Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1859-02-08

At this moment Wool reappeared
Shut the door, you villain! DO you intend
to stand there holding it open on me all night ?"
vociferated the old man i
Wool hastily closed the offending portals, and
hurried to his masters side.
We'll, sir, who was it rung the bell?"
Sar,de Reverend Mr., Parson Goodwin, and
ne say how he must see you yourself personal
ly, alonel I"
See me, you yillainl Didn't you tell him
''Yes, Mnrse, toll him how you were gone TO
bed and asleep morne'n an hour ago, and he or
dered me to come wake you up, and say how it
were matter o. life an death!"
"Life and death? What have to with life
and deathl won'tst If the parson wants
to see me, he will have to come up here and see
me in bed"
''Mus' fetch him reverence up, sar?"
Yes, j wouldn't get up and go down to sec
Washiagton-shut the door you rascal, or I'll
throw the bootjack at your head =" t1
Wool obeyed with alacrity and in time to es-
cape the threatened missile.
After an absence of a few minutes he was
beard returning, attending upon the footsteps
of another. And the next minute he entered,
ushering in the Rev. Mr.. Goodwin, the parish
minister of Bethlehem, st. Mary's.
How do you dol How do you do? Glad
to see you, sir! glad to see you, though obliged
to receive you in bed Fact is, l caught cold
warm negus and went TO bed to sweat it off!
You'll excuse, mel Wool, draw that easy chair
up to my bedside for worthy Mr.. Goodwin, and
bring him glass of warm negus. 1t will do
him good after his cold ride"
81 thank, you, Major Warfieldl will take
the seat, but not the ncgus, if you please, to-
night"
Not the negusi Oh, come now, you are
joking Why, it will keep you from catching
cold, and be most comfortable nightcap, dis
posing you to sleep and sweat like baby OF
course you spend the night with US ?"
81 thank you, mol | must take the road
again in few minutes"
''Take tho road again tonight Why, man
nivel it is midnight, and the snow driving like
all Lapland."
''Sir, am sorry to refuse your proffered hos
pitalityand leave your comfortable roof tonight,
and sorrier still to have to take you with me"
said the pastor gravcly.
take ME with you'll No, no, my good sirl
no. no-that is too good joke--ha! ha!'
'Sir, fear that you will find it very seri-
Gus one! Your servant told you that my err
rand was one of imminent urgency?"
ayes, something like life and death. 4
"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?p
Humanity, sir, would prompt you"
'But, my dear SIT, now can nclp neTs aih
not physician to prescribe--
"She is far past physicians help"
Nor am 1 a priest to hear her confession--."
'Her confession God has already received"
"Well, and I'm not lawyer to draw up her
will"
mo, sir; but you are recently appointed one
of the Justices of the Peace for Allegheny"
''YeS; well, what of that. That does not COM
prise the duty of my getting up out of my warm
bed and going through snow storm to see an
old woman expire"
"Exeusc me for insisting, sir; but this is an of
fetal duty" said the parsun, mildly but firmly.
"I'll throw up my commission Tomorrow,
growled the old man.
'.To.morrow you may do that, but meanwhile,
tonight, being still in the commission OF the
peace, you are bound to get up and go with me
to this woman's bedside"
"And what the demonis wanted of me there?"
"To receive her dying deposition"
"To receive a dying deposition! Good Heav-
en-! was she murdered, them" exclaimed the
old man, in alarm, as he started out of bed and
began TO draw on his neither garments.
"Be composed-she was not murdered" said
the pastor.
1t must concern a crime" exclaimed the old
man, hastily drawing on his coat.
at does concern crime"
"What crime, for the love of heavepi"
81 am not at liberty to tell you. She will do
that
"Wool, go down and rouse up Jehu, and tell
him TO put Parson Goodwin's mule in the stable
for the night. And tell him to put the black
draught.horses to the close carriage, and light
both the front lante-ns-for We shall have a
dark, stormy road-Shut the door, you in
fernall IL beg your pardon, parson, but that
villain always leaves the door ajar after him."
The good parson bowed grayely; and the ma
ior completed his toilet by the time the servant
returned and reported the carriage ready.
"To the Devils Punch Bowl was the order
given by Old Hurricane as he followed the min
ister into the carriage. "And now, sir" he
continued, addressing his companion, 81 think
| YOU had better repeat that part of the church
! iitany that prays to be delivered from battle,
murder and sudden death;' for if we should be
so lucky as TO escape Black Donald and his
gang. we shall have at least an equal chance of
being upset in the darkness of these dreadful
mountains"
| "A pair Of saddle mules would have been
safer conveyance, certainly" said the minister.
Old Hurricane knew that, but though great
/ sensualist, he was brave man, and so he bad
rather risk his life in close carriage than suffer
| cold upon a sure-footed mules back.
| After many delays and perils, the pastor and
! Old Hurricane arrived at their destination, call
| ed the Witch's Hut or Old Hats Cabin. In one
| corner of the hut on a ragged couch, laid gray