Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1875-11-10
MFFIINTOWN JUNIATA COUNTY, PENNA- NOVEMBER TO- 1875

if don't talk about it, but l am deter
mined to learn more by the water side.
Look here, Charley-was Marcus body
ever found?"
81 think you had better leave the body
alone" said Charley, with a movement
between yawn and shiver; and the
next minute he was fast asleep.
Ned kept awake that night, thinking,
and the more he thought, the more was
his course the only one that offered any
solution to the mystery, if any, of the
sad story. As soon as the morning
dawned he was out of bed, dressed, and
off with his fishing-rod and basket by
the first train. He found the fisherman
in his front garden, digging worms for
his eel-pots, and as he was not otherwise
engaged for the day, he was ready to 90
aiioat. So, after providing a small ham,
per of refreshments at the inn, they
were soon pInting against the stream
for Marcus Deep.
''IIOw long, Banks, do you say it is
since you have not drank beer, or that
sort of thing?" asked Ned, as he saw
the fisherman take swig of cold tea
after his eXertiOn.
Ever since was that high" replied
the man, placing his hand about a couple
of feet above the gunnel of the punt
.'ever since L was six years old; and
I'm wonderfully thankful TO this very
place We are now fishing for that, though
it did no good to some one else"
mo good to some one else," thought
Ned mentally. "Suppose, Banks, we
have two or three more balls of ground
bait in. Did the anglers fish here much
after the fisherman was drowned?''
with as much indifference as he could
affect.
''There has been no fisherman drowned
here that L ever recollect, although one
was very nigh to. A gentleman was
But even at this time of day-for it's
twenty years ago-it don't do for me to
speak of it, and if you please, sir, I'D
rather not talk about it,"
But it's called Marcus Deep because
a fisherman of that name"
"Well, sir, you'll excuse me, but
never speak about it more than can
help, and I'd rather not" .-.
"But," continued Ned persistently,
''do understand you to say that there
was no fisherman drowned here, but
that a gentleman was?"
81 don't know how | have come to
say so much," said Banks, with evident
emotion; ''but when l tell you that
there are persons living who might get
into very great trouble if was to gabblc
any more, / am sure, sir. as gentle
man. you will excuse my holding quiet.
Ned, whose whole anxiety was for his
father, tacitly acquiesced i'm the wisdom
of silence. s -...-
That day ,at dinner, Ned much startled
Mr.. Moffatt by telling him that he had
been again to Marcus Deep. Indeed,
his father was shocked to learn that the
recital of his secret should have had sc
little effect. Ned, seeing what was
passing in his fathers mind, without
further preface or preparation, remarked
''Why, father, have heard to-day that
instead of the fisherman being drowned
i'm that weir pool, it was the gentleman.
''The gentleman
eyes, indeed; it was the gentleman,
and not the fisherman"
GAre you certain ofthis, Ned?" ejacu-
''Can this be true? The very possibility
of that poor man having escaped has
never occurred to me. No, no. he
added, and sinking into tone of deep
sadness, she could only have been saved
by miracle"
"But, father" urged Ned, "Banks,
the fisherman, told me he knew all about
the affair. He told me the fisherman
was not drowned, and the gentleman
was. If he is correct-which you can
now easily ascertain-you have only to
make yourself known in confidence, and
Banks, | am sure, will tell you all
When l left him, begged him not to
engage himself for tomorrow, as
meant to bring a gentleman down with
me to fish who, years ago, used to bt
very fond of the place"
"Meaning me ~ observed Mr.. MOffatt,
his hopes again reviving. "We will GO
tomorrow, Ned; il is a matter that
cannot delay an hour unnecessarily"
Next morning found Mr.. Moffatt and
his two sons aflOat with Banks; and
Ned, watching his father closely, saw
how greatly the scene of the weir and
its turbulent waters affected him, al
though it was so many years since the
event had occurred which had thrown
its shadow over the whole of that period
When properly moored, Mr.. MoiTatt':
impatience being wrought to the high
est, he broke the subject at once, and
was induced, rs the best plan of getting
at the facts which Banks could render,
to tell him he knew the gentleman sup
posed to have been drowned, and that
he was alive, if not well. Banks de-
light at this revelation was great, sc
unbounded, indeed, and expressed in
such grateful and vivid terms, that il
even exceeded that of Mr.. MOffat, who
began to see plainly that this manifesto
ton closely concerned his own happi-
ness. Banks, therefore, now having DC
longer any cause for taciturnity, related
all he knew of the occurrence. But we
will let him tell his own story, almost
in his own words.
"My father, Marcus Banks better
known as Marcus the fisherman-was
great favorite with gentleman who
used to come down in the summer t6
that little white cottage you see near the
ferry yonder. l believe my father
equally liked his customer, for by his
influence he had become from being
often unable to go out with gentlemen
from too much drink, regular, sober,
steady man, respected by his neighbors,
spoken well of, and often recommended
as the best man in the village by ouI
gentleman. One night-the last | saw
my father for years; was then but
snap of a lad-he told me he expected
the gentleman down from London, and
that he had been all the afternoon get
ting bats aud other things, so as to have
good days sport. 1t was late before
he came to bed, and he was then a:
sober as usual: and recollect no more
than being slightly disturbed when ht
got up at twilight in the morning ant
left me to fall asleep again. L don
know what time it was when was sud
denly awakened by the door being burs'
in and father, dripping wet, his hair on
end, his eyeballs starting out of his head
and his whole body trembling as if hs
had the palsy, throwing himself with
wild scream across the bed. l started
up in my fright and listened with hor'
ror to my father accusing himself o
,,,rcorfpr-coldly mr1rderinO his ems