Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1878-01-16
TOM WILLS;
The RObbcr outW1tted-

| remember the story my father used
TO tell of an adventure he once had
with noted highwayman, while on a
Journey from Rhode Island to one of
the north eastern counties of the En-
pire State.
He was employed as an agent of
HarriSoff. one of the owners of great
.Iand tract and it became necessary,
on one occasion. for him to visit that
portion of the State of New York where
the land lay. to transact some business
connected with his agency.
At that early day, stage coaches,
those cumbroas vehicles, rolled but
leisurely over the rough, corduroy
Dads: and passed only between the
principal towns, distributing their
weekly budget of mail matter; and
travellers whose business happened 10
be off the great thOroughfares," as
the stage routes were digDified, found
it more convenient to journey on horse
back. carrying few changes of linen
in portmanteaus strapped behind them,
or in the more convenient told-fashioned
leathern saddlc-bags.
Nv father had chosen this latter mode
of travelling. and. mounted on a valua-
bic sorrel, he had passed through the
States of Connecticut and Massachu-
sets. into the southern border of the
county of Lewis in the State OF New
York. without encountering any extra
ordinary event Itwas at that pleasing
season of the year, when journey OF
that character is the most agreeable;
for the spring had already melted into
the blossouling month of June.
All that day he had journeyed over a
wild and broken country, without pass
ing a settlement, or meeting single
Tellow-trtveler; and but for his admi-
ration of the frequently changing seen
cry. would have found the road eX-
tremely lonesome. Towards evening,
while resting in the shadow of the
forest. he hesrd the sound of an ap-
preaching horseman, and shortly after
a traveller came in sight along the road
over which he had just passed. The
stranger was mounted like himself, on
a fine sorrel, with pair of heavy saddle
bags strapped to his saddle.
The new conner was a large and
athletic man, who, but for the peculi-
aritv of his dress, might be regarded as
anything but welcome companion on
such a lonely and unfrequented road.
But his garb and salutation immedi-
ateIv placed my father at his ease.
He wore strait-bodied, high-col-
Jared. brown coat, with wide-brimmed,
low-crowned white hat, and white neck
cloth "a garb which bespoke him an
itinerant of the methodist persuasion,-I
one of those self-denying followers OF
Christ. v ho have always been foremost
with the example of their pious and
simple lives, among the pioneers of our
new settlements.
"A pleasant evening TO you, my
friend - said he rs he approached my
father: and dismounting from his sad
die gave him friendly shake of the
hand. "It is beautiful weather, sir
and if you DO not consider the inquiry
impertinent, in a stranger, sir, in which
direction are you traveling?"
Good evening, sir" my father re-
piled. II am journeying towards Mar
tinsburg.''
"Ah, indeed, how fortunate, said
the parson. ''In that case, sir, trust
we may journey together; for that same
little town happens TO be my own des-
tination. But can you tell me, my
friend. how far we are from a tavern!'
Nv father informed him that he also
was stranger in the country, never
having Travelled that road before; bat
if he had been rightly informed where
he had last spent the night, it could be
but little distance ahead-perhaps at |
the end of the forest through which /
their road lay; and returning TO his |
saddle. my father joined the stranger
on the road.
The two travellers jonrneyed along |
side by side: and ere they had ridden |
two miles, had become quite intimate.
as travellers under those circumstances
frequently will. The parson was a
man of sense, and much intelligence;
and by the time they had reached the
end of the wood, where their eyes were ,