Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1910-10-07

yards on each side Of the besieged
was stretch Of bare open ground.
Standing near was a hand truck
used in the manipulation Of small
freight 1t stood by shed full Of
sacked wool, consignment from one
OF the sheep ranches On this truck
the marshal and his men piled three
heavy sacks Of wool. STOPPING low,
Buck Patterson started for Calliope's
fort, slowly pushing this loaded truck
before him for protection. The posse,
scattering broadly, stood ready to nip
the besieged in case he should show
himself in an effort to repel the Jug
gernaut Of justice that was creeping
upon him. Only once did Calliope
make demonstration. He fred from a
window, and some tufts Of wool spurt-
ed from the marshals trustworthy bull
wark
The marshal was too deeply en-
crossed in steering his protected bat
tleship to be aware of the approach Of
the morning train until he was within
few feet OF the platform. The train
| was coming up on the other side of It.
| 1t stopped only one minute at Quick
sand What an opportunity it would
| offer to Calliope! He had only to step
out the other door, mount the train
/ and away
Abandoning his breastworks, Buck,
VT tha
steps and into the room. driving open
the closed door with one heave Of his
weighty shoulder The members of
the posse heard one shot fred inside.
| and then there was silence.
At length the wounded man opened
his eyes. After a blank space he
! again could see and hear and feel and
/ think. Turning his eyes about, he
| found himself lying on wooden
bench. A tall man with a perplexed
countenance, wearing big badge
with CITY Marshall engraved upon 1t,
/ stood over him. A little old woman
/ in black, with q wrinkled face and
/ sparkling black eyes, was holding a
wet handkerchief against one Of his
temples. He was trying to get these
/ facts fixed In his mind and connected
with past events when the old woman
/ began to talk.
There now, great, big, strong man.
That bullet never fetched you-jest
skeeted along the side Of your head
and sort of paralyZed you for a spell
I've heerd Of sech things afore. Con
cussion is what they names 1t. Abel
/ Watkins used to kill squirrels that
way-barkin' 'em, Abe called 1t. You
jest been barked, sir, and you'll be
all right in little bit. Feel lots bet
ter already. don't you? You just lay
still awhile longer and let me battle
your head. You don't know me. !
reckon, and 'tain't surprisin' that you
shouldn't. l come in on that train
from Alabama to see my son. Big son
amt he? Lands, you wouldn't hardly
think he'd ever been a baby, would
you? This is my son, sir"
Half turning, the old woman looked
up at the standing man, her worn face
lighting with a proud and wonderful
smile. She reached out one veined
and calloused hand and took one OF
her sons. Then. smiling cheerily dowr
at the PROSTATE man, she continued te
dip the handkerchief in the waiting
room tin wash basin and gently apply
it to his temple.
Il amt seen my son before" sh,
continued, "in eight years. One Of my
nephews, Elkanah Price, he's a con
ductor on one Of them RAILROADS, ant
he got me pass to come out here.
can stay whole week on it, and thel
it'll take me back ag'in. Jest think
now, that little boy Of mine has got t
be a ofticer-a city marshal Of Who'll,
town! That's somethin' like a con
stable, amt 1t? l never knowed b,
was officer He didn't say nothin
about it in his letters. I reckon b,
thought his old mother d be skeere,
about the danger he was In. But
laws, | never was much Of hand t,
git skeered. 'Tain't no use. I heart
them guns a-shootin' while was git
tin off them cars, and I see smok
a-comin' out Of the depot, but I jes
walked right along. Then see som
face lookin' out through the window
l knowed him at oncet. He met me a
the door and squeezed me most t
death. And there you was. sir, a-lyir
there jest like you was dead, and
lowed we'd see what might be don
to help sot you up"
81 think I'll sit up now," said tn
concussion patient. I'm feelln' pre-
ty fair by this time"
He sat, somewhat weakly yet, lear
ing against the wall He was rus
ged man, big boned and straight Hi
eyes, steady and keen. seemed to liz
ger upon the face Of the man standin
so still above him. His look wandere