Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-10-24

Y =. 80 - ~ - itSp 6bA tHS y. /
cad over which took my way - bak and ;
. dark a. country reads in general. Con
squently was walking ct great rate. with
ne collar ola rough coat over my tns, :
'hen suddenly man stood full in my ps.p,
nd caught me by the arm.
"Hulle T. said he. "Yoa'rsjust 10 tune;
gu are wanted at the Cress roads tonight"
The soics MAS the voice Of . rufian.
] fanoied myself attacked BY highway.
nan.
! ssesd quite still, and strovs to show
i'm by my manner that WAS able to pro-
sct myself.
"what the deuce am I wanted At the
,rsss reads fsrs" said l. unless !
heoss, IL would bs hard to get me there"
But, instead Of producing pistol and de-
aanding my money or life. The man an
wsrsd IN an altered.
beg pardon made . mistcks.
bought it was my brother. and wanted to
tighten him. Bad night, sir"
very ~ said l.
"You don't knew the timer he asked.
at was seven when I lett the train ..
-" said.
"Thank w." said the man. "Good night"
II bis object had been robbery, prehrbly
- had decided, from my rough mufners.
hat Was too poor . man to be worth the
uouble.
But after ell, l said, probably he spoke
The truth. A man may have such voice,
without being hiehwayman, no doubt
So | went on homcward and soon found
myself under shelter, and partaking Of .
warm and savory supper.
NJ svHaNhev thnra and NV hrnthoy
Ben. Ben Was . great Swapping fellow
who could beat any other boy Of his age
for miles around, il it came to wrestling
or boxing. and % good -humorsd boy ~
en- lived . boy always 10 his mother.
and I thought he had exercised his right
TO vs,s already ia one presidential election.
when supper vas over and ~ had chat
ted for an hour, We went up stairs tOgsth-
sr We share one room.
The momsnt Bsn's Assd touched the
pillow ne always went - slssp. That
night l followed his example.
But did nos sleep long without . dream
"A dream in vhieh felt rough grip On
my arm and vas reused BY . crying in
my ear:
wake up, you're wanted At the cross
roads--."
1t WAS - real, % palpabls, that when !
started broad awake actually believed
that soms one WAS in the soem-the man
who had met me On the road, perhaps, and
who intendsd robbery o. violence hut
when had lit my lamp the room was
empty, except myself and Ben y ling snoring
on his pillow.
lwsnt to the door Il vas looked. I
went TO window the rush Of rain against
the psnss Was oil | heard. even went y
cross the passage to my mothers room.
She was awake. There had been no unu-
sual sound, she was sure.
Only dream born Of my meeting With
the strange man upon the road felt sure
had awaks nsd me-. | went to bed and fell
asleep again. Again ! was awakened by
the same words-ths time shr:sksd In my
aar by an unearthly voice.
awake up! wake up! You're wanted
at the Cross roads"
| was on my feet ono. more. and caught
B.n's hand as he came to my bed.
"Wt.at ais youe" he cried.
Nothing" replied. "Did you hear =
voice Z"
Yours" said Ben, yelling. wake up =
You fairly frightened me"
Ben" said |, wait until light tho
amp. | heard another voice. There
must be some one in the house or out
side"
SO We liz tho lamp, and we searched. but
in vain.
Nightmare" said Ban, when teld him
nv story.
"Bsn," said |, what is there At the Cross
Roads ~
"A house." said Ben. He had lived
the neighborhood long while, and bu,
= short time.
"One little house, besides two oak tree,
old fellow, and . bit Of . miser they say
His granddaughter keeps house for him"
Ben" said "that fellow may have
meant harm to them. | may be wanted st
tho Cross roads"
''Bother." sad Ben "go to sleep. You
had . nishtmare"-and Ben plunged in be
tween tho blankets and was soon snoring
again.
alao in ten minutes was sleeping sound
" a. before, but the awakening quickly
came again.
opeosd my eyes to see girl standing
At the foct Of the bed. A girl in white
robes with golden hair about her shoulders,
who wrung her hands aud cried, "Ob, wax
up YOU are wan :cd At the Cross Roads"
This time started out Of bed bathsd in
cold psrspiration. | trsmbled like leaf,
and hyd no doubt that had received . su-
| psrnatural warning.
| "Ben,' | cried. 'Bsp, for the third time
| have been told that l an wanted at the
Cross Roads, and am going"
And began to dress myself 20 speedily
as possible, listening meanwhile to the
storm, raging madden and wilder than at
any etbsr ussiod since its csmmsscsmsnt.
Ben concentrated with me in vain. At
lasths also began - huddls On his clothes.
"lf you have gene mad, must 60 With
you, and take care Of you," he said.
Blu ifasey snothsf aaa going ID sterm
like this to the Gross Reads, because .
nightmare advises him to Dc -, and what
would yeu hink Of him :"
said nothing. All could have answer
cd would have osen:
II am impsllsd to 60; I must 20;
dare not refuse, whatever may b. thought
Of me"
nten minutss W we're splsshine through
mud and rain along the road. Il vas per.
fsctly dark; nav aud then . blasipe red
star in the distance told W that lsmp vss
cleaning through the rain in some cottage
windcA, but otherwise would not have been
conscious Of our proximity t. any hsbita-
tien WhAaevsf. Az last nearing The epet
whore the read from s. crosses the road
from P, ~ we're, indeed, in - solitary
place - could b vell insginsd.
The house, which abuttsd on the very an
gle Of the reads called in familiar pariancs
the Cross Roads. Was the only one for some
distance in either direction, and certainly
on such ? night ve were net likely, 10 meet
many travellers.
All was silent 40 the grave. We stoed
quite still. II . moment Ben broke out
with enc Of his wildcat laughs.
"Wsll,' he said, "how nowi Will you
60 home and have another nightmare ?"
But hardly had the words escaped HE
lips, when Shrek broke on the cir, and
wcnsn's voice plainly coming from tho
in'erior.of the cottage cried,
p" Help belp help! T.
" Ben said l, I'VE are wanted at the
CROSSROADS" aud then understanding each
other, without moro words, We made our
way to window, through which light
shone. A muslin curtain draped the panss,
but through it We saw an awful eight.
An old man lay upon tho floor. and over
him ruffian, clutchiog his throat, and
holding pistol to his ear, while another
rms = .h.s.k;c. 81 ~ L. 49,,