Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-08-31

much interest in II.
DICK BULLEN. Thav was a gang
Of 'em by var yesterday out up
The river-and kinder thought o. Johnny,
and how he'd miss 'em! Maybe now, we'd
be in the way ef he wits sicki"
The father, evidently touched not only by
this pathetic picture OF Jcnnny's deprivation,
but by the considerate dclicaey Of the speaker,
hastened to assure him that Johnny was better
and that n "little fun might 'liven him up"
Whercupon Dick arose, shook himself, and
saying, am ready. Lead the way, Old Man;
here goes, himself led the way with leap,
a characteristic howl, and darted out into tho
night As he passed through the outer room
he caught up blazing brand from the hearth.
The action was repeated by the rest Of the
party, closely following and elbowing each
other and before the astonished proprietor of
rhompson's grocery was aware If tho ntcn.
ton Of his guests, the room was deserted.
The night was pitchy dark. In the first
gust Of wind their temporary torches were
extingushcd, and only the red brands dnnc-
ing and fitting in tho gloom like drunken
will 'o-thc wsps Indicated their whereabouts.
Their way led up Pine Tree canyon, ut tho
head of which broad, low, bark matched
cabin burrowed in the mountain side 1t
was the home of the Old Man, and the en-
france to the tunnel in which he worked
when he worked at all. Here the crowd
paused for a moment out of delicate defer
ence to their host, who came up painting in
the rear.
"P'r'aps VOID better hold on a second out
yer, whilst go In and see tibet things is oil
right" said the Old Man, with an indiffer-
ence he was far from feeling. The sugges-
ton was graciously accepted, the door opened
and closed on the host, and the crowd, lean
ing their backs against the wall and COVER
ing under the caves waited and listened.
For q few moments there was no sound but
the dripping Of water from the caves, and the
| them. Then the men became uneasy, and
whispered suggestion and suspicion passed
from the one to the other. "R eckon she's
caved in his hend tho first lick" "Dccoyed
him inter the tunnel and barred him up,
likely" "Cot him down and sittin' on him."
"Probly bilin suthin to hcave on us; stand
clear the door, boys!' For just then the
latch clicked the door slowly opened, and
voice said Come in out O the wet"
| The voice was neither that Of the Old Man
nor of his wife. 1t was the voice Of small
boy, its weak treble broken by that prefer
natural hoarsrnc>s which only vagabondage
and ~ habit OF premature self assertion can
give. 1t was the face Of u small boy that
looked up at theirs-a face that might have
been pretty and even refined but that it was
darkened by evil knowledge from within and
dirt and hard experience from without He
had blanket around his shoulders and had
evidently just risen from his bed, Come
in" he repcated, land don't make no noise.
The Old Mans in there talking to mar he
continued, pointing to an adjacent room
which seemed to be kitchen, from which the
Old Mans voice came in deprecating accents.
"Iet me be-, he added, queruously, to Dick
Bullcn, who had caught him up, blanket and
all, and was affecting to toss him into the
fire, "let 60 o me, you id old fool, dye We
hearf'
Thus adiured, Dick Bullen lowered Johnny
TO the ground witha smothered laugh, while
the men, entering quietly, ranged themselves
around O long table of rough boards
which occupied the center of the
room. Johnny then gravely pro-
ceeded to cupboard and brought out several
articles which he deposited on the table
"Thar's whisky. And crackers. And red
herons And cheese" He took bite of the
latter on his way to the table. Sand sugar I"
He scooped up mouthful en- route with
small and very dirty hand. "And terbacker
Thar's dried appils, too, on tho shelf, hut
don't admire 'em. Appils is swelin'. Thar"
he concluded, NOW wade In, and don't be
afeard Idon't mind the old woman. She
don't b'long to me. Slong."
He had stepped to the threshold of a small
room, scarcely larger than a closet and hold
ing in its dim recess small bed. He stood
there a moment looking at the company, his
bare feet peeping from the blanket and
nodded.
"IIello, Johnny You amt gon' to turn in
agin, are ye'" said Dick.
ayes, are" responded Johnny, decidedly
"Why, wot's up, old followr'
sim sick"
"How sickl"
ave got a FEWER And chilblains. And
roomatix,' returned Johnny, and vanished
within. After moments pause he added in
the dark, apparently from under the bed
Clothes "And biles."
There was an embarrassing silence. The
men looked at each other, and at the fire.
Even with the appetizing banquet before
them it seemed as il they might again fall
into the dependency of Thompson's grocery,
when the voice Of the Old Man, incautiously
lifted, came deprecatingly from the kitchen
Certainly Thet's so. In course they is.
A gang o. lazy, drunken loafers, and that ar
Dick Bullen's the ornariest of ALL Didn't
hev no more sabe than TO come round var
with sickness In the house and no provision,
Thet's what said 'Bullcn,' seq I, it's crazy
drunk you are, or a fool, seq !, TO think o.
such thing STAPLES seq, he you a man,
Staples and 'spect to raise HI under my
roof and invalids lynn roundr But they
would come-they would. Thet's wot you
must 'spect o. such trash as lays round fhe
Bar"
A burst Of laughter from the men followed