The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1858-10-20


[ him, aud he won't say q word
] However, l did not feel the sligbte
e inclination to try tho experiment 5
? hunch of bread and cheese, while th
old Jew stopped down to the fire, an
after shaking something out Of papt
into. glass, poured the water upon it.
'Therep be said, as be came to th
table, now put in as much brandy q
you like, but the sitter the better, fo
it will keep you from catching cold
'What have you put in the e giass, M
friend p asked, as 1 held the glass /
the fire.
Sugar and water; the sugar is goo
aud takes off the strength of the brandy
I'm not fond of sugar 1 replied
suspiciously : and if you've no objec
ii n, I'll mix for myself
'Not like sugar why it's the bes
part of it, said the jew, 'only taste it
and you'll soon see how good it is
However, L persisted in throwing tn,
mixture away, and. after carefully wash
ing the glass out, filed it afresh witt
water, ard poured ir some brandy
More, my friend, more the Jew ad
vised me; that's not half enough, auG
won't draw the cold out of your limbs
Why, my old woman will drink stronger
punch, if ] give tito her
Thanks, thanks = said, as turned
away the bottle, from which the Jew
persisted in pouring more into my glass.
I'm not accustomed to strong drinks,
and shall have a headache to morrow
morning.
"Ohl te morrow! III guarantee 5ou
against that the old man laughed to
himself; the brandy is capital, and no
one had headache from it,
really felt such a shiver come ever
me at these words, (tLough, of course,
ascribed it to my vet clothes), aud the
brandy really tasted good, that took
up the glass aud emptied it at d aught.
By Jupiter how it burned
Aud now you had better lie down,
tha jew said. after removing the bran
dy aud other things from the table: 1T
is late in the night, aud after your Sleep
ing draught, you will sleep sound IL
spite of your hard bed. The best place
for you will be here by the fire. Before
[ go to bed I'll put on some fresh wood,
and by the time it is burned out you'll
be warm enough The nights are be-
gining to grow fresh.
was glad enough to lie down, so I
took up my knapsack, which had dried
"A little by this time, to serve as pillow,
AID the old man brought me blanket
and sheepskin, regretting HAT be had
uothing better 10 FIR me. but all his.
b, ds were occupied But III bring
sou something to keep ycuTsfeet warm, Z
Re aided THAT'S the ch;@f thing, ard by
the mornipg you will be ell right again. u"
With those words he took canvas sack,
which appeared TO me to be ominously
stained, from the chimney nook, and
then, bringing it to my feet (for l had
lain down by this timc]. requested me
to put them in it.
In the sacl p 1 said in amusement
why p
'Oh! ynu'il see how warm that will
keep your feet
No I'd rather lay it over them; that
will answer the same purpose
Not hafso good, L tell you,' the old
man Continued, and tried to draw the
sack over my feet, but strcnuously re
sisted There was something so Danger
ous, in my opinion, in knowing my feet
were in sack, which / could not easily
remove in the dark, if l were obliged to |
spring up 10 hurry. If -? Be. |
sides, the old fellows pressing mado me |
Eel uncomfortable, I may tell you in |
strict confdence) What on earth rea-
sou could be have for insisting on my |
putting my feet in the sack? However,
ghen the Jew found that l was obsti- |
rate, he laid tho sack over my feet, and |
vent back to the FIRE instead of retiring
% bed as 1 had expected, and sat cross
egged, staring fixedly into the flame
Well, shat my eyes and tried to go to
leep, but somehow could not manage
t; the fire burned low, and could see
he old fellow still sitting there, but !
cit that his eyes were fixed upon me,
nd that he was watching my every move
neDt, every breath. Why? / lay thus
OF half an hour, aud the strangest feel
ngs came over me. Then had GU
ious taste in my mouth-the brandy, of /
curse, bus why was it so metallic p
And my head began to 60 round, aud
ny eyelids grew heavy as lead. AT
asst, could stand it no longer, and de
ermiued to jump up; but was unable
o do so my limbs refused me their SER
ice, a veil seemed to be let down over
by eyes, aud 1 felt that deep, irresisti-
lie sleep was overpowering mo.
How long 1 lay in this soft of half
roaming condition l do not know, al
hough,I L struggled against this unnatu-
al state with all the strength of my
nind, aud should finally have yielded 10
t, he'd not q slight sound just at the
igns moment come to my aid In resist
ug it. The Jew ho. was still sitting at
he fire, moved, gently and noisslessly,
t is true; still he got up, and now
TODD with his face turned towards me.
tried to close my eyes, and dispel the
dious vision which nay fancy seemed to
ummon up, but at that moment L felt
he light, crawling stems of the old man
N the floor, felt that he was drawing
learer and nearer, and when half
'pened my eyes, cautiously enough lest
he scowling fellow might see was
wake, l saw him standing a few PAGES
rom me, with his body half bent to lis
en- and watching my every breath
What was he about ?-what did he
vaut? Should | jump up apd meet
i'm, in case he attempted to attack me?
but then the dog, which was still ly-
og in the room And again, was the
Few really going to attack me. or might
t not be anxiety whether [ slept COM
ortably? / determined to wait and
udge for myself, even at the risk of ex-
posing myself to his attack, for l was
,ouno aud strong, and if tho old IHan