Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1857-07-30
THE wATcHMAN's STORY
BY ETHAN CARLETON.

ffHH eicWiJ dloiiS NJ ocoj "sShth
that ! was not a single man and
watehmap, but married man, an
at home snug in bed, womal
touched me on the shoulder.
whats in the wind now?' says ]
"A row in the family, or do you wan
nights lodging?'
| couldn't see her face, for th'
very good reasons that there was M
/ light near, and she wore veil ove1
her features. The voice was so swee1
as she answered me however, that
longed to lift the veil, for l felt sure
she was handsome.
%, sir, you are the watchman, ain'
| your 30
Yes ma am, or miss said |, wish
ing to be polite; is there anything |
can do for your
If you wish to prevent murder
being done tonight said she, in a
trembling voice, watch the empty
store, pumber 96. closely, all night
Will you promise to do so? There
will be those who will try to enter
there
/ promised to keep my eye on the
/ place, and asked her to tell me what
she knew about it.
%, nothing; ! kpow nothing, she
faltered, shrinking back. ! only
suspect-but DO be sure and watch
the store
And she hnrried out Of sight be-
fore | had considered whether it was
! ibest to detain her.
"A murder!' thought |, and in
number 96?'
1t didn't seem probable to me,
flor the store had been closed for over
a year. 1t was an old building, and
the owner was in Europe. It's last
occupant had failed and ab.coDded,
and was supposed to be dead. at
first thought, as sauntered back.
past the store, that the woman might
be little crazy. as we often meet such
wanderers in the streets, and then |
began to suspect that she might be
in league with wilkins, who intended
to rob some other place on my beat,
and so wished me to be occupied in
watching the empty story. tried
the door and window aud found them
fast, and then passed TO aud fro,
keeping nearer the store than !
should otherwise have done, when
suddenly | heard the cry Of fire.
at the other eud Of the street, and
immediately afterwards, a man shout
ing at the top of his langs, came
running past me.
9Where is the fire?' asked
He mentioned the number and said
he was going to the nearest engine
house, and ran on.
1T is as | suspected thought |,
fastening to the end of the street,
The design was upon another store.
When arrived ut the spot dtsig.
mated, all VAS quiet. stood in the
middle Of the street and watched
both sides closely but saw no signs ol
smoke, FIRE or even alarm in the
vicinity, save two or three night.
capped heads which were popped out
Of some windows, to see, like myself
what was not to be seen.
| 'Were is the fire?' they asked
If you don't know, | don't, said
]. not a little netti,1 at the hoax. 81
must have been false alarm.
'Outrageous!' said one OF the
night-caps, with a gro@l. Waking
people up in The middle of the night
and making them get up out Of their
warm beds for nothing And III
slammed down bis window as If !
was a misfortune that bis house wal
not on fire. Luckily, the. alarm has
not spread, and the fire department
were not victimized as they oftel
are.
The second time I've been hoax
{ ed to night thought I. 4 will keeE
my eyes upon the next customer
II wonder il they take me for fOol.
!; Feeling very much like fool,
, walked back on my round. and hav
ing a sort of a spite against numbe
96. which ] considered hoax nnmbe
one, kicked the door,
To my surprise, it flew open with
|, out resistance, and ] found mysel
sprawling upon the threshold, A
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