The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1858-11-04
The Midnight Assassin,
~ GrAcoMo s. cAMrANA.

France, particularly, l traVersed, both in its
length and breadth, on foot. 1t is the only
mode Of travelling that was ever satisfacto-
ry to me. Above all things, like to be
free, untrsmmelled, independent [; and ira
yelling with knapsack 10 the only way In
which could ever secure these requisites
to anything like perfection.
The knnpsuck, to be sure, must not be too
large or too heavy ! and to keep it from be-
coming so, It is indispensabIy necessary to
send the weighty articles ahead, establish.
ing certain depots or headquarters along the
route, and putting upon your back only q
few chsnges Of linen, for present use.
But I am neither writing eulogy upon
pedestrianism nor hand book for the prac-
tice Of it. Enough Of this, therefore.
"Once upon tlme," In the eurly fall sea-
son, just as the vineyards were beginning
to blush with the ripening Of the grapes,
was trudgnQ along solitary mountain path
leading from the neighborhood of Louisle
Saulnier to the village Of st. Amour, In the
department Of Jura. 1t was a wildly pic.
turesque and Romantic region. My way, for
the most part, lay along beautiful stream,
a tributary Of the Ain, and the attractions oil
the scenery had given me so many excuses
for lettering that it was becoming every mo.
ment more and more evident that it would
be impossible for me to reach st. Amour
that night.
AS the sun left me, was descending into
a much more level country, but still wild
an uncutivated one, affording no sign of hu.
man babitation. The twilight passed away
the shades Of night descended, and The stars
came out, one by one, and looked as though
they were winking and blinking at me, In
mockery Of my vain attempt to find place
of shelter.
For more than an hour | grcped along
the uncertain path, inwardly beratng myself
for the Ley, bi,ering, loungin. disposition
which had led me into such an eminently
disagre0able scrupe.
At last | sat down upon a wayside bould.
er, and resting my chin upon the pu'n oI
my tigh, hand, began to reflect seriously
upon what was the best course for me tu
pursue. felt that mi hit walk on half oI
the night without finding a shelter, und
wns not therefore long in coming to O con.
clusion that | could not do better thing
than to take the boulder for bolster, the
knap sack for pillow, and all out of.doors,
in general for bed to lie upon, till next
morning.
While making the very few arrangements
necessary for the disposal Of my person in
this eminentIy primitive and unnecessarily
airy bed chamber, my ears were saIuted by
the welcome sound of the barking Of dog.
Hastily picking up my pillow and the rest
of my bed furniture. (bolster exceptedD in
one hand, | started Off the direction of the
noise, "traveling by the bark" as the back
woodsmen %, when they distinguish the
north from the south side of the trees by the
moss growing upon them.
The bark did not last long enough to be
of much use to me in and OF itself, but 1t led
me TO make on important discovery, namely
a light shining in the same direction, which
had been previously concealed by patch OF
swampy ground covered with growth OF
stunted trees and briars.
This light followed up steadily until it
led me 10 small stone house, standing in
a solitary bleakness upon the desoa,e moor
The light proceeded from lamp or candle
shining through On uncurtained and unshut.
tered window, on the ground floor.
AS approached the door,I heard the
bark again, and this time the dog accom-.
panied it. It wus villainous looking cur
and it snarled and snapped about my heels
ill called off by hardly less vilainous look
ing man. He was tall, dark. browed pea
SAINT, with sour fcrbidding look, as l could
see by the increased light when the doo'
was thrown fully open.
"Good evening"" said I. "Will you be
kind enough to tell me how far it is to St
Amour 7"
"About two leagues" said the man, very
grufly, and with potois that rendered every
fword he spoke separate enigma.
AS far as my capabilities were concerned
the two leagues might just as well have beer
two hundred.
"Is there any public house between thi'
place and St. Amour :" asked /.
"There is no house of any kind" reptile,
| the enigmatical peasant.
ain that case, my friend, you will have t
supply me with lodging for the night.
couldn't travel another league II every foo
Of the way was strewed with gold Napole
ons."
1t is fact which have often observed
but which will not now undertake TO ex
, plain, that those who murder their mother
tongue in the most hideous manner, maxim
themselves nearly unintelligible to thos
who speak it In its purity, are nevertheless
able, most generally, to understand what
said by the latter tolerably well-much be-
a ter than the said pure speakers are able I
!. comprehend them.
. OF this phenomenon had an example
!. IaL:. :..t.u.ot Ttkn dA~1, e.oaL -n....A :.