The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1858-07-08
THE HIGHWAYMAN

My father, who was clergyman, resi-
ded in the early part of his life on the
I.le of Weight. There he was intimate
ly acquainted with a gentle nan wbom |
shall call Beason. man of large fortune
aud great teue olencc, then far advanced
in years aud universally respected, and
from whose lips be heard the tale am
nov about TO write.
In my youth, said he, | had occasion to
90 to London on business, bat what part
Of England travelled through, or from
what town started on my journey, is
immaterial. 10 those days coach tra2el-
ing was rather more Of an adventure than
it is now, and sometimes dangerous, for
the lonely and unfrcqueuted roads and
commons to be traEerSed were often in
tested With bighwaymeD, and lives as well
as purses were sometimes lost. HoweV-
er, L was younger man than | am now.
/ had no large sum about ne to lose,
and felt 90 fears, SO took a place over
night in the True Blue which was 10
start for London the following morning.
On taking my seat in the coach | founI
il already contained two gentle men aud
one lady, who with myself made up the
number of inside passengers allowed.
took sort of half-su:ky, half-sIeepy sur
vey Of my fellow travellers, aud then es-
conced myself silently in my corner; asd
presume they did the same by me, but
no conversation ensued between Us. 1t
was very early on summers morning
whcu We left the little town, where all
seemed as hushed aud silent a. if it had
been uuinhabited, for Dot a window was
open, not a gazer ri-ible, not single
pedestrian 10 the streets; and we drove
out of it while the dew yet lay heavy
on the points of the grass. and
weighed down the young boughs of the
trees and bushes IN the hedge-rows. be-
fore even the birds were awake. Scarce.
IL awake ourselves We jolted along. aud
I at least was fat losing 10 yscif in dream
land, when the coach stopped with sud
den jerk which reused us all. We began
to rub our eyes aud look about with
puzzled sleepy air.
coach stops here for breakfast gen'P-
men, said the guard, holding the door O.
pen.
We descended and entered the travel
er's room. There the hot fragrant tea,
with its accoppaBimeGts ofcold beef, ,baD,
eggs, toasts, mufins and other ingredi-
ents of hearty meal, and the courtesiess
and amenities of the breakfast table, haV-
ing disposed US more socially towards
one another. We remounted the coach in
q more harmonious frame of mind, and
one which was more likely to ensure US
pleasant journey. We became first chat
ty, then friendly, and then intimate, con-
fding to each other who We we're, whence
We came, and whittier We were going, the
fact being we had none of us anything to
conceal. The lady, pretty young wo-
man, about six aud twenty, who spoke
little, but whose few remarks evinced
much shrewdness and observation, had
been on visit to her parents, and was
now going back to her husband, law
stationer in London; one of the two gen.
gentlemen was a merchant, who bad been
making business tour in the provinces;
the other a young officer returning to his
regiment after leave of absence; while |
myself was going up to toxin to consult
lawyer regarding a will of which was
executor.
Ny companions we're all well-informed
and agreeable, aud the officer, especially,
kept US in continual laughter BY his lively
sallies. The time passed pleasantly a.
long, and it was with great regret that,
after merry repast, when We again halt
ed Cor dinner, we heard him say be must
now leave us, as bis regiment was quar-
tered in town about six miles from that
where We then we're. and his road lay DO
longer in the same direction as ours. He
shook hands very cordially with US all,
and we parted. Of course, when we re-
suued our seats in the coach. our eoDyer-
kslx fill nm onr ofn accafiafe The