Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1877-10-17
Took, W., WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER II, 1872.

what dilapidated old stove. The wo-
man explained that they had been
away from home and had returned
but n little before the shower began +;
and that for this reason she had but
little cooked but would set herself
about getting something for us to eat.
My wife plead indisposition on account
of ''severe headache AN excuse, by
the way, which often served her-and
| asked, as sufficient for myself and
Celia. a bowl of milk. Here another
of these curious glances noted rs
passing between the man and woman.
The former forthwith proceeded to
haul out into the center of the room
the cumbrous old table while the 9TH
er disappeared through door leading
into the pantry. "John' was soon
summoned to her presence, when an
animated conversation, carried on in
too low tone OF voice to be Of service
to our ears, pnsued. In Il few mo-
ments the door reopened and "John'
came forth bearing in his hands pan
of milk. My wife again placed her
lips to my ear, and said
GAS you value your life, do not taste
of that milk !
| smiled at her words of caution,
and was in the act Of taking a seat at
the table when our attention was AZ
rested by peddlers team which was
driven turiously past the windows,
coming to sudden stop as it entered
the shed. In another moment the
door opened and man, small in stat
ure, and with decidedly sinister ex-
preston of countenance, entered. He
seemed entirely familiar with the
place aud its proprietor. His dialect
was decidedly of the emphatic order.
OF every five words that escaped his
tongue, two, at least. were oaths of
the round and solid kind, and rolled
out. so to speak, with a force that
made it quite evident that he had ac-
quired a complete mastery OF the art
ofswearing. tie gave a searching glance
around the room, and then made some
sign with his hand, which the land
lord-for convenience sake | will call
him such-seemed to understand. |
mechanically y mbbleJ away upon the
bread which had been placed before
me, entirely discardlng the lacteal
fluid after swallowing one spoonful and
finding it possessed Of a certain flavor
which was, to say the best, extremely
unpalatable. AS for our little girl.
she remained in the corner Of the
room, with her mother, not wishing
any supper III health, a naturally
extremely nervous temperament, to-
gether with other causes ola similar
nature had doubtless much to conduce
to that result-at all events | was be-
ginning to feel uneasy. There was
many minor affairs, in addition to
those l have related, which also aided
me in forming an extremely untavor
able opinion of those into whose hands
we had committed ourselves for the
night
The peddlcr, having filled the room
with his oaths, arose and went out OF
the room, motioning the landlord to
follow him, as he did so. The latter
obeyed.
Ipushed away from the table and
went TO the window. The storm was
now at its climax flash succeeded
flash of the most vivid lightning l
had ever witnessed, accompanied by
thunder that seemed to rock the house
as by the convulsions Of Il most vio-
lent earthquake.
The men soon re-entered, accom-
panied by young man of fra,l torm
and pleasant address. He was evi
dently stranger to the locality. Our
hostess remarked in an undertone, as
the gentleman entered, that the night
seemed very favorable to their ''new
business"
AS the peddler was giving vent to
his oalhs, the laudlady, noting the ef-
feet upon my wife, who lnvoluntarily
shuddered as volley after volley es-
capped his tongue, remarked that she
(my wife) "need have no fear Of the
man. as he was Il perfect model OF a
good hearted man, only he acos a little
rough spoken"
The idea OF such corruption of An
Clio Saxon flowing from such Il ''mod-
ell good heart, was, mentally con-
tessed, very strange anomaly.
The peddler aud the young man sat