The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1875-12-24
Chancellor kent's Predicament.
HOW A DACKwooDMAN CAUGHT HIM IN AN
EQUIvoCAL SITUATION.

r Country of GenCsce," as western New
Y York was then called At that time, thougl
? the distance did not exceed three hundred
G and seventy miles, the journey was more
S toiIsome, protracted, and dangerous than
trip from New York to Oregon now is Or
the fifth day out the couple lost their way
and night coming on, believed themselve.
l doomed to spend it in the open forest ex.
posed to all its horrors and dangers. But
inst as Kent brought his horses to halt, a
light suddenly CLEANED out of the interstices
between the trees, short distance ahead
Pushing onward once more, they found
themselves in a few moments in front of a
comfortable log house standing near the
+ road side.
a woman apparently thirty years of age.
with lighted candle in her hand, comes to
the door.
My good woman, myself and my wife, the
: lady i'll the carriage with me, are travelling
on our way to Canandagua, but we have
lost the way; night is upon us and we can
go no further. Can you give us shelter for
the night, some supper, and something for
our horses" asked Kent.
I'VE are poor folks" said the woman
"and I'm alone. My man is chopping wood
over in the Billings settlement, three miles
Off and he won't be home in an hour. You
are strangers and | don't--but Won look
like respectable people, and guess you can
stay here I'll give you something to cat if
it amt quite so good, and I'll fodder your
horses, too Your woman there had better
get out and come in, while | put the horses
III the stable"
Mrs. Kent obeycd. The horses were un-
harnessed, led to the stable and fed. Ina
short time the woman prepared homely
but acceptable supper for her guests. When
the meal was finished she said
81 s'pose you're tired and want to 20 TO
bed. That's our bed in the corner, but you
can sleep in it tonight. and my man can
sleep overhead. I'll just set his supper on
the table; when he comes in, he'll eat it
but he won't disturb you. Then he'll come
up to bed where am
80 saying, she placed her mans evening
repast on the table, lit another candle, then
ascended ladder leading to sort of scutt,e
hole, through which she crawled. In few
moments she was lost in sleep.
The travellers also retired to rest. Tired
nature hurried them swiftly On to the
land of dreams Suddenly the Chancellor
started up exclaimiug:
Bessie, that outside door is not fastened. !
Presently the man of the house will return,
and seeing me in bed with you, he will of |
course think you are his wife, and Bessie, he |
won't relish that Being a wood-chopper,
he Will haye his AK with him, and before | |
can explain matters the Chancellor of this
State will stand pretty good chance to be
chopped to pieces-not pleasant thing to
think of, Bessie"
III is bad matter. While he is chop ping
you up he may include me in the exercise
What can you dog" said Mrs. Kent.
Il tell you, Bessie, what I'll do I'll push
that table against the door. When the man
comes it will take him some time to remove
it. While he is doing so can explain mat
tiers to him. said the Chancellor.
Accordingly he arose took hold of the ia
BILE to push it against the door. While in
the act he heard heavy footsteps approach
ing the next instant q man of gigantic
size, in his shirt sleeves, wearing bare-skin
cap on his head, pushed the door open and
entered the room. The first object that greet
ed his sight was the Chancellor with no
clothing on but his shirt CHANGING at the
bed he saw, as he supposed, his wife there,
and the situation became painfully apparent
to him.. Furious with jealousy he excllaim-
ed
"Who the devil are you, in my house at
this time of~night? Darn youl Tve caught
you, whoever you are"
ITS all right, my good sir" said Kent,
trying to explain matters. "Its all right, |
ann"
"All right All right! You be darned,"
thundered the man. 81 see-didnt expect +
me home. Thought you'd fasten me out
when did cOme-was going to have things
all your own way here, hey? but caught
you-happened around at the nick of
timc.n
"Pray let me explain sir" said the Chan
ccIor "Myself and my wife there"
"Gour wiic Your wiie Good heavens
what a bold cuss you are. know who you
are now You're Sam Fickner that used to
court my wife, as | heard tell, Now, Flick
near, what have you got to say for your
self?"
My name is not Flickner. Ii is James
Kant / 4 Ibop,all,r . H., ..rN |
York. That is my wife Bessie, that is in the
bed there. Your wife is upstairs all right
There is your supper for you on the table,
Eat it, for gracious sake cried Kent in
hurried manner.
"Chancellor of the State of New York,
hey? What in the deuce is the Chancellor
the State of New York doing in my house
at this time of night? Darn pretty
way to get out Of u scrape-lay it to
the Chancellor Of the State, hey? If he
should catch you in the house like have
caugh. you, he'd chancc you. say you
are Sam Flickner and I'll kick blazes out of
you, said the man advancing toward Kent
with a fist that looked like sledge hammer,
At this critical moment his wife stuck her
head down the hatchway, exclaiming
"lIold on jim I'm up here all right, They
have lost their way; | guess they are good
folks, and I've given 'em our bed eat your
supper and come up here to bed don't n AXE
such bear of yourself If ! hadn't been
sound asleep when you came all this fuss
wouldn't have happened" This address
brought matters to a proper understanding,
The man apologised for his hastiness.
The Chancellor went to bed, The man
sat down and ate his supper, and when it
was finished, retired quietly to his bed up
stairs, and soon all the inmates of the house