Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1880-10-20


rather rough Hooking customers but
you tell Patty ] sent You aud she'll do
the hest she can for you, She used to
work for my wife before she married
Dan, and think she Ia a good heart
ed soul. Dan himself well, Dams
no fayorlte Of mine but ten chances
to one he's gone to tho fair himself
II | could give You even a lounge, !
would only DO too happy to do no,
but have only bare floors 10 offer,
and thing this lady ought TO rest
comfortably on q bed tonight,
After some further discussion, this
plan was agreed upon as tho most
feasible which presented Itself, and We
were about to start, when Mr.. Rice
said
Perhaps it would be best to leave
any valuablcs you may'havc about you
here at my house, ! have alock-room
made for the purposc,in my cellar,it you
prefer it, your friends can take care Of
them until morning for you / think
it very likely Dan will have other
company before midnight, and it's
Just as we'll to let them know you're
empty'handed,'
We thanked him, and handed over
our wallet containing or supply OF
ready money; and my husband
thought it best TO leave his watch
behind also. The chain was very
massive, aud would be likely to attract
attention. We wonld not DO without
a ,imepiece either, Tor my watch was
simply attached to q black guard
which wore around my neck, so
kept it with me. We then exchanged
good nights, and my husband gather
ed up the rcins to 60
4 suppose there is no difficulty
about finding the way = he said to MIR
Rice.
.You couldnt miss the cabin il is
right down the road-tbe first house
you come to-
Fifteen minutes drive boought US
there. A woman was standing in the
doorway as we approached
Can you give US bed tonight,
madam 2 asked my husband, politely,
'Mr. Rice is too full tn take us in, and
he sent us here thinking perhaps you
might have spare bed
She stared in silence for the space
of half a minute or so, and when a!
last she deigned to speak. it was to
ask some question about, 'Who all
was s.oppin' at Mr.. Rice's'
Ill tell you all about it after get
in, replied he, not very truthtully !;
4 have been driving all day, and I'm
very tired
Ben ridin' all day ! Yer don't say?
You mus be tide sho nutf. L.i-ght
down, bofe on yer. reckin we kin
make out tc let yer stay fur one night.
Thar haint no -four bread in the house,
though mos'er strangers is almighty
keen for flour bread
l'ut by this time we were both In
side the cabin for man had ap-
peared during the conversation, and
to him we entrusted the caie OF our
horses. 1t was a smoked-dried place,
evidently kitchen, dining aud bedroom
all in one. The supper was cooking
at the open fireplace the table was
ready laid. and couple Of bedsteads
stood side by side against the back
ground Of patchwork quilt which
was pinned with clothes-pins to a
rope stretched across the ceiling, and
which served to convert the ground
floor of the cabin into two apartments.
A space was left at one end large
enough to furnish means of ingress
and egress, and through this space |
was presently conducted that ! might
wash my face and hands.
Supper was ready almost Immediate
ly, and was glad to find no other
visitors. The hostess talked inces-
sanity to my husband; the three wild,
gipsy-looking children stared with all
the concentrated power of their three
pairs of black eyes; but the man by
whom 1 was placed neither looked
nor talked he was dark repulsive
individual, who cut his food vindict.
lively, and ate as If he bore it a
grudgc. think he uttered two sen.
tences during the meal. One OF these
was to inquire the time.
Il have no watch with me- replied
my husband, to whom he addressed
himself.
That's Gurus lie growled. halt to
himself.
,yUo hova loff onr lu0Doop with our