News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-02-21
A BAFFLED INQUIRER.
A Little Story, But n True One, of Il COun-
try Village.

There nestles among the hills IN tina
; delightfully."- uncertain portion OF ou
glorious commonwealth known as ''dOwl
East, small, but ambitious little city
which we will call, for purposes of con
, venience and dissimulation, Southtown
There is no railroad to Southtown
and the stage routes are of tedious
length. Consequently few travellers
visit the city, save those who have busi-
ness of some Importance.
One evening, however, there climbed
out of the daily stage at the door of the
principal hotel neatly attired person,
who carried small handbag. He en-
tered the office. wrote very common
place name in the register, and desired
to be shown to his room.
| Who was he?
That was what every loafer in the of
fee asked, and before the newcomer
had sat down in the quiet of his room
above, twenty five persons in the room
below knew his name-if it was his
name.
What was his business
The stranger had not registered that;
Southtown must wai6 and see.
But, strangely enough, he did not
seem to have any business. He came
| down to tea, and then went back to his
room. He walked down to the post
office next morning, smoking a very fra
grant cigar, obtained two or three letters,
and then came back to his room. After
dinner he sat down in the office for a
short time, and some of the bolder
spirits engaged him in conversation. He
seemed social enough, but somehow his
talk was all general; he would say moth
ing personal.
Thus matters went on for several days,
and all the city became curious. Vague
rumors were afoat that his name, for
the best OF F=5asons, was an alias, and it
began to be considered patriotic duty
to catechise him.
Several essayed to do it, and although |
the stranger answered every direct in
inquiry with courtesy, yet there was
such an evident GOODNESS ON his part |
when the topics began to concern him
self that no one dared to ask the ques- |
ton nearest the beating heart of the
city.
At length the Mayor, man of great
suavity and boldness, engaged to brave
the Douglas in his hall, and ask him a
few questions in smooth but pointed
He had not yet met the mysterious
stranger, and so he dropped in accident
ally, and was introduced. He opened
fire at once:
''Ever in Southtown before ?"
"No."
''GOing farther, I presume ?"
But whether he presumed correctly
Or not the stranger apparently did not
feel bound to say, so he was silent.
'How much longer shall we have Won
With us?" queried the Mayor, leaving
and returning to interroga-
lions.
'About two weeks"
The crowd leaned forward as one man.
"Ah, indeed! Are you travelling for
pleasure
"No."
"Pardon me, but may ask, not from
idle curiosity, but for certain reasons,
what business you represent?"
A visible thrill ran through the small
That was point-blank shot.
Would he dodge?
"You are the Mayor, I believer" said
the stranger.
eyes"
''Then don't mind telling you; in
fact, I suppose you ought to know"
eyes ?'
"Well, stole a saw-mill' (sensation)
''and got away with it all right but,
like a fool, I went back after the dam,
and they caught me. I was tried and
found guilty, and the judge gave me my
choice six months in Jail or three weeks
in Southtown and, like another con-
1emned idiot, took Southtown.
A solemn hush followed this frank
disclosure, aid the stranger, lighting
one of his odoriferous cigars, strolled
away to the post-office, and was soon
afterward seen intently reading an Off
document that he received
through the mail. AS he left town the
next morning, it was supposed that his
'entenc2 had been unexpectedly remitted
and that the official document was a
pardon. n.-Harper's DrdaUer.