Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1905-01-16

0cSCuAUcE OcOFSe was alone III
the office. He had just finished
- writing some letters when JEFF
Truitt came in and stood near the
stove. He was a slender young man, |
under twenty-five, short and frail look
ing. His clothing was ragged and his
sandy hair unkempt. Buckley looked
at him n smiled. Been getting your
self into no end of rows over home"
he remarked. MY mother tells me
they sent you a deaths head the other
night, and your father said somebody
shot at you in the field"
That's all So, George" said Truitt
gloomily. II reckon I've been shootin'
off my mouth a little too much"
Il really thought you had more sense
than to report that desperate gang over
there for m~oonshining," said George
in a kindly tone.
wouldn't "a done it eff I'd been
SOBER" replied Truitt. They made
me mad when l was full, an I done
'em all the harm l could"
"Well, what are you going to do about
it, jeff"
That's what l come to ak you,
George. Ma and pa are mighty nigh
crazy about it, an I give 'em my word
I'd come an AK yore advice. By gum
they think they'll go to you when they
die! Eff you was me would you GO
back e thar today, George? II
got another warnin' last night; in fact,
six or eight Of 'em was scattered all
about the place. | say warnin', but /
reckon they was wuss than that; they
was to pa an ma an SAID eff they
ketched me they wouldn't do a thing
to me-"
"Well, there's some consolation in
that" said George dryly.
"You know [ hain't afeard O. any rea-
sOnable number o. men," said Truitt in
his whining voice, but when a whole
regiment of 'em comes to drink a fell
ler's blood l jest git ratified an want
to make tracks. Eff I had my way,
though. I'd go back home an defy 'em,
but mas mighty nigh crazy"
"No; you'd better stay in town today
~4nvway. jeff" said Buckley after a
moments reflection. go up to the
Johnston House and get your breakfast
take all your meals there while you
are in tOWn-I've got an account there;
tell them to charge it to me. Stay in
town tonight anyway. I'll see you to-
morrow. I'm very busy today. Do
yOu think the gang would dare follow
you here?"
They might, George. They raised a
rumpus here about a year ago, you
know-whippin' niggers in Niger
town.
Later in the morning Buckley met
the town marshal, Joe Batey, on the
street. The officer wore a broad brim-
med hat, a dark blue suit of clothes
with brass buttons and carried a pO-
liceman's club strapped to his wrist
George gravely explained he situation
to him, but the officer refused to con
cern himself in the matter.
Look v here, George Buckley" he
said. do you recko I'm paid measly
town wages to do both town and coun-
ty work? Eff the sheriff cayn't keep
down them riots over har in the noun
tains. [ cayn't. Fer $50 a month I'm
expected to do police duty in daytime,
Waterman at night an act as cOrone
VII SDocIdI OCCdS1Ol1Ss DCSllCO, OCh
Truths gettin' entirely too numerous.
Every time he gets full he wants to
scratch some o. them daredeyilS' eyes
out. He's a funny chap. They say
when he's drunk he'd fight a swarm o
wildcats, but when he's sober he'd
scare at the sight of a baby pOpgun,
an, on top o. that, when he sobers up
he's so stubborn he'd die fore he would
apologize fer what he's done. What
you goin' to do with a man like that?
He's no ornament to the community"
Well, | only thought I'd let you
know the situation" George smiled as
he walked on. "AIl [ want to do is to
save the fellows neck"
George saw no more of Jeff Truitt
that day. He had some important cal
culatiOns to make in connection with
the sale of certain large quantities of
cotton to mills in the east. and he was
closely occupied in his Office till past
midnight. When he had finished he
went to the front door of the ware
house to get a breath of fresh air be
fore retiring. He did not feel sleepy
Such work as he had been doing usu-
ally had a contrary effect on him. SUI
denly he heard a shout up the stree'
' in the direction of the Johnston Ihou
a revolver was fired, and a sfun 'o0e
cried out. Thar he goes, ooss.
This was followed by a CHATTER OF
MANY faet on tbe brick sidewalk, a
storm of furious ejacuIaIIole anu 81
fed oaths, and b a DARK nulhan Oil
low rushed down the street IN c
ley's direction. 1t was a mob pursu
ing JEFF Truitt.
Hardly knowing why he did it
George ran into his office and secured
his big revolver from the drawer of hi:
desk and turned back quickly to the
door. He was just in time, for the
] mob, numbering fifty or more, was no
@op Yards AWAY Painting and almOS