The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1849-07-20
A Thrilling Sketch.
The Dog Ntat cds too Jdihtuito his Maste
DY WILLIAM wHI1ToRD.

the county Of Derbyshire, England, Their
lived, long time ago, man and his viii,
by the name OF Pollard. The former wa
the keeper Of the turnpike gate, and he ha,
only been married some tvs O or three months
when the circumstance occurred Of which
we are about to write. The small tol
house in which he lived was situated at 4
point where three roads met, and in plac,
where the scenery was siDgularly wild ant
dTeary. 1t stood in a deep hollow formed
by two chains of high hills, whose sides wtr,
covered with noueht but a continuous sur
face of dark brown heath, or occasiona "
bushes Of prickly grosr. Not another houss
was to be seen for miles, ami the only evi.
deuce OF life were in the few tlocks of sheer
which were here and there browsing along
the mountains side; or the mail coach aud
few wagons which at intervals passed a.
long the road. The only person who ever
paid visit TO the toll house was butcher
named Godfrey, who called every Saturday
for the purpose Of supplying the Pollaids
with fresh meats.
Mr.. Pollard mad lived in his preseu. n
bode during several years previous to hi,
marriage; and being Of a very courageous
disposition, aud having become accustomed
:,
was not much affected thereby bu: his WIFI,
who had ever been accustomed to live in a
pcpulous town, and being withal Of very
tinid nature, now lived in a constant state
of alarm aud dread-more particularly
whenever her husband paid visit to the
neighboring town for such necessities as
they required. Aud what tended to in
crease this feeling Of alarm to a sti greater
extent, that part Of the country was at that
time infested by band Of lawless men, W no
almost nightly robbed and murdered some
unfortunate traveller, or broke into and
pundered some lone farm house nor could
the utmost vigilance Of the authorities sue
cead in detecting them. OF these men she
lived III daily dread, lest they, discovering
that her husband was possessed of a large
sum Of mouey-the savings Of former years
should seize an opportunity, when he was
from home, and murder her to obtain it,
She frequently pressed her husband 10 give
mp his station, and remove to some safer
place Of abode; but he invariably laughed
ather fears, assuring her that there was not
the least danger, as none but themselves
were aware of the fact of his possessing the
moLey in question. One day in December
he received letter, informing him that his
father was lying at the point Of death, and
earnestly wished to see him before that g.
vent took place. The letter gave him gre at
uneasiness, for, apart from the griefit oc
casioned at his fathers situation, It he we
he could not possibly return before the next
day, as his parents resided more than thirty
miles distant, and his wife would be obliged
to stay and take care of the gate. He must
go, however-hs could not refuse his father
dying request. When he impaired his in
teniion TO his wife, she was seized with the
utmost terror f; and earnestly entreated him
10 forego his resolution; nor was it until
after long time, during which he had used
the utmost endeavors 10 soo,he Ecr, that he
could venture to proceed on his journey.
II was Saturday morning when he started
and one Of the drearies, days of the season.
The snow lay thick upon the ground, and
still continued to fall heavily, causing the
face OF the surrounding scene to look more
wildly and lonely than ever. As Mrs. Pol.
lard sat in the small front apartment Of the
house, her fears gradually increased more
and more, as her imagination oujured up a
thousand dread forebodipgs, and alu,os, IA
Cied that each sound Of the wind whistliug
through the valley, was some one even now
about to break in. Time sped, when a,
length Godfrey, the butcher, approached
her terror had attained to such heiyh, tina
she determined to ask him to stay in the
house until her husband returned.
This God,re, wa, n tall. .,ow.,r,I,v huiI,
man: about forty. Gv. ar fir,v vea,s NJ ars
and with rough couutenancs bv no mean,
pr.pos,r.sinp. II. resided in a house ,oms
i've miles distant. and which wa, at lea,,
that distance from sny other. lie had nc
cupied /, for wears, followed his present bu.
sine,,, and Disposed of his meat by TAX in,
it in his wagon TO the different families in
the vicinity.
She w,s u,,c,r,;,,., nil, ,;,, until Il, ,
,i,ns nf nor ,na.,;aa.. hr,,h. sa,n;i law, WV
r;.;na fro,, hi. st l., n; W. ~ a hnnhy a
and shs c,,a;,T,, ,,;,h ,,h;.L ~. t "
inv.r;.bIx recs;y.d biz, no,, ;n,,;.aI Sa,
with more con6den,e towards Kim ,hs,
! from his IooL, .hs I'D o,har,.,;''
done. N ''"'' "''' nav
~ am 40 Glad vou are come y, s,;d Ayrs
Pollard. a, the butcher entered her dwell
ING. "John has CON. 10 sec his Ia,hsr. VIII,
is not expected TO live. and win no, return
until TO. morrow. and am nenrlv frioh,.n.
ed to death, for we have got more Than .
hundred SOW erei,ns in the hou,e. and fany
of these robbers were to come, ih.y wuulJ
nun der me. Won't YOU stop and kee, m,