The Penn's Grove record., 1884-05-10
Al THE CROSSROADS.

1 was in a hurry to reach home. No
wonder, for it was the widest night |
had aver known in all my life, and the
country over which ! took my way as
bad as country roads in general. Con-
sequently / was walking at a great rate,
with the collar of my rough coat over
my ears, and a comforter tied over ny
soft hat and under my chin, to keep 1t
on and to protect my ears, when sud-
denly a man stood fuK in my path and
caught me by the arm.
"Hullo p said he, ''you're just in
time you're wanted at the crossroads
tonight |"
The voice was that OF a rutiian.
l fancied myself attacked by a high
wayman. 1 stood quite still, and strove
to show him by my manner that | was
able to protect myself.
"What the deuce am l wanted at the
crossroads for % said l. UNLESS L
choose. it will be a very hard matter to
get me there"
But instead OF producing a pistol and
demanding my money or my life, the
man answered in an altered tone
"Beg pardon | made a mistake. L
thought it was my brother, and | want
ed to brighten him. Bad night, SIR"
"Very," said l.
"You don't know the time, sir ?"
he asked.
sit was seven when I left the train
at T." / said.
"Thank ye, SIR" said the man.
"Good-night."
Goodnight" said I.
If his object had been robbery, prob
ably he had decided from my rough APP
pearance that | was too poor a man to
be worth the trouble. But after all, l
thought, probably he spoke the truth.
A man may have such a voice without
being a highwayman, no doubt. So ]
went homeward, and soon found myself
under shelter, and p~artaking of a warm
and savory supper.
My mother was there and my brother
Ben. Ben was a great strapping fellow
who could beat any other boy of his age
for miles around, il it came to wrestling
or boxing. and as good-humored a boy
as eyer lived a boy always to mother
and me, though he had exercised his
right to vote already in one preslden-
tial election. When supper was over,
ADA xtn ho1 phoffnd fn. on hnY1T NO
went up stairs together. We shared
one room together. The moment Ben's
head touched thepillow he always went
to sleep. That night | followed his
example. But l did not sleep long
without a dream-a dream in which l
felt a rough grip on my arm, and was
reused by a cry in my ears.
"Wake up You are wanted at the
cross roads"
1t was so real, so palpable, that when
became broad awake l actually believ-
ed that some one was in the room the
man who had intended robbery or vio-
lence. But when 1 had arisen, and lit
my lamp, the Dol was empty, except
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 rain against the pane was all |
heard. / even went across the passage
TO my mothers room. She was awake
there had been no unusual sound, she
was sure.
fAn1r n a ra1nN horn Of r,yf YNaatinr
the strange man in the road, | 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, You are want.
ed at the crossroads !"
/ was on my feet once more, and
caught Ben's hand as he came over to
ward my bed.
what ails you 2" he cried.
"Nothing," said 1. Did you hear
a voice 2"
Yours" said Ben, yelling woke
me up you fairly frightened me-"
"Ben," said 1, wait till l light a
lamp / heard another voice. There
must be some one in the house or out
side"
So | again lit the lamp, but we search
ed in vain.
nightmare" said Ben, when l told
him my story.
"Ben," said 1, what is there at the
crossroads ?"
"a house." said Ben. He had lived