The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1861-05-24
manner that the latter completely quailed be,

fore him.
" talr day, my good man." said the horse
man, 10 the easy manner Of one speaking 10 an
! inferior.
( Excellent, Monsieur, for one of my trade
! love not the bIoiliHg suns oil summer nor vet
the bleak winds OF winter
Since you are SO nicely suited, suppose
you are what so few are in thus word-happy. -
You say truly, Monsieur-few, few indeed
are truly happy. There is no happiness with
out conirntment."
"And are you not content e"
cat lines | think Jam but when see
the nobleman riding by in his coach and four,
rolling ln riches, with servants to obey his every
wish, and / have 10 toll hard for my daily bread
cannot help thinking that God is sometimes
unjust
And do you never think Of appropnatng
any ofthese supPrauous riches to yourself"
What does Monsieur mean? trust that
no thought of diso5eying alike the laws OF God
and man ever enter into my mind"
meant nothing 1t was merely an IDLE ques-
ton but did not stop 10 talk thus, but to ask
the way to P. II is getting late, and
must be on the move"
Ii Monsieur is in hurry / can direct him
to P in about half the time -
50 shall be much obliged to you my friend"
This lane begins very near my home, hich
is about half mile further on. You had bet
ter stop there, as my wife can point IT out to
you"
4" / will do so. Here is a reward" exclaim-
ed the horseman, offering him pieceot gold
The other drew back and refused to take il,
alleging he had done nothing to deserve it,
The horseman then put spurs to his horse and
rode away, bend in the road soon hiding him
from sight Having rode on until be imagined
that hls horses hoofs could not be heard by the
charcoal burner, should the latter be listening,
he dismounted and retraced his steps He arri-
we'd al the place where he had left hls # lend the
charcoal burner, but the latter was not TO be
seen. The stranger fastened back to bis horse
and rpmounted.
1t is as expected" he muttered. This
road makes large bend here, and by cutting
across he can reach his hat before me. care
little, though, as am forrarmed. We shall see
who'll come out first | comprehend why he
reteaed my gold piece, he considers il as his |
own, and he thinks h. may as we'll take all to- !
gether but | must hurrv on and finish this bu-
siness before nightiall."
So saying be put spurs to his horse and rode !
on Ten minutes sharp riding brought ne char
coal burners hut 10 view. AS he first caught |
sight OF if, he thought he detected a mans face
pressed against one OF the windows. OF this, |
however, he could not be CERTAIN as the face, !
if such it was, instantly disappeared. At the |
sound OF hls horses hoois, an old woman appear
ed IN the doorway, and gazing curiously at him,
waited till he rode up. The horseman could |
not help thinking that the woman was a most |
fitting companion for her husband The express |
sion OF her counteaance was even more villain
Gus. The stranger, how ever, did not stop to |
critlcise her appearance, but courteousIy salu-
ted Ter saying
81 believe, madam, that you are the wife OF |
the charcoal burner, whom | met up the |
road %
The woman replied in the affirmative.
''Then will tell you that / am bound for
p, which wish to reach before night |
fall He told me of lane which was much |
shorter than the regular road, which, he said, |
you could point out to me''
"Certainy IlthIs is all Monsieur wishes, |
he is easily satisfied. You may see little way !
up that large tree which towers above the rest;
jest beyond that large rock and the lane enters
the road on the other side Of it. As it IS very
narrow and grown up with bushes, you would
hardly notice it. But with these directions you
can hardly fail.
'Never you fear ] shall not miss the road"
sis that all Monsieur wishes %
81 believe so but stop minute | offered
your husband piece Of gold, out he refused 10
AXE IT. Perhaps you may be more sens-
1le."
The old woman greedlly took the profered
coin, saying:
rPierre is too sensitive. We might both
'tarve before he would take cent"
81 see you differ from him little" return
ID the horseman, laughing. He then put spurs
o his horse, and rode on. In few minutes
De reached the large rock alluded to, and could
hen perceive the entrance 10 narrow lane,
lrtfulIy concealed by bushes. He soon made
lis way through them, and when once IN the
ane, found il little wider than be exppci-d
Z also became free of bushes, as he proceeded
He stopped momen: to examine the primng
If his pistol, multering
s'My worthy friends are rather sharp. They
10 not do their numbering IN the open road,
where spilled blood might lead 10 their detec-
ion, but inveigle the unfortunate traveller In-
0 the dark lane, where be may be safely put
ut OF the way aud none be the wiser of it,
1t any rate, am fully prepared for them, and
hey will not put me out of the way without
truggle." {
Having seen that his arms were ready for
se, hp rode slowly forward, keeping a careful
watch on each side OF the road, that he might
ot be surprised. As long as the woods kept +;
pen as they were, he had no fear, as there was
10 good hiding place for man. Ere long the {
woods began TO get thicker and more sombre.
.l,lle hiIlocks, covered with bushes bpcame
more frequent, un:i at last they becam- lnng
ange skIting at rach side Of the road. The
lorseman felt that thu t:me which was TO try