The Mineral argus., 1884-10-09
A TERRIBLE NIGHT.

HO"eiSi wen, Jney are pretty-that
they are-though 1 doubt as some would
call the marigolds and carnation, com
mon aud ol~d-fashioned. You don't see
many OF 'em now in your fine new
tangled gardens, do you? It's a pretty
little place this, amt it, sir? And it's
my own, too, my very own-and will
go to my grandson after me. He's a
good lad, he is-it's him as looks after
the garden. Mighty fond of flowers
ne is, and rarely proud he'll
be, 1 know. when he hears as a fine
town gentlemen has taken notice Of
EN-! All, 1 vas fond of gardening,
too, in my timel But I'm getting an
old man now-eighty-fve / am come
Christmas-and 1 can't expect to be
spared much longer, though I'm hale
and hearty yet, thank heaYenl All,
times have altered, sir, since my young
days! For the better, you say? Well,
things are grander now than they were
then, but somehow 1 seem to like the
old times best, perhaps because 1 was
young and strong in 'em. And talk
ing of old times reminds me of some
thing that once happened to me
Like to hear it, sir? Well, so you
shall, and welcome, if you don't mind
wasting an hour OF so with an old chap
like me. Sit down, then, on that bench
and make yourself comfortable.
You've been to Chelmsford, perhaps i?
Then, maybe, you know the 'Saracen's
Head? 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 easement windows
and overhanging gables. 1 was living
at Ralphan then-it's nigh upon sixty
years ago-s farmer L was, andhad been
married only a short time to a dear lit
tie wife as [ loved well and true till she
died, poor lassl
zone cold December day 1 started
for Braintree to look at some stock as
L thought of buying. AS it was a two
days journey, 1 meant to stop at
Chelmsford for the night, and go on
early the next day. Ididnt leave home
till about 2, and / had a weary road to
to travel, so that the darkness came on
before I reached the gibbet on the edge
of the common and 1 can tell you my
flesh crawled, as the saying is, when 1
galloped past at full speed. 1t was a
bleak cold night, and the road was bad,
so that it was late before 1 rode into
Chelmsford.
II put up at the 'Swan'-that being
the first inn 1 came to-and was
standing watching the ostler rubbing
down my good old mare-for L always
attended to that first thing-when the
landlord came slowly out to me; he was
a short, sharp-faced man, with great
black eyes that had all uneasy sort of
look in 'em. 1 told him I'd had a long
ride and was glad enough to get safe in
his yard-for I'd gold about me and
we'd heard horrible tales of the robber-
les and murders On the Kings high
way. Well, he showed me into a long
low room-the kitchen it was-with a
brick floor and a bright fire burning.
"There's anoisy lot in the parlor, sir
said he; you'll be quiet and cosy here,
for maybe you're tired and chilly after
your ride in the wind
81 ordered a steak and some wine,
and, as l ate my supper, 1 thought to
myself that L couldn't well have
chosen a better place than the Swan to
stop at. After 1 had finished L called
for pipes and grog and sat by The fire
with the landlord, but l might as we'll
have been alone, for he never spoke a
word, but sat staring into the fire with
a wicked look in his eyes that [ didn't
like, though l didn't take much notice
of it then. All! l know now what his
thoughts were as he gazed moodily into
the glowing Goals. He was thinking
of the disgrace brought upon his name
by his only son, and wondering where
the money was to come from which
must beprocured somehow if his boy
was to be saved from ruin. And then
no doubt he planned to murder me-ah,
it's all true, sir-Tve got his confess
sion by me now-and bury me down
by the riverside, in the meadow behind
the stable. Then he meant to turn my
mare out before dawn so that the SER
wants might think 1 had left early; and
hen you see, when it was found, peo-
pie would think that something had
happened to me on the road to Brain
tree. Well, my companion reused him
self after q time and hennn asking