Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1882-12-29
THE TRAVELLERS STORY.

THE TRAVELLERS STORY.
It WAS in a palace car. on the Hud
son river road, that l heard a gentle
man, who sat near me. tell this story
to companion, and from the way he
told it, l believe it to be true:
"When l was young man Of one
and twenty 1 was in the employment
of my uncle, Mr.. Peter Harwell, who
had large factory at -. I man
aged his accounts, bought stock, and
was his paymastor; and this, being
paymaster. included another duty.
The factory was in a lenely place,
miles distant from any other town or
village, and there was no bank there.
Once week l rode to t, to draw
the money for the wages of the
hands Though their earnings were
not individually great, the whole
amount was never less than two
thousand dollars. This, partly in
small bank notes and partly in silver,
Icarried in a pair Of saddle-b bags be-
fore me on my horse l always rode
armed, and 1 never felt any fear what
ever.
"Highwaymen were not known in
our part of the country, and gener
ally had a companion on my way
home in the person of my uncle's
brother in-law, who often came to
spend Sunday with us.
81 started from home at nine
o'clock in the morning. and was al
ways in the factory at five, ready to
pay off the hands.
at wasen the tenth of December
that / left home one morning, with
every expectation of returning as
usual. The sky was white with com
ing snow, but I never gave that
second thought; besides, if storm
came, could hire sleigh in Il,
and return that way.
"Snow did fall even before 1
reached the bank, and by the time
had had my dinner the roads were
covered with it. I had called on our
relative as usual, and found him so
occupied with business as to be un-
able to leave the town; moreover, my
horse had suddenly fallen lame.
There was nothing for it but to leave
him in good care and hire both horse
and sleigh. I had some difficulty in
obtaining what 1 wanted, and having
done 80, waited while everything was
being made ready in the little Office
Of the livery stable, with newspaper
to while away the moments of prepar
alton. The men were very slow, and
the rosm very warm. I leaned back
against the wall and fell into
dreamy sort of conditions; yet not
pleasant one. For the first time in
my life I was nervous about my jour
MY. A bad-looking fellow had
seemed to watch me at the bank door,
and now I saw him again peeping in
at the window of the stable Office A
mere coincidence, perhaps, but I was
going on a lonely journey, with
money enough to tempt any highway
man. To be sure, l was armed; and
an armed man with a horse and
sleigh, need not fear any footpad;
yet I felt nervous.
"'Your sleigh is ready" said man,
opening the door.
II arose, took my saddle bags, and
buttoned my coat. How cold it was.
and how deep the snow was already;
and it was showing furiously. 1
looked at my watch; it was an hour
later than my usual time for starting;
the hands would be kept waiting.
However, that could not be helped.
I jumped into the sleigh and away
drove. The town soon lay behind
me. and / came to the last building
which was to greet nay sight before
/ saw the roofs of -. 1t was an
old stone church, which stood in the
midst of its moss grown gravestones
on the very outskirts of the scatter
ing suburbs Of T, and beside it
I saw leaning over the fence, feeble
looking old woman in the big cloak
aud stiff hood which ancient Hiber-
nian danes affect, who was not only
shaking her head, but moaning pite-
ously, and who was too wretched an
object to be passed without notice by
any humane person.
"'What is the matter, old ladyr
called, refining in my horse. Have
you hurt yourselfr
60 Is it hurt myself, did you sayr
cried the old woman, in queer,
hoarse falsetto. Och, but indade /
have, thin. My ankle is sprained,
and not q step an l able to take, and
me sons house at -, and not
penny have to pay wagon, barrin'.
by Gods grace, a good gentleman
like you would take me-
~ did not particularly fancy the
Old woman, nor esteem it a privilege
TO have her company, and / shrewdly
suspected that she had not hurt her
foot; but even without that was not
hard hearted enough to leave an old
creature like that to make her way
through the snow when / was going
TO the very place she mentioned. l
am afraid l said, Climb in, then,'
rather ungraciously; but said it,
and IN moment more she was by
my side. Her big cloak over filled
the seat, her breath was redolent of
whlskey, and her face was nearly en-
Seloped in big plaid handkerchief;
out ! made all the room for her T.