The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-11-04
LUKE'S LOAD OF HAY.

The affair which am going to relate
happened some years ago, in an ancient
Fishing town on the coast of New Eng
lard.
The boys of this place were rude fell
lows, with an unreasonable and half
savage antipathy to strangers, upon
whom they vented their dislike as often
aS they appeared among them, by cat
calls and hootings, and not infrequently
ny showers of stones.
1t was really q serious matter for
strange boys to enter the town, for it
was almost certain that they would be
attacked and roughly treated, and there
IS moro than one case on record of
lights between the young ruffians of
MARROW and the lads of neighboring
4owns that ended seriously for both
parties.
One fine September day, towards
evening, laughing group of these same
quarrelsome urchins spied in the dis
tance load. of hay slowly advancing
along one of the village streets. The
load was drawn by yoke of oxen, and
the driver was a brown-faced, white
haired boy, whose simple appearance
marked him as an easy subject for in
sulting fun.
Instantly signs of intelligence passed
among the mischief-makers, and in a
moment more the group was REINFORCED
by half-a-dozen other boys, but strange
ly enough not hoot was uttered nor a
stone thrown. The boy with the hay
came on in peace.
The streets of the town are very mar
row, and often steep, and in places they
are so crooked that newcomers are likely
to get most ludicrously bewildered in
trying to follow them.
Seated on the nearest fence, the town
boys, to the number of a dozen or more,
awaited the approach of the young rus
tic and his hay-wagOn, in solemn and
ominous silence. He came on, staring
about him with n perplexed look, and
presently stopped his oxen.
Say you !" he called out to the boys
on the fence. Is this the way to
Hinckley's tavern?"
Hinckley's tavern !" cried the whole
group together, and most of them
tumbled off their seats with roars OF
iaughter-for Hinckley's tavern was q
mile the other side OF the town.
The qupstioner at first looked red, and
frlmbled his driving stick in awkward
embarrassment. Then he grew angry.
The ringlcader of the boys, perceiving
this, got down and said to his compan,
ions:
"Holl up, can't yer9 OF course it's
the way to Hinckley'a." Then approach
ing the driver, he asked: "D'ye want
to go there?"
eyes," was the eager reply. "Td
like to get rid of this load of hay fore
night"
"Then come along-Ill show yer, y
cried the boy. Then, winking to his
companions, he continued: "Right
ahead here, and around the first corner
into Parsons street. There's where
Hinckley lives"
" Hurrah for Hinckley on Parsons
street !" yelled the boys, and broke into
another roar of laughter.
The confused driver put his team in
motion, and before and behind the cart
the noisy crowd trooped on, fairly dane
ing with mischievous delight.
Parsons street was the most crooked
in the town, aud it grew narrower as il
went on, until it finally ended at cliff
of solid stone, beyond which was the
sea. The boys were gradually conduct
ing the unsuspecting farmer lad into
trap.
More than once he stopped short, as il
suspecting some trick; but as often h;
was induced to start again by the inge
NOUS leader of the gang.
As they went on, every house they
passed locke d p oorer and older than the
last, and more directly in =. the way, ant
the road grew all the time rougher, and
crookeder and narrower. The load o
hay began actually to brush the fences
and dwellings, on either side.
Cross women rushed out to scold the
driver, and crosser dogs barked arount
the oxen's heels. The poor farmer bo.
began to be really terrified.
"Oh, go long," shouted the others
SEQ long till the next turn, then YOUR
all right -
The next turn! The road was al
turn, for aught that he could see. Blu
urged and pushed by his tormentors, h
kept on, until a rickety old house, jut
ting almost into the street at one OF tn
narrow windings, caught the soft load