The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1869-06-17
6cIfCtfo nlisrellanp.
MIGGLES.

We had not spoken during the passage Of
the last six miles, since the iOlting Of
the heavy vehicle over the rOughening
road had spoiled the Judges last p0etical
quotation. The tall man beside the Judge
was asleep, his arm passed through the
swaying strap and his head resting upon
it-alsogether limp, helpless-looking OBJ
iect, as if he had hanged himself and been
cut down too late The French lady on
the back seat was asleep, too, yet In
halfconsciOus prOpriety of attitude, shown
even in the disposition of the bandker
chief which she held to her forehead and
which partially veiled her face The lady
from Virginia CITY, travelling with her
husband, had long since lost all individu-
ality in wild confusion of ribbons, wells.
furs and shawls. There was no sound
but the rafting of wheels and the dash of
rain upon the roof Suddenly the stage
stopped and we became dimly aware of
voices. The driver was evidently in the
midst of an exciting cOlloquy with some
one in the road-a cOlloquy of which
such fragments as "bridge gOne," "twen
Ey feet of water" "can't pass" were Occa-
sionally distinguishable above The storm
Then came lull, and the mysterious
yoice from the road shouted the parting
aosuratiosn1: s1.,,
We ,>eught glimpse of our leaders as
the yehi -le slowly turned, of horsemap
vanishing through the rain, and we were
evidently on our way to Miggles'.
Who and where was Miggles? The
Judge, our au 'hority, did not remember
the name, and ne knew the country thor
oughly. The WNshoe traveller thought
Miggles must keep hotel We only knew
Al ~nd Hv hIrh for In,
front and rear, and that Mig giles was our
rock of refuge. A ten minutes splashirg
through a tangled by-road, scarcely wide
enough for the stage, and we drew up be-
fore barred and boarded gate in wide
stone wall or fence about eight feet high.
Evidently Miggles', and evidently Miggles
did not keep hotel.
The driver got down and tried the gate.
1t was securely locked.
"Mieglrsl o Migglesp
No answer.
"Migg-ellsl You Miggles ~ continued
the driver with rising wrath.
"Migglesy" joined in the expressman,
persuasively. 20 Miggy Mgr
But no reply came from the apparently
insensate Miggles. The Judge, who had
finally got the window down, put mis-
head out and propounded series of ques-
tions, which if answered categorically
would have undoubtedly elucidated the
whole mystery, but which the driver
evaded by replying that if We didn't
want to sit in the coach all night we had
better rise up and sing out for Miggles."
So we rose up and called ON Miggles in
chorus. Then separately. And wnen we
had finished, a Hibernian fellow-passenger
from the roof called for Maygells!'
whereat we all laughed While we were
laughing the driver cried "ShOoi"
We listened. To our infinite amaze
nent the chorus Of "Migges was re-
peated from the other side Of the wall,
even to the final and supplemental
Maygells"
Extraordinary echo,o said the Judge
Extraordinary Id skunk +" roared
the driver, cOntemptuously. "Come out
of that, Miggles, and show yourself! Be a
man, MiggleS Don't hide in the dark; |
wouldG't if / were you. Miggles." con
tinued Yu Ia Bill, now dancing about in
an excess of fury.
Miggles" continued the voice, 90
Miggiiesi
MY good mani Mr.. Myghaill" said
the Judge. sOftening the asperities OF the
name as much az possible. "Consider the
inhOspitality of refusing shelter from
the incfemeucy of the weather to helpless
females Really, my dear sir but
succession of Miggles," ending In a
burst or laughter, drowned his voice
Yuba Bill hesitated no longer. Taking
heavy stone from the road, he battered
down the gate, and, with the expressman,
entered the enclosure. We followed
Nobody was to be seen In the gathering
darkness all that we could distinguish was
that we were in garden-frOm the rose
bushes that scattered over US minute
spray from their dripping leaves-and
before long, rambling wooden building
"DO you knew this Miggles? ?" asked
the Judge of Yuba Bill.
mo, nor don't want to-" said Bill,
shortly, who felt the Pioneer Stage Com
pany insulted In his person by the contu-
mscious Miggles.
"But, my dear sir" expostulated the
Judge, as be thought of the barred gate.
LoOkee here" said Yuba Bill, with fine
irony, hadn't you better go back and sit
In the coach till yer introducedy In
going in, and he pushed open the door OF
the building.
A long room only lighted by the embers
sof FIRE that was dying on a large hearth
at it's further extremity The walls curl
ously papered, and the Pickering freight
e5ringing out It's grotesque pattern. Some
Z body sitting ia q large armchair by the
FIRE place All thss we saw as we crowded
together into the room, after the driver
and expressman.