Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-12-15
THE STRANGER.

Hodnet is situated in Shropshire, Eng
land, and like other villages of it's class
consisted principally of one street, an
inn, churches, and number of scattered
houses IN the vicinity. Hodnet was,
moreover, the market town of the shire,
and stood in rather a populous district;
so that, though of small dimensions it
self, it was the rallying place on any ex-
traordinary occasion of pretty numer-
GUS population. Fl
One evening III February, some years
ago, the mail from London stopped at
the Blue Boar, and gentleman wrapped
III a travelling cloak came olt. The
guard handed him small portmantear,
and the mail drove on. The stranger en-
tered the inn, was shown into parlor
and desired that the landlord and bottle
of wine should be sent to him. The or
der was speedily obeyed; the wine was
set upon the table by the landlord, Gill
bert Cherryripe himself. Gilbert pro-
ceeded to rouse the slumbering fire, re-
marking that it was a cold raw night.
His guest assented with nod.
''You call this village Hodnet, do you
not?" said he, inquiringly.
eyes, sir, this is the town of Hodnet."
{Mr. Cherryripe did not like the term
village 'And a prettier little place is
not TO be found in England.
$50 / have heard; as you are not
upon any OF the roads, I believe you
have the reputation of being a, primitive
and unsophisticated race" -as
Primitive and sophisticated, did you
say, sir? Why, as to that, / can not ex-
actly speak: but if there is no harm in
it, ] dare say we are But you see, sir,
I am vintner, and don't trouble my
head much about them.
$50 much the better" said the stran-
ger, smiling; ''you and I shall become
better friends; may stay with you for
some weeks, perhaps months. In the
meantime, get me something for sup
per, and desire your wife to look after
my bedroom.
Mr.. Cherryripe made one of his proud
est bows, and descended to the kitchen.
inspired with the deepest respect for his
unexpected guest.
Next day was Sunday. The bells OF
the village church had just finished ring
ing, when the stranger walked up the
aisle and entered, as if at random pew
which happened to be vacant Instant
~
a new face was too important an object
in Hodnet to let go unnoticed
sWho is hep
"When did he come %
'With whom does he stay ?''
'How long will he be here 2"
These and a thousand other ques
tons few about In whisper from tongue
to tongue, while the unconscious object
of all this interest cast Lis eyes calmly
and yet penetratingly, over the congre
cation.
Nor was it to be wondered that his APP
pearance caused sensation among the
good people of Hodnot, for he was no
the kind of person whom one meets will
every day. There was something botl
In his face und figure that distinguished
him from the crowd. You could no
look upon him once, and then turn ava,
with indifference. His features arrested
attention, and there was a something il
his manner that by some would be termed
dignity, by others hauteur.
When the service was over, our here
walked out alone, and shut himself III
for the rest of the day in his parlor at Tia,
Blue Boar. But speculation was busil,
at work, and at more than one tea-tabl
that evening in Hodnet, coniectures wer'
poured out with the tea, and swallowed
with the toast
A few days elapsed, and the strange
was almost forgotten, for there was to b,
a subscription assembly in Hodnet
which engrossed entirely the minds 0
men. 1t was one of the most importan
events that had happened for at least
century. Such doings had never beer
known before. At length the great, til,
important night arrived. "big with tn,
fate " of many rustic belle. The foo
was admirably chalked by travelling
sign painter, engagedfor thepurpose; anC
the refreshments in an adjoining room
consisting of negus, apples, oranges
cold roast beef, porter and biscuits, were