The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1867-12-17
a PINCH OF SNUFF.
sYlA CAEADrAN surLER.

| ApVVti tlolN AuJ Pl'SS VI puS'"S'N ~
city Of Montreal, and started to walk
home. My house was about lhrse miles
away. aud stood alone in very desoIaIe
spot, the only approach TO which was by
bleak and lonely road. Habit, how
ever. had so affected mo that was never
troubled 10 the sligb,ea! degree, either by
fsnto, suspicion. generally irOyersed
tho lonely road without thinking of tao
length Of the way or the gloom of the
scouory,
On the night of which alludO, I car
riod ailh mo bundle oontaiuing Oon-
siderable sum of money, It was this,
perhaps, thai made me somewhat ueF-
vous and cautious. For the Grst time in
my life Ibegsn to be troubled with fOsrs
OF robbery.
thought Of the dangers oftfe way Of
'heS winding road; of the rocks that ia
vOrcd concealmenti Of thick shade OF
tr9os that invited ambush. Every story
Of robbery that had ever heard of now
reoorred to me, uu,il a. length the idea
took complete possession of me, could
think ofuothins Clss. Ia vain | tried to
gxpell these thoughs from my mind; |
could 40 mora coulrol them than the
Winds Of heaven, SO | now walked on
locking srspiciousIy Al every rock, trans
forming every hush into a lurking foot
pad, Ifithrd beea possible. would
have turnei bach, bat this was not IN be
thoughsoi for ous moment. Ny family
and my friends were al 1t homo and l
vas always ppnc.ual, any delay now
would have fisl them with immOssura
Sic anxiety. Ny only cou@o lay on
ward and onward | felt that | must go,
So on ward vSn', bitterly lamcnting ms
folly in no, tskiug carriage from Tie
town which would have tNkon me to my
homo SO quickly and SO easily, aud spaced
me all my present anxiety
Full Of these thoughts, arrived at
solitary hodsa which stood hall way on
smy joueneY.
isfs' III \ SstudusSesfrpm- the
windows across tho road, illuminating
the scene. Jus. as l approached it, a
dark dgurs dashed from behind the
house tho the liz and into the gloon
of tho road. up which it walked with
great ropidity. was startled at tho
sodJeunass; caught glimpse Of the
man lace as he started at me, but could
not distinguish bis features. IOnly saw
that he was mulailo and no more. y
His whole act showed that he had
waiting for me at this particular placeH
Why dart forward and walk ahead ofme?
was what troubled me.
All this time / was walking on, !
tried 10 catch up with the man and pass
him. 1t wns impossible. / qulckenod
my pace till it became almosta rum but
the more increased my speed, SO did
tho IN ian increase his, The result of this
was to confirm my worst suspicious and
to prove most clearly that he had sinister
designs upon me.
AT length l came to tho foot Of long,
hill, l
Up this the man went with undated
velocity but here paused aud slacken-
ed my speed. At thetOp ofthe hill
was the loneliost place on the whole
road Nota house was near it, except
the rufus of an old blockhOuso, which
was feat going to decay. Ifthis man in
tends to attack me-, here, / thought would
DO the place. So tho only thing for me
to do was to prepare myself for the
worst, rU
1 was absolutely uuarmod, not even
so much % a penEaitO about mo. |
sought 10 find stick, but could see
nothing Of the kind. l was forced to
conyout myself with large, sharp stone
(which lay in the road. Then, taking of
my shoes, deposited my precious bur
den in each, in equal divisions. All this
consumed some timo, aud after put my
shOoa on again, | was forced TO walk
slowly. The result was that rOgainod
my freshness, md drew near the summit