The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1859-02-19

l
lake the road again tonight. Why
man alive! it il midnight, aud the snoy
driving like all Lapland"
Sir, | AN sorry to refuse your proff.ret
hospitality and leave your comfortable roo
tonight, and sorrer still to have to tax,
you with me, said the pastor graveiy."
Take NE with you! No, no, nay goot
sir! no, no, that Is too good joke-ha
ha ~
Sir, fear that you will find it q very
serious one Your servant told you that N y
errand was one Of imminent urgency?"
Yes, something like life aud DEATH
Exactiy-down in the cabin, near the
Punch Bowl, there is An old woman dy.
ing"
There, knew it. was Just saving
there might be ar old woman dying. But,
my dear sir, what's that to me? What can
/ do."
Humanity, sir, would pront you"
But, my dear sir, how can l help her
am not physician to prescribe-."
''She is far pastD physicians help"
. ssor am u priest to hezs her confes-
sion-."
Her confession God has already rceeiv-
! ed
We'll, and I'm not lawyer to draw up
her will"
mo, sir; but you are recently appoint
| ed one of the Justices Of the Peace for Ale
gbsny."
Yes; well, what of that. That does not
comprise the duty Of Iny getting up out of
( 10Y warm bed and going through snow
/ stcrIn TO see an Old woman expire"
Excuse Ine ior iIsistin Z, cir but ,his is
! aD official duty" said the paTsou, mildly but
firmly.
( "rA-Tll throw up my csm.n,s.is1 to-
morrow, srowled lie Old ri.s.
! Ts-ner.ow you insy DO that, Ju. mean
~Li,-, t. sigr,, beng s,..l ia The cos,mis. iOn
Of the peace, YOU are heund to &c; UP AMI
so ~itn ue to this ~oman's bedside
And what Tue demon Is wanted Of ne
lleTs,'
To receive her dying depo. tor
"Io receive dying deposition, Coca
Heaven! xas ste "A LrGered, ,heat' eXcia.m-
ed the e.d nlau in sar:n, a. lie started out
Cl lie bed sLa .esaI. u draw ~ E.s ueilher
garments.
BE Composec-bhe WAS Let lD4rds.sl,
said the pastor.
- W ell, then, VIZ Al IS IL. Dying deposi-
ton 1t must CONC ern crime exclaimed
the old man, hastily drawing On bis csss.
1t does concern 4 CRIME
What crime, fot the love oi heaven
- am net al liberty TO tell yop. She will
10 that
W ooi 20 down sBl rouse Up JenC, and
tell him 10 put Person Good"in's mule il
the stable Tor the night. Aud tell him to
put the black draug ht- hor-es 10 tie close
carriage. and light both tie front izEteTua-
for We shall have a dSA, stormy road
Shut tha, door, yoE inferua. II beg your
pardon, psrssn, bat that villain always
leaves the door sjar after him"
Tie good parson bowed eraveIy; and tie
ms jOr completed his toilet by the tine the
servant returned and reported the carriage
ready
=. 10 the Devil. Punch Bowl, was tn.
order givea by O.- IuTTicsur as he followed
the minister Iato the carriage And now,
sir, >" he continued, add ss.ing his coInpaH.
ion, /" | think yon lad botter repeat dat
part OF the church lita;y that pray. TO be
delivered from battle. murder and sudden
death : for if We should be 80 luck y a. 10 es-
cape 3 lack Donald and his gang, we shall
have at least all equal chance of being up
set in the darkness of these dreadful IAouu-
tgius.'
" \ pair of saddle mules would have been
safer conveyance, certainly" SAD the min
lister.
Old Hurricane Knew that, but though
great sensualist, he 81 a brave man, AID so
lie had rather risk h!s lie in Clsss carriage
than suffer cold upoa sure-tooteG mules
b.' 1.
After many delays and perils, the pastor
aud Old Hurricane arrived at their dcstina-
ton, called the y itch's Hut or O.d Hats
CABIN. In one corner of the Eut on a rag
ged couch, lay gray haired and emaciatsd
woman, evenly near unto death. On beng
informed that mag gis;rats had arrived, she
Insisted on every BODY else leaving the room,
as she would SPEAK with him alone. Her
request having been complied with, Old
Hurricane drew from his pecketa Bible,
administered 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 He, mas
tcr."
No, I, in filth"
"Tor the love Of heaven leok at me and
try to recolect ME, sir Ii IS necessary some
one authority should be able to know me-"
said the women raising her hsgssrd eyes to
to the face of her visitor.
The old man adjusted his spsctac!es and
gave her q scrutiniZing look, sXclaiming at
Intervals
Lord bless my soul! it is it ant. it
must, it can't be Granny Grewell-the
-the-the-midwIie that disappeared frem
here some twelve or thirteen years ago."
"Yes, master, | am Nancy Grewell, the
ladies nurse, who vanished from sight SO
mysteriOus.o some thirteen years ago re-
Piled the woman.
Heaven help our hearts, And for what
crime was it you ran away? Coine-Make
a clean breast Of it woman. You havo moth
/ IL
arm of earthly law now.'
:" know it, master"
"And the best way to prepare to meet
the Divine Judge is to make all the repara
ton that you can by full csnfession!"
IL know it, sir--if | had committed a
crime; but have committed no crime ncith-
er did | ruE away
What: what? what?-What was il
then? Remember, witness, you are on
your oath!''
81 know that, sir, and will tel the truth
but it must be in my own way"
At this moment violent bias. Of wind
and hail roared down the the mountain side
and ratified against the walls, shaking the
witch's hut, as il it would have shaken it
about their ears.
1t was a proper overture to the tale that
was about TO be told Conversation was i'm
possible until the storm faved past and was
heard dying in deep reverberating echoes
from the depths OF the Devils Punch Boul.
at is some thirteen years ago." began
Granny Grewell, upon just such night Of
storm as this, that was mounted on my
mule Molly, with my saddls-bags full Of
dried YARDS, and Stilled waters and sich, as
| xllus carried when was out 'tendn' on
the sick. was on my way a-going to see
\ lady as was sent for to tend"
"Well, master! rm not 'shamed to say,
as never was afraid of man, beast, nor spi-
rit and never stopped At going out all
hours of the night, through the most loan