Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1865-12-14
FAYETTEVILLE, TENN: DEC. Il, 1866

ly ScdtCu ONCi d mug VI LttihO .
wool; and he (Will) being natu
rally of an inquiring turn of mind
contrived, easily enough, to hear
what passed. The stranger pre-
tended that she came from the
same place in Stafordshire as
Carver; that she knew his father
and mother, and, having just lost
her place, had taken the liberty tc
see him, for the purpose of request.
ing "a small loan, to enable her tc
get back without delay to her na.
tive -town-she pretending, of
course, to be in deep distress, and
pumping up showers of tears, and
all that kind of bother. Carver,
however, wouldn't have it at all at
first, bat at last ordered her some
dinner, which she was then eat
ing; and this concluded Will, "is
the Whole roundabout of it, | am
willing to take oath"
Will Burton was believed
This the widows condescendent
smile. as she shook him by the
hand, leaving therein gold crown
piece, satisfactorily proved; al
though she ct the same time re-
quested him to point out No. s.
VIII reluctantly complied; but
his fear of an explosion was not
realised. Mistress Hobson was
contcnted with throwing the door
suddenly wide open, presenting her
self drawn up to her fullest height,
and, flaming with tempestuous
scorn for few moments at the en-
trance, during which brief space
she contrived to gaze whole vol
umes at utterly confounded Cary
er, then sailed majestically away,
regained the sedan-chair. and de-
parted homewards at double quick
pace
Nathaniel Betteridge was still
at the Lamb when its proprietress
returned; and one glance at her
crimsoned features showed anger
there, indeed, but not a sparkle Of
Jealousy! Greatly perplexed that
this should be so, he Immediately
hastened off to ascertain the cause
of the unexpected failure of his
device.
Preceding him for a few min
utes we shall find that Carver had
no sooner recovered the use of bis
faculties, paralyzed for a while by
the astounding apparition in the
doorway, than he rushed out in
pursuit. He was too late; the Sc
dan-chair had vanished, and re-
Turning, foaming with fury, he
found that the Staffordshire hussey
was also gone! Will Burton's
quickly-volunteered explanation,
however, greatly mitigated his an
cry dismay, and the shovel-board
players making their appearance,
he subsided by degrees into suf-
fciently placid state of mind, full
Iy resolved, at the same time, to
make matters right at the Lamb
1T the earliest possible moment on
the morrow. A continuous run
If ill-luck, aided by copious
lraughts Of ale, re-infamed the
temper as we'll as muddled the
brain of the imprudent worker in
metals. He lost all the money
lbout him, borrowed of Betteridge,
who had long since joined the
party, till that worthy would
end no more. This led to a
quarrel, and finally, not to dwell
upon such dlsagreeable scenes,
Carver was conveyed to bed in a
state of brutal insensibility-his
lrink having in fact been drugged
by Betteridge. According to Car
1er's own statement he awoke |
whilst it was yet night with a split
ing headache and burning throat |
md tongue. 1t was some time be-
ore he could remember where he
vas, and at first he la1 "a confused !
that his heavy slumber |
lad been broken by some one |
,roping about the room. When /
Iuite awake he noticed by the |
amt starlight another bedstead in
he room, the occupant whereof !
vas loud snoring. He lay for
bout two hours in a.state Of fever |
10Th of mind and body, and the
Instant he heard footsteps stirring /
,elow he jumped mp, bustled on
lis clothes, hurried down STAIRS,
frank and rinsed his face at the
rard-pnmp, and went away 1t