Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1884-08-07
A TERRIBLE NIGHT,

A TERRIBLE NIGHT,
"Ah, sir, see you're admiring my
flowers! Well. they are pretty-that
they are-though | doubt as some
would call the marigolds and carna-
tions common and old d'fashioned. You
don't see many of 'em now in your fine
ncw-fanglcd gardens, do you? It's
pretty little place this, amt it, sirP
And it's my own, too-my very own
and will 90 TO my grandson after me.
He's Il good lad, he is-it's him as
looks after the garden. Mighty fond of
flowers he is, and rarely proud he'll
be, know, when he hears as Il fine
town gentleman has taken notice of
'cm! All, was fond of gardening, too,
in my time But I'm getting an old
man now-cighty-livc | am come
Christmas and | cant expect to he
spared much longer, though I'm hale
and hearty yet, thank heavenl All,
times have altered, sir, since my young
days. For the better, you say? Well,
things are grander than they were
then, but somehow | seem TO like the
old times best, perhaps because | was
young and strong in 'cm. And talking
of old times reminds me of something
that once happened to me. Like to
hear it, sir2 Well, so you shall, and
welcome, if you don't mind wasting an
hour or so with an old chap like me.
Sit down, then, on that bench and
make yourself comfortable.
you've been to Chelmsford per-
haps? Then maybe you know the
'Saracen's IIead?' Well. close to where
that now stands there used to be an
old inn called the Swan. A queer old
place it was to be sure, with its case
mcnt windows and overhanging gables.
| was living at Ralphan then-it's nigh
upon sixty years ago-a farmer was,
and had been married only short
time to Il dear little wife as loved well
and true till she died, poor lass!
"One cold December day started
for Braintrec, to look at some stock as
| thought of buying, As it was two
days journey, l meant to stop at
Chelmsford for the night, and 90 on
early the next day l didn't leave
home till about =, and | had weary
road to travel, so that the darkness
came on before | reached the gibbet on
the edge of the common; and | can tell
YOU my flesh crawlcd, rs the saying is,
when gallopcd past at full speed, II
was n bleak cold night, and the road
was bad, so that it was late before
rode into Chelmsford.
II put up at the 'Swan'-that being
the first inn | came to-and was stand
ing watching the ostlcr rubbing dowr
my good old mare-for | always at
tended to that first thing-when the
landlord came slowly out to me; hC
was a short, sharp-faccd man, will
great black eyes that had an uneasy
sort of look in EN-. told him I'd haC
long ride and was glad enough tC
get safe into his yard--for I'd golc
about me and we'd heard horrible
tales of the robbgrics and murders OF
the Kings highway. Well, he showed
me into a long low room-the kitchel
it was-with brick floor and brigh
fire burning.
'"There's a noisy lot in the parlor
sir, said he; you'll be quiet and cos.
here, for maybe you're tired and chill.
after your ride in the wind
81 ordered steak and some wine
and, as l ate my supper, thought t,
myself that couldn't well have chosel
better place than the Swan to stol
at. After had finished | called TO
pipes and grog and sat by the fire witt
the landlord, but might as well hav,
been alone for he never spoke word
but sat staring into the fire witch
wicked look in his eyes that / didn'
like, though | didn't take much motto
of it then. All, know now what hi
thoughts were as he gazed moodil
into the glowing Goals! He was think
ing of the disgrace brought upon hi
name by his only son, and wonderin
where the money was to come fror
= which must be procured somehow
his boy was to be saved from ruin
And then no doubt he planned to mui
:. der me-ah, it's all true, sir-Tve &c
, his confession by me now-and bur
me down by the riverside, in tn
, meadow behind the stable. Then h
meant to turn my mare out befor
r dawn so that the servants might thin
!. had left early; and then, you SEE
when it was found, people would thin
something had happened to me on tn
road to Braintree. Well, my con
panion reused himself after tim
and began asking me what / though
: of the country, if had ridden ia
t whether had been advised to put u
l. at the Swan, and such like question
:, | answered them freely enough, nevt
supposing that he asked them for m
IL other reason than just to keep up IL
v conversation. asked him to call n
y early and he promised he would do 6
it "I'll do it myself, said he, for Il
:: girl and the ostler will be abcd.
~ "Then he called his wife and to
- her TO bring me candle. which 81
W did. She was coarse-looking, car
J. worn woman, and | noticed when 81
showed me to my room that her har
was shaking, and her voice sound'
Il thick as she bade me a civil Goo
Ie night.
' "My bedroom was a long low roo
Ia with queer old furniture, quaint carv'
II ~ chairs and a great four-post bedstei
IL which seemed as big as hearse. The
c. was no lock to the door. and the bol
9, were rusty, so / could only put d
a, latch down. l thought of putting
9. chair against it, but that seemed chill
/. ish and no protection after all. ~
10 night was wet and windy and the 81
as black as ink, Try as | would / couldr
n get to sleep, and there ! lay listenil
Sc to the ghostly tapping of the Ivy leay
10 against the window, and thinking
a the evil look in the landlords eye
=" and all the horrid stories had ey
" read came crowding into my min
ls- when suddenly | started up in be
O. wide awake enough, for l heard SON
thing or some one climbing up the !