Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-05-28
Brother Ben.

| AA1d SNCi hiOWu II III all lilC, anu lllC
country over which took nv way as
bad as country roads in general. Con-
sequently was walking at great rate,
with the collar Of my rough coat over
my ears and comforter tied over my soft
hat and under my chin, to keep it on
and protect my ears, when suddenly a
man stood full in my path and caught
me BY the arm.
"Hullol" said he, you're just in
time; you are wanted at the cross roads
tO-nightn'
The voice was that of ruffian.
l fancied myself attacked by high
way-man. L stood quite still, and strove
to show him by my manner that l was
able to protect myself.
"What the deuce am L wanted at the
crossroads for?" said l. ''Unless L
choose it will be hard matter to get
me there"
But instead of producing pistol and
demanding my money or my life, the
man answered in An altered tone:
"Beg pardon, made mistake. L
thought it was my brother, and want
ed to frighten him. Bad night, sir?"
| very, Sdlu L,
"You don't know the time sir?" he
asked.
''It was seven when left the train at
g." said.
Thank ye, sir" said the man.
Goodnight"
Goodnight" said l.
| If his object had been robbery, prob
ably he had decided from my rough
appearance that l was too poor man
to be worth the trouble. But after all,
l thought, probably he spoke the truth.
A man may have such voice without
being a highwaymaa, no doubt. So l
went homeward and soon found myself
under shelter, and partaking of a warm
and savory supper.
| My mother was there and my brother
Ben. Ben was great strapping fellow
who could beat any other boy of his
age for miles around, if it came to
wrestling or boxing, and good-natu-
red boy as ever lived; boy always TO
mother and me, though he had exerci-
sed his right to vote in one Presidential
election. When supper was over, and
We had chatted for an hour, we went
up stairs to; ether. The moment Ben's
head touched the pillow he always went
to sleep. That night L followed his
example. But 1 did not sleep long
felt rough grip on my arm, and was
reused by a cry in my ears:
"Wuke up! you are wanted at the
cross roads"
1t was SO real, so palpable, that when
L became broad awake L actually be-
| lieved that some one was in the room;
the man who intended robbery or viO-
| lence. But when | had arisen, and lit
my lamp. The room was empty, eX-
cept myself and Ben, who lay snoring
on his pillow. l went to the door; it
was locked. l went to the window;
the rush of ram against the panes was
all L heard. L even went across the
passage to my mothers room. She was
awake; there had been no unusual
sound, she was sure.
Only dream born of my meeting the
strange man In the road, l felt had
awakened me. | went to bed and fell
asleep again. Again was awakened
by the same words, this time shrieked
in my ear by an unearthly voice:
"Wake up, wake up. Yos are want
ed at the Crossroads"
I was on nv feet once more, and
caught Ben's hand as he came over to-
ward my bed.
"What ails your" he cried.
Nothing" said 1. 'Did you hear
a voice2"
yours" said Ben, 'yelling woke
me up; you fairly frightened me-"
'sBen," said L, "wait till l light a
lamp; l heard another voice. There
must be someone in the house or out
side"
So L again lit the lamp, but We
searched in vain.
Nightmare" said Ben, when told
him my story.
"Ben," said 1, "what is there at the
cross-roads2"
"One little house, beside two oak
trees and fence. An old man lives
there-a rich man, and bit of miser,
they say. His granddaughter keeps
house for him.
Ben, that fellow may have meant
harm to them. may be wanted at the
crossroads"
Brother" said Ben, Ego to sleep.
You had a nightmare" and Ben plum
ged in between the blankets and was
snoring again.
also, in ten minutes, slept as sound
ly as before, but the awakening soon
came again.
Iopened my eyes to see girl stand
ing at the foot of my bed. A girl In
white robes, with golden hair all about
her shoulders, who rung her hands and
cried, ''Oh, wake up, you are wanted
at the crossroads"
This time started out of bed, bathed
in a cold perspiration. / tremDled like
a leaf. l had no doubt that l had re-
ceived supernatural warning.
"Benl" 1 cried; "Ben, for the third
time have been told that am wanted
at the crossroads, and | am going"
And l began to dress myself as speed
lily as possible, listening the while to
the storm raging wilder and wilder
than at any other period since its COM
mencement.
Ben demonstrated with me in vain.
At last he also began to buddle on his
clothes.
'If you have gone mad must go
with you and take care of YOU" he
said. "But fancy another man going
out in a storm like this to the cross
roads because nightmare caused him
to do so, and what would you think of
him?"
81 said nothing. All could have
answered would have been:
81 am compelled to go; 1 must go.
I dare not refufe, whatever may be
thought of me-"
In ten minutes we were splashing
through the mud and rain along the
road. 1t was perfectly dark; now and
then a red star in the distance told us
that lamp was beaming through the
rain in some cottage window, but
otherwise we would not have been con-
scious of our proximity to any habita-
tion whatever. At last nearing the
spot where the road from S-crosses
the road to P, we were indeed in
as solitary place as can be imagined.
The house which abbutted on the
very angle of the roads, called in IA
4 miiiar narlanca tho Cross Raada was