Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-01-31
4 Strange and Thrilling Story.


The little town Of Ashton was unusually
quiet. The clouds were dark and threaten.
ing, bespeaking a stormy night. The streets
were too muddy and the weather too inclem-
ent to entice people from their homes. Only
now and then a solitary traveller was to be
seen. These, business had driven forth and
they walked with rapid steps, anxious to
again get under shelter.
In a vine wreathed cottage on 4 flower
sprinkled lawn the supper had been waiting
over an hour for the master Of the house,
whose business had necessitated his being alb.
sent from home all day. Mr.. Jacobs was
the tax collector of the township, and corse.
quently could not wait the return Of pleasant
weather before pursuing his journey. There.
fore he had equipped himself in his India
rubber garment in the morning and had gone
about his business, leaving his wife the prom.
ise of an early return in the evening, but the
supper hour had come and gone without his
making an appearance. Mrs. Jacobs, how.
ever, was not anxious as yet. Such delays
were too frequent to cause this one to give
her any uneasness of mind.
She disrobed her two little ones, and put
them to bed, and when the night shadows
turned into an inky blackness she seated her
self by the lamp and began to sew, still the
supper table spread, and the food on the
stove keeping warm fer the return Of her hus-
band. But the little clock on the mantle
shelf had told the hour Of ten before his step
was heard at the door, He came in hurried.
y and strobe to seat without removing his
dripping outer-garments or his muddy boots.
u Noc tato;pat IN, ,nfI barxr
Going to Winchester tonight" diving his
hand into a pocket of his inner coat, and
glancing anxiously around the room.
To Winchester !" repeated his wife iu
dismay. Twenty miles in the Storm"
Can't be helped he returned. Busi.
ness is business" you know.
lie removed ms hand from his pocket, ana
took off his hat, and brushing back his hair
revealing the rather handsome face Of light
complexoned middle-aged man. He had large
gray eyes, but they wore an anxious expires.
'ion, aud their glance wandered restlessly
about the apartment
Jane, he said suddenly, again diving his
hand into the troublesome pocket, do Jou
suppose you could take care Of large sum
Of money till tomorrow ?"
Why, yes" she answered, looking up in
surprise.
" have collected five thousand dollars"
he continued, and it is too late to get into
the bank, and do not care to carry so much
with me-"
" Well you can leave il here as well as
not, No one would think Of my having such
a sum of money"
He drew large wallet from his pocket
and placed it in her hands
" 1t belongs to the Government, and if you
let it go from your hands l am ruined" he
commented. Aud he arose as if to depart.
You are going to eat some supper ?" she
inquired.
"No, have no time to lose. | must make
Winchester by midnight. Goodbye. Take
care of the money, and fasten all the doors"
He gave her hurried kiss, and the next
moment he was gone.
But the sound Of his footsteps had scarcely
lied away before Mrs Jacobs began to feel a
strange fear creeping over her. Why it was
she knew not She had lived there seven
years and slept in the house many a night
Si,hout the door being shut Now they were
ocked and bolted she could not think of 90.
ing TO bed. She was likewise too nervous to
work. She put the money in her dress pocket,
and ciasping both tightly in her hands, she
sat very still, gazing anxiously into nothing
ness, and listening so intently that silence be-
came fearful mngling of discordant sounds
n her ears.
An hour passed. 1t had been an age to
her.
81 am glad that am not rich" she whis.
pered as the clock struck eleven. "What
task it must be to watch ones gold !"
Presently she heard sound. 1t was not
the rain, for there was ull in the storm "a
could not be a neighbor for she lived IA the
outskirts of the village, several blotss from
my one, and she was not likely to be called
IN cases of sickness.
Again she heaIa it. 1t seemed MS III : vim
low sash was being slowly raised Strange
Mat she eaeid here forgotten 70 fastsn nsnIl
down
Why didn't John leave ma Mia r..v,l, "A ~.