter. His sense O hearin an smellin was keener n q fox's, n he could see bird or hear a squirrel a mile off, m ez fur trackin game, he could beat any dog that ever run"
 T don't recall him very we'll" as- serted Martin, but I remember there was a bitter hatred between him and his brother, and I always supposed he was out of his mind when he dis appeared. Of course I heard of the peculiar will, but imagined the law had settled that long ago."
 "I don't believe no law kin rob Q live man O what he inherits," an swered old Cy, earnestly, Tn if Aunt Comfort n Angie was mind, they cud make old Dave trouble. They won't, though. It hain't Aunt Com forts natur'"
 Tell me what sort of looking man Amzi was" continued Martin, as Q curious thought came to him, "and what were his peculiarities. I don't recall him very well.'
 Wal, he was tall n lanky, with wide starin' eyes n queer ways. He liked to be by himself good deal, m once in a while I uster come onter him alone in the woods n twangin' jews harp. He allus carried one with him."
 For one instant Martins heart al- most stopped beating, as the wilder ness hermit, now so accurately de- scribed, flashed into mind. But, great heaven! could it be possible? And then came the thought of Angie, now growing very dear to him. and what this seeming revelation might mean to her, if true
 He sat down to think.
 fA5 d Iul0 MdI SG1uOUu 1OSI ul6 head, or spoke without thought. He had battled with shrewd, hard headed, grasping men, when a word too much or too soon meant everything, and he had learned caution. To now disclose, even by hint, what he felt was true would mean to set all Greenvale in an uproar. Old Cy might be trusted, and again he might not. It was, at least, safest not to try him.
 T don't know what to think about David's price," Martin said at last to old Cy, who stood watching him; "it staggers me- had an idea the falls and swamp above might be bought for perhaps ten thousand or less"
 And old Cy never suspected that dust had been thrown into his eyes.
 "I'd rather you'd keep to yourself what I've said, Cy," Martin added a little later: "I certainly won't pay what you say David asks, and I'm not anxious to buy at any price. If this stranger comes around again, however, let me know at once. I'd like to meet him"
 When Martin was by himself again, and could think coherently, new horizon seemed to open before him, and as might be expected, Angie was in the foreground. Most of her his tory he knew very we'll; some details had been added by the doctor, but now the situation was all changed. If this old hermit proved to be her father as Martin felt almost sure he was if he could be induced to return to Greenvale and assert his rights, what must it mean to Angie and Aunt Com fort? The half-demented, or queer condition of mind, in which the old fellow seemed to be. was another fac tor, and what could be done with him in Greenvale? It was a problem hard to solve, and, turn 1t which way he would, one that was pathetic, tragic, and almost horrible.
 It was long past midnight that night ere he ceased thinking of it, or de- cided upon course of action.