Vermont daily transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1868-1870, 1869-02-26


him the next day, he VAS assured that
no one had stopped there the preceding
ni9ht.
The disappearance of the traveller
who was known to have taken that road
cauecd enquiry 10 be made, and the as
sertion ofthe peasant cause the tavern
to he searched, ut nothing Whatever
was elected to throw gu .licion on the
Keepers, nor did they manifest the
slightest unwilli 1gncss to have the
house searched. Strange tales o. faint,
hubbling, surgling cries for bel >, as of
men bcin drowned, were riimored ae
being heard; the Villagers became
afraid to leave their houses aftc dark.
and the nam ct got bad name.
Whether Ia Sc reports had anything
TO do with The falling ofl'of the tray Ion
the road am unable t. say but it did
fall OIL, and, as natural consequence,
the hamlet was a. scr ed. The kCcpt ~,
especially the cid woman, were loud in
beWailing the poverty which compelled
them 10 remain in a place accurscd of
heaven, but they seemed to live AZ well
as formerly, and strangely enough kept
Il bloodhound; but they declared they
had become attached To- The animal
white they did good business and the
dog was needed, and now they were ua-
+ W Ia itE w punt VIII II, IDpuPh ltltN
found it difficult to feed.
Things were in this state when a
young man OF wealthy family. having
finished his collegiate course, started
across the country to each one of the
seaports, from which lie Intended TO
embark for Paris on a continental tour
rs was then the custom of young men
by way of Il finish to their education.
Some miles from this hamlet, the
horse of his servant, hoy who had been
raised in the village, cast a shoe, and the
boy was direct d 10 take him to the
smithy, have shoe replaced. and rejoin
/ his master at the next tavern, which
was ut the village. The shoe was re-
placed, but 50 carclesSly that The horse
/ became lame, and the servant reached
/ the tavern some time after dark instead
of at noon as the master expected.
The darkness was increased by the
approaching thunder storm, and the
means Of the rising wind among the de-
serted cottages was well calculated to
enhance the supcrstitious fears engen-
dcrcd by the strange, ghostly tales he
had heard when Il resident of the I.lace,
and it was with Il feeling of great relief
that he saw light in the tavern and
teth? his lame horse at the rack.
AS he passed the window, II glance
showed j m TWO OF inc keepers carry
;ng man, apparently uruhK, lnto AN,
other room, ana, ooy-ilkc, ne tapped
the window, ana passed on to the door
which he mad scarcely I ac 'cd before
two of the keepers rushed out, seized
him roughly, ald angrily enqured
what he wanted.
lie called the tavern keeper by name,
tod them who he WIS, and that h 8
master had told him to Join him there.
ana then iaughthgly asked Whlch OF
/ them they had Just put 10 pea drunk.
Ihey replied that MS master nad Ccell
there ana nal Walteu some lliie aitt J
dinner, Out that ne hau gone 10 the heA
tavern, and left directions for the boy 10
foil W HIM thee.
fae' ds the e, lonely hath in = hun der
orn, on a iame morse, was rather MOI {,
IMAM the poy nerves were equal to, ana
ne ihsisC upon saying 'ilere all hlshti
saying ne cotiu JON MS mater cary III
the morning. I1 TINS the inn-keepers
rather reluctantly consented, ana the
ooy, alter eatlhg Ills supper, was soon
souEd asleep.
lie had not been long asleep when nc
was reused by smothered gurgling
moan, ana saw lght SHINING under
meath the door, and heard low talking
outside IN the passage. Half frighteA-
ed ana curious he peeped through
crack III the 90 IL ana was n 'rrlheu al
seeing stream OF blood along the floor
but was reasslred when he saw 1t was
from goat which had just been slaugh
tered, and that the woman and hel
three SOS Wee standing around the
dying animal. Much relieved, he was
about returning to bed. when one of tho
men asked, what will you do with the
| lad ~
The man addressed, who held Tho
bloody knife with which he hao
slaughtered the goat, pointed to the doc
at which the trem bling lad stood listen
ing, with q gesture to impose caution
and replied, "Send him to Join his mas,