The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1877-05-18
MY PERIL And ESCIPE,

I was a very bold aud fearless girl, and
my brothers and sisters often dared me To
go into lonely places in tE' dak, or do
perilous feats of variuus kinds, which
challenge | never refused. Often they set
out to play tricks nn me. but it usually
happened they fell into their own traps,
while performed my part in safety.
We lived in large old house, built nf
English oak, and bearing its nearly two
centuries very lightly. Ii opened to the
south, ,nd the two large pail"IS looked to
the east and west. The dining hall and
spacious kitchen foi med the square of the
house, while at the west was another large
room. sometimes called the great porch,
and at the east and back vas the dairy aud
anoiher porch. There we're three stair
ways leading Ia the upper rooms and gar
ret, whose ample space was broken only by
the great chimney in the centre.
We had a gay aud lively house, and were
used to Il great deal of company aud visit
ors, for my parenis were greatly given to
tie old fashioned virtue OF hospitality
Tire humblest waNfarer coming in at the
porch was entertained kindly ana given
God speed as well as the guest whose ele
giant carriage aud span drove ioumd to the
fror dour on the sout hern side.
II Was a summer day. and warm. bright
and b.autiful. The morning promised Il
lovely day. Just after our early breakfast
"A merry party came riding down the lane
in carriages aud on horseback, and yelling
jnyously for my father and mother to ac-
company them ON a pleasure trip. They
were accustome to this mode of imprnmp-
"a, festivity, and gaily answered that they
vo,IId soon be ready IL was only the day
before that my father had returned from
the Australian gold tiaitis aud had brought
with him Il bag Of gold. | knew he had
this. for had seen him the night before
counting some out of it and putting 1t iuto
another bag.
Thomas brought The chaise TO the door.
Fathers favcrite black horse, wii"se coat
looked like lusirous velvet and who stem
ped So proudly, paving the ground
impa,iently as he appeared He handed in
my beautiful mother, and | stood look ng
ON with childish pleasure at her beautiful
and rich dress that So became her.
FASTENED in d,oIs again to see them
wind down the private way that icd through n
our extensive grounds, and half wished L
we've old enough to go with them Hear
ing a slight noise, | turned aud saw a
stranger, figure not unusual, a man wi'h
bundle on n stick.
He was leaning on the stone wall and
pplreutiy leaking after the carriages. -
He ca me forward in a moment aud asked
if he might sit down and rest, aud il would
kindly give him something 70 eat. OF
cnursa I said yes and soon had him q sub
stantial lunch of bread aud cheese which
he came into the kitchen to eat. Betsy
and Hannah we've busy hurrying to finish
| their york for they were going out I" tea
and to spend the evening. They talked
oaily about their visit. paying little aifen-
/ ,ior tn the stroller. who WAS quietly eating.
| He had laid his hat on the floor aud | saw
| that his head was balG on the top. aud the
finnish hair brushed up from behind over
! it.
He had prominent ears. low forehead aud
large mouth with a receding cl'in, where
| grew a siubby beard of grizzly black, like
| his hair | ,trn't know Why observed all
| this. or his ewes. small aud hid undei gray
| isb bruws. that seemed To glance faIt lv"iy
| about him when no one appeared to he
| Iu,kiug. His voice was harsh and croaking
and had startled me when he first address
! ed me.
| We were used to strollers of all kinds as
| have said Perhaps | was meutaiiy cou-
/ t,asting his rrpulsivenrss with my father S
| noble and dignfied features. lie seemed
TO me very ugly. was glad when he had
J flushed his meal aud risen to go. He ask
/ ed uermssion to light his pipe. which was
/ readily granted. Tie went out directly.
! passing incidentally through the dining
room and cut of the great hall, where he
/ fingered for q moment or two. He had
! thanked me civiliy enough for his breakfast