Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1862-11-21
MIS- sc ELL A N Y.
THE COAL BURNER OF RoUEN.

IN franc', " IOcafl Win anu uVntc iOF'
cs,. Thi, wood 10 chiefly inhabited by
charcoal burners; aud many are tho dark
legend. In which they flourish. q.
Daring the year lS3-, however, several
travellers. whose way lay through this for
est, my.,sriOusly disappeared. The whole
place wa, secured and tho Inhabitants rig.
orou.ly examined. but no clue was obtained
and they were dismissed. For several months
after this no travellers were missed, and fin.
ally the public excitement was allayed. l,
i. at ,hi. time tho inciden, related In this
sketch occurred.
II was fine morning in early autumn,
and the woods presented beautiful appear
ancc. Tho bird. were caily singing. and
the rays Of an afternoon sun wero gildin:
the tree tops. In the very hear, OF the for
c.,, surrounded by heaps Of smosins earth,
stood one OF these burners. ilcwas a.plsn.
DID specimen Of man. so far m physical
proportions are concerned: fully six fee, in
height, and s,ou. in proportion. lis broad
shoulder. nigh. have contained the strength
Of Hercules, Ills head was large, aud
covered with shaggy mas Of hair. and has
feature. were decidedly repul'ivc. Ills eyes
were small; aud nearly covered with bu.hy
eyebrows. lie had, altogether, a cruel and
malevolen, look.
4. we introduce him TO tho reader, he
WAS leaning upon large axe, apparently in
li.,enin: position.
The road ran by tho place where he was
standing. but he could no, see FAR along on
aeeoun, Of sudden turn a little distance
from him. The cla,,er Q, hor.c's hoo''.
however. could 30 plainl, heard, and in a
lew minutes horse and rider came in sight.
Tho new conner va. small and active look
ins man. and from bis dress appeared 20 be
a gentleman we'll OF. lis eye. were unu.
.ually keen and searching. and were BEN,
upon the charcoal burner in such manner
,ha, the latter fairly quailcd before him.
"A fair day, my good man. 'a'd the
horseman. in the easy manner Of one speak.
ins TO an inferior.
Excellent, Monsieur, foF on, Of my
trade. love no, the boiling sun Of summer.
nor vet the bleak wind. OF winter"
4" Since you arc 80 nicely suited, ! sup
pose iha, you are Nha, 50 few are in ,hi'
~orld-hapry.
"You may Say truly, Monsieur, Tow, few,
are indeed happy. There Is no happiness
wi,hou: eonten,msn,.
Are you not contsn,ed'"
AT times think | AIN but when sec
the noeleman riding by in his coach aud
four. rolling in riches, with servant. to
obey hi. every wish. and have to toll hard
for my daily bread, I canuo, help thinking
tba, God !. sometimes UNJUST"
And DO you never thing Oi aprropria,.
ips any OF these richie. to yOurseli'"
"wha, does Monsieur mean rus,
,ha, no though, OF disobeyins alike the law,
OF God and man, can ever enter into my
mind"
mean nothing. 1, was merely an idle
question (; but ! did no, stop to talk thus.
but to ask the way TO p. Its getting
late, and mus, bc on the move"
III Monsieur is in a hurry. can show
him the way to P-i in about half the
timo "
~ shall DO much obliged to you, my
friend"
"Thi. lane begins very near my house.
which /, abou, bali mile further on. You
had better s,Op there, as my wife can point
I, out to you"
81 will DO 90. Here 10 q reward" eI.
claimed the horseman. Offering him piece
o, gold.
The other drew back and refused to take
it. alleging that he had done nothing TO de-
serve IL. The horseman then pu, spurs to
his horse. and rode away. the bend IN the
road soon hiding him from sight. Having
rode on until he imagined ,ha, his horses
hoof. could no, be heard by the charcoal
burner. should the latter be listening. he
dismoun,ei, and silently re,raced his steps.
IIe arrived at the place where be had lei,
his friend. the charcoal burner, but the lat.
ter was no, to be seen. Tho stranger has
tened back 20 his horse aud remounied.
"Itisas expectsd," he muttered. "this
road makes large bend here. and by cut.
ting acros, he can reach the hu, before me.
care little though. as an forearmcd. We
shall see who'll come out fret. comprc'
hcnd why he refused my gold piece. be con-
sidsrs il his own. and he thinks he may rs
well take all together; but | must hurry
on, and flush this business before pighiiall.
So saying he put spurs to his horse and
rod on. Ten minutes hard riding brought
the charcoal burners hut TO view. AZ be
first caugh, sight Of il, bc though. he De.
,ec,ed mans face pressed agains, the win.
dow.. OF this. however. be could not be
certain. rs the face. IL such /, was. dIsap.
peared instantly. A, the sound OF h''
horse. hoois, an old woman appeared in the
doorway. and gazing curiOu.ly a, him. wal,
ed ,ill he drove up. The horseman could
no, bu, help thinking that the woman was
a mos, fitting companion to her husband.
The expression Of her counttnance Was even
more villainou.. The stranger, however,
did no, stop to eri,iciso her appearance, bot
eourtcously saiuted her saying;