Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-02-08

ncTc anu see INT Ill Dcu
Mus fetch him reverence up, sar??"
"Ycs. | wouldn't get up and 60 down to
Washington:-shu the door, you ras-
cal. or Ill throw the boot.jack at your wood
en- head
Wool obcycd with alacrity and in time TO
escape the threatened missile"
After an absence of few minutes he was
heard returning, attending upon the foot
steps of another. And the next minute he
entered, ushering in the Rev. Mr.. Goodwin,
the Parish minister of Bethlehem, st. Ma
rvs. -
"How do you do? How do you do? Glad
to see you, sir! glad to see you, though
obliged to receive you in bed! Fact is |
caught a cold with this severe change of
weather, and took a warm negus and went
to bed to sweat it off! You'll excuse me-
Wool, draw that easy chair up to my bed
side for worthy Mr.. Goodwin, and bring him
u glass of warm negus. 1t will do him good
after his cold ride"
Il thank you, Major Warfeld. | will take
the seat but not the negus, if you please, to-
night"
''Not the negus! Oh, come now, you are
joking! Why, it will keep you from catching
| u,
disposng you to sleep and sweat Ikea baby!
OF course, you spend the night with u.s."
Il thank you. no. must take the road
again in few minutes"
Take the road again tonight. Why,
man alive. it is midnight, and the snow
driving like all Lapland"
"Sir, | am sorry to refuse your proffered
hospitality and leave your comfortable roof
tonight, and sorrier still to have to take you
with me. said the pastor gravcly."
Take Me with you! No, no, my good
sir! no, no, that is too good a joke-ha ha.
"Sir, fear that you will find it a very Sc
rious one! Your servant told you that my
errand was one of imminent urgency?'
Eyes, something like life and death"
"Exactly-down in the cabin, near the
Punch Bowl, there is an old woman dying"
"There. knew it. was Just saying
there might be an old woman dying. But,
my dear sir, what's that to me? What can
| do?"
Humanity, sir would prompt you"
"But, my dear sir, how can help her?-l
am not physician to prescribe"
''She is far past physicians help"
"Nor am priest to hear her confession.
Her confession God has already received"
well, | am not lawyer to draw up her
will"
'No, sir; but you were recently appointed
one of the Justices of the Peace for ALLIE
ghany."
"Yes; well; what of that That does not
comprise the duty of my getting up out of
my warm bed and going through snow
storm to see an old woman expire
! Excuse me for insisting, sir, but this Is
an official duty said the parson, mildly
but firmly.
"I'll-Pll throw up my commission to-
morrow" growled the old man.
Tomorrow you may do that but mean
while, tonight, being still in the commission
of the peace, you are bound to get up and
90 with me to this woman's bedside"
"And what the demon is wanted of me
there?"
ITO receive her dying deposition"
''To receive a dying deposition. Good
Heaven. was she murdered, them exclaim-
ell the old man, in ALARM as he started out
of bed, and began to draw on his neither gar
mentS.
.Bc composed-she was not murdered"
said the pastor.
We'll, then, what is it: Dying deposition!
1t must concern a crime" exclaimed the old
man. hastily drawing on his coat.
1T does concern crime"
"What crime, for the love of heaven"
Il am not at liberty to tell you. She will
do that"
"Wool, 90 down and rouse up Jehu. and
tell him to put Parson GOOdwin's mule Ill
the stable for the night. And tell him to
put the black draught horses to the close
carriage, and light both the front lanterns
for we shall have Il dark, stormy road-
| Shut the door, YOU infernal,-l beg your
pardon, parson, but that villain always leaves
the door ajar after him."
The good parson bowed gravely: and the
major completed his toilet by the time the
servant returned and reported the carriage
ready
"'fo the Devils Punch Bowl. was the or
der given by Old Hurricane rs he followed the
minister into the carriage. "And now, sir,
addressing his companion, 81 think you had
better repeat that part of the church litany
that prays to be delivered from battle, muir
der. and sudden DEATH; for if we should be
so lucky as to escape Black Donald and his
gang, we shall have at least IN equal chance
Of being upset in the darkness oi these dread
! full mountains
"a pair Of saddle mules would have been
a safer conveyance, certainly, said the min
| lister.
Old Hurricane knew that, but though
great sensualist. he was u brave man, and
SO he had rather risk his life in close car
riage than suffer cold upon surc-tootcd
mules back.
After many delays and perils, the pastor
and Old Hurricane arrived ut their destina-
ton, called the Witch's Hut, or Old Hats
Cabin. In one corner of the hut, on rag
gcd couch, lay grcy-haired and cmaciated
woman, evidently near unto death. On be-
ing informed that magistrate had arrived,
she insisted on everybody else leaving the
room, as she would speak with him alone
| Her request having been complied with, Old
Hurricane drew from his pocket bible, ad-
ministered the oath, and then said;
"Now, then, my good soul begin~-'the
truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the
truth you know. But first, your name?"
is it possible you don't know me, mas
terw
Not |, in faith"
For the love of heaven, look at me and
trv to recollect me, sir 1t is necessary
some one in authority should he able to know
| 49,, .,,;I tba unn,on Lnr bo ,r,rurl