The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1870-11-08
Qbe Gin1es, Mem BLOOMFIELD, 1pa.

and quietly went out, drawing cloth
cap over his head as he went out of the
door.
At Appleton's it was late. / could
not see the man that made the sale, but
learned that he bought gilt.edged pray
er book and two handsomely bound vol
umes suitable for Christmas gift to a
lady. The prayer book was bound in
brown velvet-evidently for middle
aged person. wife or mother.
went to my boarding house, and ate
light dinner just at dark. / had a job
on hand and not much time-The man
was evidently stranger living out of
town. did not think so from his pro-
fessed desire to ship piano, &C., but
from the fact that he bought Christmas
presents before the time, on such day.
Had he lived in the city, he never would
have taken them with him in the storm.
And | learned that he did not have his
purchases sent to any address.
Did he live at Albany? No-for
people, as a general thing, commence
their deviltry somewhere else except at
home But | would go there and see
who had called at the railroad office
So bought ticket for Albany, and
started on the 8 o'clock train. 1t was a
terrible stormy night The snow was
piled on fences, door-knobs, omnibus
tops, and window-ledges.
AS was my usual custom, | looked
through all the cars to see who / knew
or did not know. And, perhaps, l might
see a suspicious looking man aboard.
But no there were old men, and young
men-old women and young women with
few babies on the train
The train halted at Fishkill, opposite
the river from Newburg. / saw we'll
dressed man, little taller than myself,
come out of the car next to me, carrying
in his hand small valise or travelling
bag. | noticed from the window that he
went at once to the corner Of the depot
where q boy was in waiting with a buggy
got in, took the lines himself, and
drove down to the ferry-boat.
What possessed me | cannot tell, but
something told me to follow him.-So |
hastened out of the Car, jumping from
the train after it was we'll under motion.
I ran to the omnibus which had started
for the Newburg side, and clambered in
to the disgust of two ladies both Of whose
feet were we'll trodden ere found
seat.
Arriving at the other side Of the river,
I sprang out of the bus and asked boat
hand who that was in the carriage.
"That man with boy 7"
"Yes-the one with a boy beside
him."
"Why, that is-is-! Pshaw, | know
his name-see him most every day, but
by thunder, l can't jest speak it now"
" Does, he live in Newburg?"
eyes"
"Did he cross the river this morn
in 2"
"Yes-in the first boat for train east"
"Was the boy with him ?"
eyes"
"Well, | know who it is"
Who?"
Judge Edwards!"
" No, sir, that amt Judge Edwards"
replied the boatman as he turned to at
tend to his duties.
Arriving at the hotel [ took room
and directed that l be called in time for
the first train to New York. Then,
being weary, sought few hours rest.
Promptly the porter called me, and l
arose. The snow was quite deep, and the
few people who were out seemed anxious
to get back to warm places and good shell
ter. I went down to the ice crustcd fer
ry boat, but no Judge Edwards was there
nor was his horse and boy. asked the
boatman | talked with the night before if
the Judge went over every day, when he
replied:
81 don't know. But that man you
saw last night was not Judge Edwards
and | told you So"
"Well, who was he?"
"That was Ned Crampton--I tho't af-
ter you went off. "
"What does he do 2"
- Nothinp I guess. he's q rich New