Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1878-09-04
Romance of a WaySide Inn.

On the outskirts of Tarrytown, on the
Hudson, there is an old-fashioned taV-
ern with wide, low rooms, a squ"re
corridor. wherein the stairway makes
three turns; three fire. places, roomy
closets. inviting piazzas, all in admira-
bic order-well furnished, well cared
for, and last, out not least, 4 comfortable
looking landlord, who leads the way to
a pleasant sitting-room with an air that
seems to say, You city folks can get
something here what is appetiZing-
broiled chicken, fresh vegetables and
real cream" If he thinks so he certain
IL keeps his promise. for his daily menu
i excellent. This jolly landlord is
pleased to show his house to strangers.
and delights in telling them the old
stories connected with it. which have
grown into legends, if they will only
listen. Throwing open the door at the
head of the stairway he poses himself
with:
from the West, who was lost in that
dreadful steamboat accident ont there
two years ago, occupied this room for
weeks Just before she died. She was
bewitched with the scenery, the walks
and the drives about here, and never
Tired of asking questions about Wash
ington Irving-had he ever been in this
house? and when | told her he had a
thousand times, aud that when his fun
eral procession passed the door, all the
public school children were stationed on
either side of the road with wreaths and
flowers in their hands to do his memory
honor, the tears ran down her checks.
sent for some of the ivy which grows
on yonder church walls, and gave it to
her to take home. You know tina:
Irving brought it from the home of Sir
Walter Scott. AbbOtsford. Scotland.
Now this is the Blue Room
"'What Of this room any romance ?"
we asked. .-
Not exactly" SAYS mine host. "A
bachelor comes here every summer on
his way. (he pretends) to Saratoga,
brings his horses, and carriages and ser
want. He always has had this room.
Ii was all stuff that he just came here to
be quiet. Why he was forever going
down the road to see Miss l., or else
sitting on the piazza in the morning to
see her drive by. Ny eyesi but she
was sumner; and the way she handles
her ribbons and talks TO those horses is
funny. | don't believe he'll come this
summer, for she got married last win
ter to an old widower, who took her off
10 a country town in New Jersey and
kept her there in real Blue Beard style
for three months, and then whisked
her away TO Europe without letting any
body know it. No, no, my bachelor of
the Blue Room won I come this summer,
his butterfly is caught.
s.And this is the Green Room?" said
We, as we passed into the next apart
ment adjoiping. "What gloomy
r0om,''
Il never come here said the land
lord. after dark, if | can help it-and
| always put bridal couples here cause
they don't mind how gloomy it is" he
added. slyly. "There's story about
the room. It'spretty long. Guess you
better make yourself comfortable, and
sit down while tell it.
It's about twenty years ago last win
ter since the beginning of the circum-
stances happened which makes this
room so gloomy to me. A lonely woman
died here, and she had a strange history
was sitting in the bar-room one awful
cold night until it was very late with
some cronies. and were telling stories
and drinking hot flip. Oh. how 1t
showed and the wind howled, and 1t
seemed as though Old Nick himself
was let Ioose-tiIl my comrades were
afraid to 90 home, and | said:
Boys, let's keep it up till daylight. "
''Just then there came rap ut the
hall door, very low at first. then louder.
We were all scared, and did not dare go
and see who was there. AT last we
went in body and carried light, and
when we opened the door something
fell into tho hall, all covered with snow,
and little child's cry came from the
bundle l picked the bundle UPS
woman in her night-dress, bare-footed
with cloak thrown over her shoulders
and over a baby. Great God. how we
looked at each other when we saw that
wOman's face, for it was the grandest
lady who lived about here, a beauty ana
the boast of the country. Her nome
was more than mile away down by the
river. Oh, what could it all mean =
was she crazy? She looked at us all,
and then said to me: Let me have
room, for | have come TO stay. so L
brought her TO this very room- MY
women folks got up and made her as
comfortable as they conld. She did not
c-y, but moaned now and then for hours.
At last she told me how her husband
had always been cruel to her, and that