New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-07-08
WANTED AT TaE CROSS ROADS.

| was walking at great rate, with the col
lar of my rough coat over my ears, and
comforter tied over my soft hat and under
my chin TO keep 1t on and protect my ears,
when suddenly man stood full in my path
and caught me by the arm.
'Hall0!r said he, you're Just in time;
you are wanted at the cross roads tonight"
The voice was the voice of a rufian.
fancied myself attacked by a highway.
man.
stood quite still and strove to show him
by my manner that / was able to protect
myself.
What the deuce am wanted at the cross
roads for?H said /. "Unless l choose 1t
would be very hard matter to get me
there.n
But instead of producing pistol and de.
handing my money or my life, the man an
swered IN an altered tone;
''Beg pardon, made mistake. thought
it was my brother, andI wanted to brighten
him. Bad night sir"
every, said /.
sYou don't know the time. sir ~ he asked.
at was seven when left the train at
| L--,n said l.
Thank &c, sir" said the man. Good
night"
II his object had been robbery, probably
lie had decided from my rough appearance
that was too poor man to be worth the
| trouble.
But after all, 1 thought, probably he
spoke the truth. A man may have such a
voice without being highwayman, no
| doubt.
So / went on homeward, and soon found
myself under shelter, and partaking OF a
warm and savory supper.
My mother was there and my orother
Ben. Ben was great strapping fellow who
could beat any other boy of his age for
miles around, if it came to wrestling or
| boxing, and as good humored boy as ever
| lived-a boy always to mother and me,
| though he had exercised his right to vote
already in one Presidential election.
The moment Ben's head touched the pill
| low he always went to sleep. That night l
| followed his example.
But did not sleep long without dream
dream ia which felt rough grip on my
arm, and was aroused by a cry in my ears;
Wake up! You're wanted at the cross
roads
| 1t was so real, so palpable, that when |
started broad awake / actually believed
4 that some one was in the room; the man
| who had met me on the road perhaps, and
who intended robbery or violence. But
| when had arisen and lit my lamp the room
was empty, except myself and Ben, who lay
snoring on his pillow.
went to the door; it was locked. went
| to the window; the rush of rain against the
panes was all heard. l even went across
the passage to my mothers room. She was
awake; there had been no unusual sound
she was sure.
Only dream born of my meeting the
| strange man in the road, / felt had awaken
| ed me, went to bed and fell asleep again.
Again was awakened by the same words,
this time shrieked in my ear by an unearth-
ly voice.
was on my feet once more, and caught
Bens hand as he came over toward my
| bed.
HWhat ails you ?" he cried
''No:hing," said 1. Did you hear a
Yours" said Ben, yelling wake upi you
fairly frightened me.N
ben, said /, ''wait till I light lamp;
heard another voice. There must be some
one in the house or outside
So again lit the lamp, but we searched
in vain.
Nightmare said Ben when told him
my story.
"8en," said I, "what is there at the cross
"A house." said Ben. He had lived in
the neighborhood long while, and not
long.
lone little house, besides two oak trees,
and a fence. Au old man lives there-a
rich man, and bit of miser, they say.
| His granddaughter keeps house for him.
''Ben, that fellow may have meant harm
to them. Imay be wanted at the cross
| roads,
brother said Ben, Ego to sleep. You
had nightmare" and Ben plunged in be-
tween the blankets, and was soon snoring
again.
/ also in ten minutes slept 40 soundly
as before but the awakening soon came
again.
1 opened my eyes to see girl standing at
the foot of my bed. A girl In white robes,
with golden hair all about her shoulders,
who rnng her hands and cried, '0h wake
up, you are wanted at the cross roads"
This time l started out of bed, bathed in
q cold perspiration. / Grembled like leaf.
had no doubt that l had received super
natural warning.
"Ben, !" cried, "Ben, for the third time l
have been told that ! am wanted at the
cross roads, and am going
| And began to dress myself as speedily as
possible, listening the while to the storm
raging wilder and wilder than at any other
period since its commencement,
Ben demonstrated with me in vain. Al
last he also began to huddle on his clothes
at you have gone mad ] must go with
you and take care of you, y he said.
"But fancy another man, going out In Q
| storm like this to the cross roads, because q
nightmare caused him to do 50, and what
would you think of him?"
81 said nothing. All could have answer
ed would have been: J
II am compelled to co. l must go.
dare not refuse whatever may be thought
| Of mel . =...
In ten minutes we were splashing through
the mud and rain along the road. 1t was
perfectly dark; now and then blazed rec
star in the distance told usAthat q lamp wal
beaming through the rain in some cottage
window, but otherwise we would not hayl
been conscious Of our proximity to an,
habItation whatever. At last nearing tn
spot where the road from S. crosses tn
road to P We were indeed in as solitar.
q place as can be imagined.
The house, which abutted on the very an
gle of the roads, called in familiar parlanc
the Cross Roads, was the only one Tor som
distance in either direction, and eertainl
on such a night we were not likely to mee
many travellers.
All was quiet as the grave. We stoo,
quite still In a moment Ben broke out i
| one Of his widest laughs.
''Wel.n he said, how nowl viii you g
home now and have another nightmare?S
! But hardly had the words escaped hi
lips when o shrek broke on the air, aud
! Woman's voice plainly coming from the in
: terror Of the cottage, cried:
; '.Helpl helpi helplp $50
3 Benz said I, eve are wanted at tn
} erossroads;n and then understanding eac
other, without more words we made our wa
. 70 window through which Q light ahune
I A muslin curtain draped the panee, bu
through II we saw m awful sight.
Al old man lay on the 1oori and over hiI
bent 4 fufiian, clntching bis throat, an
, holding pistol 70 HE ear. while anOthe
man grasped the shrieklng girl BY the ARM