The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1882-07-06
THE PEDDLER's STORY.

characters, from the wealthy lanu spec
uIatOr to the humble immigrant ON his
way to his prospective home IN the Will
derness. The usual stories went round,
none of which remember save one told
bya peddler, and | remember that solely
from the fact that was assured by 9th
ers that the essential features of II were
true.
"In all my travels" said the peddler,
over thousands of miles OF country,
never was really terrified but once. In
the regular pursuit of my vocation
was travelling through eastern Canada,
when toward evening one sultry day,
found myself travelling through a long
stretch of swampY woodland. Toward
night emerged from the lOwland and
found myself following what was lit
tie better than a bride path through a
rocky, sparsely settled country, and Just
as the evening shade appeared FOUND
tavern-a lonely, desOlate looking stone
structure, which | would gladly have
passed had it not been the only house
within many miles of me; and, besides,
heavy storm was coming on.
No one met me at the door, but after
entering the gloomy, unlIghted bar
room, | was greeted by man OF forbid
ding aspect, who took my traps and
made me welcome as he appeared 10
know how. He was the only person
supper | went to bed, more to get rid or
his disagreeable cOmpaniOnshlp than
because l was either tired or sleepy.
NV bedroom was small, but looked
clean and neat, and contained the usual
furniture, all in good order. The single
window to my room was neatly cur
tained with chintz. The air was close
and raised the window sash and looked
out, finding the night intensely dark
81, ofrn f,iH q n .
| then bOlted my door, blew out my
candle, went to bed and soon fell asleep.
| was awakened by a crash of thunder,
and being rather timid about lightning,
sprang up to close my window. As
did so my head barely touched some sort
substance above me, but thought moth
ing of it in my excitement. reached
the window, and for an instant STOOD
and looked out to get view or the ap-
preaching storm; but as before l could
see nothing at all-all was as black as
the darkest pit-and as before, too, the
air was perfectly still-sO much so that
felt a sitting sensation. L was the
more surprised at this as | thought |
heard the roar of wind and the fall OF
rain; and certainly there was another
clap of thunder, whose preceding flash
of lightning L had not perceived.
Awed by the mystery l hastily let
down the sash, and returned to the bed
in state of some trepfdatiOn; but as |
put out my hand to feel my way in, 1t
came in contact with a mattress nearly
as high as my neck from the floor. Now
really terrified by a sense of some un-
known danger, and half believing that
the room was haunted, l clutched the
mattress cOnYulsively, and felt over and
under it. and found it was separate from
the bed on which had been sleeping,
and was slowly descending.
Gracious heavens. how shall | attempt
to describe that moment of horror, when
first got a comprehension of the whole
diabOlical plot! A plot to murder me
in my sleep! l was walled up in room
prepared with machinery for the express
purpose of mm dering the unsuspecting
traveller, and had only been saved from
the awful fate by the report of heavens
thunder. The window of course was
only a blind to deceive, placed inside OF
a blank wall, which accounted for my
seeing nothing from it, and getting no
current of air when the sash was
raised; and the mattress | had hold OF
was arranged by pulleys, and held down
by weights upon the sleeping traveller
until life should be smOthered out of
him. All this L now cOmprehended by a
sudden flash of light; and as | stood
trembling and almost paralyzed there
came a quick rattling of rods and pull
leys, and the upper bed dropped down
with force that denoted the heavy
weights placed upon it.
But, though left out from under it
alive, as it were, by a miracle-what
was | now to do to preserve my life? As
vet all was dark, and no one appeared;
but now heard voices speaking in low,
hushed tones, and knew that soon the
truth would be discovered, and in all
probability my life attempted in some
other way. What was l to do? How
defend myself from the midnight muir
derers? | had no weapon but an Ordl-
nary clasp-knife, and what would this
avail against two or more? Still de-
termined not to yield my life tamely,
and as in all probability all avenues of
escape were barred against me, re-
solved to crawl under the bed and take
IVY chances there. Mechanically, while
considering, had felt for my clothes
and drawn on my pantalOons, and now
cautiously tried the door, and finding it.
as 1 had expected, fastened on the out
side, stealthily glided under the bed
and placed myself far back, close against
the wall. | had barely gained this pO-
sitiOn when light shOne into the room
from far above, and looking up between
the bed and the wall saw an opening
in the ceiling, about five feet by eight
through which | suppose the upper mat
tress had descended, and standing on
the edge of this opening, looking down
was the landlord of the inn, and beside
him a tall, sinister viragO, who looked
wicked enough to be his wife, as un
dOubtedly she was.
"All right, Meg" he said at length
she is quiet enough now; and if not,
can soon finish him''-and with this ht
took the candle from her hand ant
leaped down upon the bed, then sprane
off upon the floor. "NOw hoist away,
he continued, "and let us go through
the job as quick as possible"
Again / heard the noise of ropes an
pulleys, and knew the upper bed wa
being raised, which, in another mOmen
would disclose to the human monste
the fact that my dead body was no
there! 1t must be a struggle for lif
and death between him and me, and
was already nerving myself for tn
dreadful encounter, when L experience
kind of transitOry sensation of a cras
and shock.
The next thing remember was find
ing myself exposed to the fury of tn
tempest-the wind bowling past mt
the rain beating upon me, the Hghtnin
flashing and the thunder roaring. wa