Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1863-12-22
The Padded Room at Deepwa-
ter.
A TALE OF AN ENGLISH INN.

1t was nearly dark when l reached Deep
water; and was glad enough to see the
Fly of the Ten jolly Drovers waiting at
ont end OF the station, as stepped out
upon the other.
The Ten Jolly Drovers was q gem of q
country inn. And the plump, cOmely wo-
man in widows cap and gown, who stood
curtseying 10 the porch, with great silver
| tankard of 'homebrewed' in her han DIS, to
| take the dust cut of the gentleman's throat
what of he:? Why, she was q jem of a
country la3dlady, to be sure.
/ mentioned when my pen FIRST touched
this paper, that it was nearly dark when
reached Deepwater Station. A drive of
four miles with Jim, the cnachman, had
made it still more near and by the time
entered the red-tiled porch every fowl
had gone to rUOst, and lamps were twink
ling in the kitchen anu the hal. Candles
had Deen taken into the room a. the right
just beyond the bar. for ME. and the s:::1ht
| of tempting table laid for supper made
me so hungry thar ! at once fell to- feas-
ted like ling, and then went to bed and
! slept without the least iDcursion of night
mare
The week which had allotted for nv
holiday passed rapidly away. / congratu-
lated myself upon having found this happy
valley-this home where no shadow of care
brooded-thrse friends whose lives had
more of sunshine and less Of shadow than
any had ever known before. But, Cali
40 man happy till be Dies SAYS an old
Eastern proverb. Aud | rejoin, cali no
place Paradise tall you see it's angels For
places, like people, have their good and
bad attendant spirits. found it SD, before
my soJourn at the Ten jelly Brewers was
over.
On the last night of my stay I sat late
in my little par0r below stairs When |
took my candle to go Up stairs the house
was shut up. Mrs Bal had retired to her
bedroom ia the third story; and / cosld
hear Jim snoring on his settle in the kitch
en-, where he always slept, with the house
dog, at his feet, ready to defend the place
1t burglars should take sudden fancy to
| visit it during the email hours of the night
The dog growled, but, hearing my voice,
! gave kind of satisfied snort, and betook
himself to slumber again. stule cautious
! ly up the creaking stairs. A gust of dir
coming from the landing place nearly
blew my light out, and shading il with II
hand, saw that small arched door op-
pOsite the stairs. which | had never nutic-
ed before, stood sjar. 1t seemed to lead
into narrow passage; and wondering
much how il could have escaped nv notice,
stepped in. Another door, strongly bar
red with iron, was just before me. | hesi-
tated q monet but something stronger
than mere curiosity, kind of Dreathless
interest, that startled me, urged me on. l
opened it. Not easily, hOwever-till it
was suddenly wrenched from my hand by
some one inside-sO suddenly that almost
fell into large square room, hung with
dark curtains, and only lighted by an iron
lamp, in wire case, that burnt high up
on the wall. The door closed gently be-
hind ne, but could see no person in the
room. Yst something had certainly
wrenched it from my grasp.
/ suppose felt afraid. / remember
was very much inclined to whietle or sing,
just as used to be in my boyhood when
had to pass lonely churchyard at night.
l walked i1tO the middle of the room, and
put my lamp on the floor, because there
was no taOis or chair on which to leave it..
The windows were heavily shattered and
;barred-the CRATE was also barred in and
wired. The shovel, poker and tongs, had
been removed, also the fender. The focr
felt strangely beneath my feet; and l bent
down to examine it. 1t was padded and
covered over with elastic mating. / touch
ed the walls; they were not hung with
dark drapery, as first imagined, but pad
| ded also, and covered with cloth looking
and feeling like leather. What strange
mystery, was this, in this quiet out of the
way place? Who dwelt in this room where
safety was evident the first thing studied.
where even the solitary lamp twinkled
| like star, far out of reach !? / sat down
on the divan and wondered at my discov,
cry.
At last, as my eyes grew accustomed 30
the darkness Of the place, saw something
stir near the bed q moment after heard
low Sigh.
Who signs SO p 1 asked, with breath
ing heart.
A tall, dark figure rose from the ground,
1t sounds romantic at this distance of time,
but it seemed anything but romantic then.
/ was almost frightened to death, and had
no power to speak or stir, as it advanced
slowly towards me. Clad 10 dark robe,
like the habit Of a monk, man stood be-
tore me, pale, wasted, and with long white
hair, and beard like snow. lie gazod at
me moment in silence, and then again
sighed heavily. gathered up my courage,
and said to myself that must be dream
ing, and that my first word would scare the
illusion away.
! asked. 'O-
am lost seul,' be said, in a very
ever.' 'O' e'eA "nu
But why do you seek me?' / managed to
fou were to come ), you came.' said
meF 0'' "''
How can II
He drew nearer, and bent down, clasn;DO
and unclasping his hands in strap pe
nervous way.
There wac blood upon the stairs to-