Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1868-07-03
Seleeteo .ilisftllanu.
WANTED AT THE CROSS ROADS.

night
Tie voice was the voice of a ruffian.
fancied myself attacked by highway
man.
stood quite still, and strove TO show hin
bv nly manner that / was able TO protect
myself
What the deuce am wanted at the
crossroads Tor. said L Unless l chose,
Il you'd be { very hard mstter to get me
CEers
Bpt instead Of producing pistol and de
Elalding my money or my life, the man
answered al al altered tone.
Beg pardon Imade mistake L thought
II was ny brother, and wanted to frghten
nin. Bad night, en-
Very. said /.
You don't know the time, sir?" he ask
ed.
1t was seven when left the train at
L." said
Thank V. sir, said the man. Good
night
Good night.
II his object had been robbery, probably
Ee had decided from my rough appearance
tCEt 1 was too poor a man 10 be worth the
trouble
But after all, l thought. probably he
spoke the truth man NAV have such
voice without being a highwayman, no
doubt.
So / vent On homeward, and soon found
IGvself under shelter, and partanng of a
v~aTm and sav0ry supper.
lIY mother was there and my brother
Fen. Ben was a prest strspping fellow
VIC could beat any other boy OF his age for
miles around II II came TO wrestling or
oCxInE, and sc good humored boy as ever
lived, 4 boy always 10 mother and |,
though he had exercised his right to vote
already IN one Presidential election,
When supper was over, and We had chat
ted for an hour, We went upstairs together.
We share one room together
The moment Bens head touched the pill
low he always went to sleep That night l
followed his example
But 1 did not sleep long without a dream
"a dream which felt rough grip ON my
arm and was reused by a.cry IN my ear:
Wake up You're wanted at the cross
Toads-
Il was SO real, so palpable, that when l
started broad awake | actually believed that
some one was IN the room; the man who
mad 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.
1 went 10 the door; IL was locked. l went
to the window, the rush Of rain against the
psnes Was all / heard. / 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 III the road, L felt had awaken
ed NE. went to bed and fell asleep again
Again l was awakened by the same words
this time shTleked in my ear by an unearth-
~ voice
Wake up, wake up. You are wanted at
the crossroads"
was on my feet once more, and caught
Eens hand as he came over toward my
bed.
What alls YOU" he cried
Nothing, said l. Did you hear a
voIce?'
Yours said Ben, yelling wake up;
YOU fairly frightened me-
Ben, said L; wait till light the lamp;
l 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.
Ben. said /. what is there at the cross
roads,"
"a mouse, said Ben. He had lived in
the neighborhood long while, and 1 not
long.
''One little house, besides two oak trees
snd 6 fence An old man lives theTe-a
Tlch man, ard bit Of 8 miser, they say
His granddaughter keeps house for him. )"
Ben, that fellow may have meant harm
to them l may be wanted at the cross
roads"
Brother" said Ben, ''go 10 sleep. You
rad nightmare" and Ben plunged in be-
tween the blankets, and was soon snoring
again
also, N ten minutes, slept as soundly
ss before, but the awakening soon came
again.
/ opened ny eyes 10 see girl standing
Ct the loot OF my bed A girl IN white
robes, with golden hair ell about her Shout
deTs, who rung her hands and cried, "Oh
wake up, you are wanted at the cross
roads
This time started cut of bed, bathed IN
9 cold peTspeTation, trembled like leaf
had nc doubt that had received super
natural warning
Ben, cried, Ben, for the third time
/ nave been told that l SIN wanted at the
crossroads, and am going
And began 10 dress myself as speedily
IS possible, listening the while to the storm
raging wilder and wilder than at any other
period since its commencement
Zen demonstrated with me in vain. At
last ne also began TO huddle on his clothes.
II you have gone mad must go With
you snd take care OF you, he said.
But fancy another man, going out In
storm Ike this 70 the crossroads, because
E nightmare caused him TO do so, and what
would you think Of him7"
/ said nothing, All 1 could have answer
ed would have been:
Il an compelled to go; 1 must 60 1
care not reuse Whatever may be thought
Of me-
In ten minutes we were spIashino tbro,,oh
the mud and rain along the DAD II was
perfectly dark, now and the1 a blazed red
star IN the distance told US that lamp was
6esming through the rain in some cottage
window, but otherwise we would not have
been conscious of our proximity to any
hsbitation whatever At last nearing the
spot where the road from s. crosses the
road from p we were indeed In as soIi-
taTy place as can be imagined.
Tie house, which abutted on the very
angle OF the roads, called in familiar par
lance the crossroads, was the only one for
some distance in either direction. and GER
talnly on such night we were not likely
70 meet many travellers
All was quiet as the grave We stood
quite still In moment Ben broke ont in
one Of his widest laughs.
well he said, s.how now? Will Won
60 home now, and have another NIGHT
Uareg'