Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1859-05-19
A WIDOW IN

The Memphis Appeal" publishes the
following very romantic story and assures
its readers that the occurrence is strictly
true
A friend Of ours, who does business in
Main Street, in this city, was travelling
a few weeks ago in Arkansas, some SO
or 80 miles below Memphis. AS night
came on at the conclusion of a long days
travel. he arrived at a solitary house,
where it appeared the residents within
were already preparing to retire for rest.
He knocked at the door, a head was pro-
truded from a window, and in reply to a
question from the owner of the head, he
said he wished to stay for the night
The head was withdrawn and a consulta
ton apparently took place with some one
within, and after a little delay the head
was again advanced. and our friend was
asked his name. We will not give the
name stated-that Of "Fulkerson'' Will
answer the same purpose. "Fulker,"
repeated the man with the head out of
the window, as if surprised and not agree
ably SO. Eyes, John Fulkerson," was
the reply, in a tone that had an expires
sion of Impotence about it for the trav
eler was tired as well as hungry, and not
being a priest, fasting never smoothed
his temper. The head was again with
drawn at the announcement, as rapidly
as an 1rishman once withdrew his, when
he knelt and took a drink at one of the
boiling springs of the State, in which ad
ventures we are relating took place.
Some time now elapsed, the night was
cold, and our hungry friend found his
quarters in front of the solitary house
not at all to his mind. At length, he
hammered at the door several times, and
uttered a series Of CALCULATIONS, more in
dicative of flexible tongue than Of pro-
found piety. He then took a look around
the premises, to ascertain if possible, the
reason of the u~naccountable delay. He
discovered o man stealing silently away
in the rear, who jumped over the fence
and set off in a run, that spoke well for
his agility in the direction Of the timber.
The front door was opened at this mo
ment, and a negro girl called to him to
come in.
On entering he could discover nothing
suspicious /; a good supper was set before
him and he was attentlvely waited upon.
He noticed however that the negro was
very curt in her replies to his questions,
and that when he asked anything about
the inmates Of the place, she manifested
an emotion that looked like alarm. He
retired to bed, too greatly fatigued to re-
fleet much upon the singularity of this
conduct he slept well, and was at an
early hour eating his breakfast, when he
observed q pair of black eyes i~ntently
gazing at him from a chink in the wall,
that divided the room in which he sat
from al adjoining passage. Determined
to know the meaning of the singular be.
havior he had observed in that place
for every individual about it, whom he
accosted, answered him with %trepidation
in the fewest possible words, aud then
hurried away from him as if in tear-he
rushed into the passage and catching
hold of the man whose eyes had been SO
busily engaged, he demanded the reason
of his singular scrutiny. The mar ap
peared overcome with agitation and ask
edit Mr.. Fnlkerson intended to stay :?
No, Mr.. Fulkerson would go as soon as
he had finished his breakfast and paid
his bill, but he insisted on knowing why
so much spying and whispering were go
ing on? Why, are you not Mr.. FuIk
kerson that owns this house? asked the
man. mo, | never saw the house be-
fore" was the reply. In a moment a look
of intense satisfaction beamed from the
mans face which had before worn a trou-
bled expression, without another word
he rushed up stairs, three or our steps at
a time, and quickly returned. bringing
with him. a portly looking dame, whose
eyes were red, as if with weeping. and
exclaimed in a tone Of joyous surprise as
soon as she caught sight OF our bewilder'
ed friend, who could not for the life o.
him guess what had ~bewilde2ed the folks
- Is it not John 7"
An explanation then ensued, from
which it appeared that the house in whicl
our friend had spent the night had for
merly been the property Of a nan of tn
same name as himself. This man ha