The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1872-12-05

So -z--z=---c-zl11s5- -
man, nay good women, before I catch
cold standing here"
81 don't think the mans alive that
viii ferry you across the river TO-
night"
! then -
YES" with q strong shudder, that
L could detect in the darkness.
May l ask IL you have any TeS SsOl
for that suppOsitiOn o.
81 have been waiting here an hour
for him, and be has made no sigma
{ long hour, and the river whispering
such awful things!"
/ Igianced toward the woman again.
I She was standing with hands Clasped,
3 looking down at the dark water. The
( wildness of the woman's manner pre-
/ pared me for any danger, steeled my
nerves to resist also her eccentricity,
and made me ready to spring at her,
should she me- ditate a leap toward the
river from the bank on which she
stood.
"Do you believe in calls ." she ask
Z ed, after moments silence.
'Well, my faith is shaken, now I'm
getting hoarse.n
1t was up hill work to strive for a
light turn to the dialogue; but the wO-
mans manner was melodramatic,
and Of melOdramatic people I have
ever had horror.
'I mean calls from the dying to
some one loved, or near, or dear-calls
in the last moment, perhaps Your
are a scholar, and may have read of
them.U
az may have read Of some peculiar
coincidence of the kind, that might
be put down as a call by any one OF a
supeTstitiOus turn of mind. What of
it,"
Nothing" said the woman, mood
lily.
':If the ferry-man has been calling,
my good woman, l think it must
have been in the flesh, while you were
doing here, for there Is a light in the
window of the hut yonder, and l take
it for a sign that l am heard"
"rhauk God, then 20 said the wO-
man, looking in the direction indica-
ted, where surely enough, faint light
had suddenly appeared.
as that the usual signal to late
travellers ," I inquired.
II believe so; am stranger here"
was the answer, in a changed, al
most sullen tone of voice.
THAT is the ferry-man's hut across
the river%'
''Most likely"
/ doubted her ignorance, though I
kept silent on the point, and intrud-
ed no further cOnv erSatiOn on my
strange companion, who stood watch
ing the distant light with great in
tentness. / was interested in that al
so, for it augured a safe transit to
Mantle, and / had nearly given up
the hope for it. called once more,
and while the hills were muttering
my words the light was moved a lit
tie to the left, as il along 4 window
sill.
"Good news. The ferry man is wa
king up"
No notice was taken of this asser-
ton; my strange companion eyinced
no satisfaction at the prospect of
fair end to her journey. was specu-
lating as to the object Of that visit,
and wondering if any superstitiOus
feeling had really brought her at so
late an hour on the same road as my
self, when the distant dip of oars in
the water assured me that the ferry
man was still in the flesh, and had an
eye to business. Pleased at this
promised termination TO my adven-
ture, I lighted my cigar, and stood
smoking it on the bank, while the
dark outline of the boat gradually be-
NJ In Con NJ
ments the ferry-man was a couple of
boats length from our side of the Tiv-
eT, at which distance he ceased row.
ing, and stood up in the boat with a
lantern in his hand.
"How many are there OF you on the
bank? Come more into the Iight.n
"Two," 1 answered, stepping for
ward as directed. The woman did
not move but he turned the lantern
full on her, and she seemed to finch I
u little
"BOth strangers-D in n -snnaA'I'l'at !
one In Mantle :"
The woman gave name that ap-
peared to satisfy the suspicious ferry |
man, whose crOss-questiOnIng was be- |
coming trying to my self-pOssession. !
there was no help for II but |
civility, if 1 wished to be ferried to |
Mantle that night, therefore L briefly |
that l was tourist, aud |
making for the "Lion Inn"
"The Lions full, ,"replied the man; |
"there are people about the railway. |
You'll get no accommodation to- |
night"
"a seat by the fire will be sufficient
for me.u
Its only seven miles to Berk-
sham"
81 have Just left there. Bring your |
boat nearer, my good man; it's cold |
work standing mere"
"Maybe, maybe; but it's an uncO' |
time of night to cross the ferry-wak- |
ing honest men out Of their first sleep. !
There's moighty talk of queer custom
ers about, though Pm a poor man
that it would ma be profitable to !
HARM"
"Will you ferry me across or not ~
I demanded, losing patience.
''TO be sure. You're a gentleman,
who'll make it worth my while,
know. Pm very old and poor, and !
my nerves won't get over this shake
up for month. Now then, Sir"
The boat shot toward the bank, and
the keel grated against the pebbly
bottom of the river. As the woman
stepped into the boat, be held the
lnteIn toward her again, and tried
to peer into her face as she passed to
a seat in the stern, the tattered fringe
OF her shawl hiding her face from
view, as she kept one large, unglOved
hand pressed tightly to her forehead.
'Tired, mayhap?" he asked.
"Tired to death :" was the reply.
deaths an ugly word at such a
time as this-in such place, too"
grumbled the feryman, as though the
observation had been an insult direct
ed to himself. -----,-
EWhv at sueh a time IN sucn
place - L said, as followed the wO-
man into the boat, and felt the glare
of the lantern on my face again.
"Don't ask me-it's a hard story
and woant dwell on il" was the re-
ply. "It's a story that's no busi-
ness of yours, Sir"
Possibly not"
"They will tell you at the Lion for
a mug Of ale. You'll know then why
Jacob Wisford don't care for such 3
Ldtc. hftuSl- lAOh AcsNo AAA SSAN ~
an old man to be abroad! gentlefOlks
should make it worth his while. I'm
seventy-seven coming November
next"
Having obliged me with this very
significant hint, the old man relapsed
into silence, and rowed us slowly
across the river, keeping his small
keen eyes upon me and the woman,
as though dlstrustful of his company.
When we were landed on the other
side, and the woman had thrust
something into his hand, and hurried
away down q narrow lane, at the side
of the hut from which he mad sig
nailed us q few moments since, he
said,
"IVho be she, Sir, may ask ."
81 don't know. l found her wait
ing at the ferry"
"No friend of yours, then?'
"Oh, no."
"She's sight more liberal than I
expected from the look of her" said
he, STOPPING and critically inspecting