Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-07-04

steep ascent. Guided by sort of path,
[ labored on. About half way up | was
obliged to stop and rest. In peevish,
querulous tone, he begged me to so on.
Once more I started. He seemed to be
made of lead. Happening to look
quickly into his face, | was surprised to
see that he was smiling. Perhaps it was
for Joy at the prospect Of soon reaching
home. Still / did not like it. There
was something sneering and malignant
about something cunning and devil
ish. At best, his face was anything but
prepossessing. He was apparently about
65 years of age. His hair, originally
white, was now dirty and blood-stained.
His skin was yellow and wrinkled Lit
tie ferrety eyes, with greenish tinge of
color; long, sharp nose, and very
large mouth containing a few scattered
teeth, worn to the gums and blackened,
completed the picture His hands were
yellow, wrinkled and dirty. The finger
nails were talon-like. His whole make
up, in fact, was by no means agreeable,
and began to regret that I had aided
him. And yet how could have refused
to help a fellow-being so seriously in
jured? | was suddenly reused by his
sharp voice: 'sStop. Now turn to your
left"
This / did, when, to my utter amaze
ment, the green-leaved trees had vanished
and in their places stood bare trunks and
leafess branches. All about us on the
ground were myriads of faded leaves
Just beyond was a clearing, with not q
blade of grass to be seen. The bare, dry
ground looked as though it had been
singed. In the centre of the clearing
stood an old, half-ruined castle, moss
chinked and ivied. Turret and battle
ment, courtyard, huge gates, and a
heavy, cumbersome rawbridge were all
there. [ could not doubt my senses; it
was real. had stopped in my wonder
and perplexity, and was gazing in open
mouthed establishment at the old pile,
when | was suddenly made aware of the
presence of the old man by sharp pinch
on my arm, and the words
Why don't you go on!' impatiently.
"Is that your homer" / asked, still
staring in a mechanical sort of way.
"Of course it is. Why don't you go
on, and not stand staring like fool?'
"They told me at the hotel" said /,
moving forward, chat this island hadn't
a dwelling on it, and was entirely unin-
habited. / can't reconcile what [ heard
with what | now see."
"They seem to have been mistaken,
eh?' said he, with one of his devilish
laughs
This time I was not mistaken. There
was some hidden meaning in his laugh
Whatever it was, it gave me very posi-
tive dislike to the old man. Having
reached the shore of the moat, [ asked
him how we were to get across. For an
answer he blew a shrill note upon key
of curious shape, and, as suddenly as if
they had been waiting for us, two men
in the garb of monks appeared on the
other side. They let down the draw
bridge with much clanking of chains and
creaking of hinges. It's rheumatic joints
seemed to cry out with the pain out with
the motion occasioned them.
Carrying my burden as carefully as
possible. [ passed over the bridge and
through the gate into the courtyard
Once inside, the monkish creatures stood
blinking at me. Becoming uncomfort-
able under their stare, and finally get
ting irritated, [ said: "Why don't one
of you gaping fools tell where to take
this person; he is seriously injured?"
"Hurt! injured! Ha, ha, hi, hi"
and they capered round me, laughing in
shrill, discordant voices. [ looked to
my burden for an explanation of this
idiotic procedure, but, to my amaze
ment, he slid from my arms and in a
jify was laughing and dancing about
me. He whose leg I supposed was
broken, whose head | supposed gashed,
and whom I supposed too weak to walk,
was capering about me, varying his an
tics with an occasional somersault. The
truth flashed upon me in moment. /
could account for a request that [ should
not examine his leg, and his cunning,
devilish smile. I had been led into a
trap in very ingenius manner. Their
purpose [ could not conjecture; prob
ably robbery, possibly murder. I re-
solved to make my escape, if it was pos
sible. Turning suddenly, rushed out
of the gate, when, to my dismay, [ found
the draw-bridge up. And yet these
cursed people were at my heels, shrek
ing, laughing, deriding me; tearing my
clothes, pulling my hair, and cleverly
| lodging every blow aimed at them
There remained but one thing for me
to do. l must cross the moat [ could
swim. [ rushed to it's edge. Bafaed
again. AS far as [ could see, the muddy
bottom Of the moat sWarmed with liz
ards and snakes, the latter with vibrile
heads, shooting out their forked tongues.
Still my tormentors continued their
cruel sport. Thought swept along like
river. [ could let the draw-bridge
down, if these devils could only be made
to stand back. | seized a huge stick,
and rushed upon them. They laughed
at me. | would be revenged. They
should mock me no longer. [ aimed a
fierce blow at my deceiver. Midway in
air the stick crumbled to bits. It was
rotten. Dropping the fragment from
my hand, rushed to the bridge, follow
ed by those devils, still bowling. [
grasped huge chain, and then with a
cry of pain snatched my hands away
1t was red hot. [ had burned myself
badly.
60 SuroIv this 1,,11ct no Dord;+;o, T