The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-08-02

astonished at .irst sigh. of the queer looking individual who Is the subject of this sketch Imagine the realization of Carconte, who glares forth from the pages of Dumas Monte Cristo,n and you have her. Personify to your inner sight" the uncanny uierdness of the witches who do duty in Macbesh.s and behold her. A wellknown iiserzteur said on seeing her: l" She's Walter Scots Meg Meuilles withou, her strength" You tap at the door and she comes to the window. If some one is with you whom she recognizes e a friend you are admitted before the first emotion has died away. If entirely unhnovn. your admittance is more taniy. If. after the first feeling of reverent sdmira tion has died away, the visitor desires to laugh. he is met with sharp ssbuke from Nancy tor "lafhn' at one of Gods pure creeturs.'
 The small square room in which he finds himself has two or three small win dows, but is very dark and the ceiling is low. Around the room is row of chairs, placed back against the wall and very close together. The walls are hung with pictures. which are for the most par, illustrations from magazines, and nearly all represent horses, a sign of her early equestrian tastes, and the others are all of hens. Two or three of Nancy's works also embellish the walls A table or two and few books thereon, an old-fashioned wal-closet, and sideboard complete the list of the furnishing and ornamentation Scan,y. you think: No. it is too pro- fuse. you would think if you saw it. The other front room Is Nancy's sleeping apartment and the depository of her treasures Some say that she has con- siderable store of money laid away. but this is very doubtful and rather improba- bie under the circumstances. Opening from a rear room is a closet. in winch are kept her china and cooking utensils vis- ito.s are expected 10 purchase something, If only glass of milk, and on this tribute Nancy lives She always keeps a quan- ti,y of her books on hand for sale, and also photographs of herself
 l. IS said that once she had in store old. rare and valuable china. Butthis is or!y a tradition. No one ever saw it. Every one. however. asks to see i: and desires to purchase " only jus; some little thing Ot course, her stock in trade has been replenished many times. and each article sells a, fabulous profit Bu, it all Is of old pattern, though, withou, crack or flaw. and probably IS just as we'll for the pur- pose of a memento as if it had been used Ioa years or more l, certainly lasts longer.
 Ii asked the age of the china she re. plies that she does no; know, which is probably true enough. After she admits the visitor, with caation not to make noise, for "it will hur, my hade.- she feels bound to exhibit her "curios," such as they are. Then. after a few remarks about the weather, inquiries after her health may be made with propriety. Thi. launches her forth into a long discourse. in which she makes the most astounding revelation that she has been murdered alive in cold blood by some of the stage drivers, etc, to whom she refers passion ately in long and scornful diatribes. She also says that they murder her hade." Conflne her to question and answer, and she does not at leas, appear to be extra ordinary, but let her have a chance. and of she starts at a rapid rate of utterance, as if wound up, with a tumble of hens. sickness. frightful crimes, horseback riding, and religion, which astonishes and enter,ains her visitors in a manner which may be imagined, certainly no. de- scribed.