The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1884-04-12

The following ''urue tale'' was re-
Gently told by the Mayor of Stratford-
on-Ayon when delivering a lecture on
Forest and Historic trees" Some
years a:o a gentleman, mounted on a
horse, set out in order to cross the
Dartmoor. Though the thaw had COM
menced, yet 1t had not melted the snow
heaps, and our traveller got on but
slowly, and towards evening 1t froze
again. The shades of evening came OH
with vapor and mist. To reach Tavis-
tock that night he knew would be i'm
possible, as a fresh snow-storm began to
fall. To stay out all nie hit would be
certain death. 1t was, therefore, with
no small satisfaction that he saw at a
distance a cottage, partially covered
with snow, and it was not long before
be reached it. He dismounted, and the
door was opened by an old woman. He
entered, and saw sturdy peasant, the
woman's son, WHO sat smoking his pipe
beside a blazing peat fire. Thestranger's
wants were soon made known; an old
clubhouse accommodated his horse, and
the son gave up his bed, adding that he
would sleep in the old settle by the
chimney-coneI After supper he was
shown to his room VIII ere there was
large oak chest, very old and curious,
So much so, as to cause him to remark
upon it to the old woman, who had
lighted him up stairs, and he could not
help observing something shy and odd
about her manner. After she had gone
be felt inclined to peep into the chest,
but he forbore, and went to bed. He
felt cold and miserable, and could not
sleep. The old chest haunted him;
hollow sound, as if behind his beds
head, suddenly startled him, and as he
raised himself in his bed, the first thing
he saw was the chest. There it lay In
tie silyery silence of the moonlight;
his fears gave action to the inanimate
thing, and at the length be fancied the
lid of the chest began to move. Start
ing from his bed, he grasped the lid and
raised it up. Imagine his feeling of
horrors when he beheld human corpse,
stiff ard cold.
One thought during the rest Of the
night possessed him-that he was in the
house of murderers There was no
escape. He thanked God when morn
ing came. On coming down stairs he
found the old woman and her son pre-
pairing breakfast. They hoped "his
honor'' had passed a good night, and
babe him eat his breakfast, consisting
of boiled bacon, the son Ginning in
that mother was reckoned a good un
at sailing I'm in" He enjoyed his
breakfast, and recovered from his
fright, and as the old woman was boil
ing him another rasher, he summoned
up courage to disclose the secret of the
oak chest, and asked for an explanation.
Bless your heart, your honor, it's
nothing at ALL" said the young man;
it's only fayther p Father Your
father ~ cried the traveller; "what do
you meant" "Why, you see, your
honor, the snow being so thick, and the
roads so cledgey like, when old fayther
died two weeks ago, we couldn't carry
un to Tavistock to bury un, SO mother
put un in the old box, and sailed un
in" The travellers breakfast was
spoiled. He got up from the table,
paid for his lodging, saddled his horse,
and has never been known to touch a
rasher of bacon since, as it always re-
called the feelings of disgust connected
with the adventure of ''salting un in. -