The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1884-10-11

truth. A man may have such voice
without beIuga highwayman, no doubt.
So l went homeward and soon found my
self under shelter and partskirg of a
warm and savory supper.
My mother was there and my brother
Ben. Ben WIS great strapping fellow
who could bea; any other boy of his age
for miles around if it came TO wrestling
or boxing. aud as goodhumored boy
MS ever lived; a boy always to mother
au me, trough be had exercised his
right to vote already in one presidential
election.
When supper was over, and we had
chatted for AN hour, we went up stairs
together. We shared one room together
The moment B.n's head touched the pill
low be always went to sleep. That night
l followed his example. But did not
sleep long without dream-a dream IN
which felt rough grip on my Srm, and
was reused by cry in my ears.
WAKE up! You are wanted at the
cross. roads,"
1t was so real, so palpable, that when
became broad awake actually be-
lieved that some one was in the room ;
the man who had intended robbery or
lit my lamp the room was empty, except
myself and Ben, who lay snoring on his
pillow. l went to the door; it was
locked. went to the window; the rush
OF RAIN against the panes was all heard.
even went across the passage to my
mothers room. She was awake. There
bad been no unusual sound, she was
sure.
Only dream born Of my meeting the
strange man in the road, felt, had
awakened me. 1 went to bed and fell
asleep again. Again was aVakeDed by
the same words-this time shrieked in
my ear by an unearthly voice:
Wake up! wake up! You are wanted
at the crossroads
was on my feet once more, and caught
Ben's hand as he came over toward my
bed.
What ails your" be cried.
Nothing" said 1. "Did you hear a
voic,2"
Yours" said Ben; your yelling woke
me mp; you fairly frightened me-"
Ben" said 1, "wait till light lamp.
l heard another voice, There must be
some one in the house or outside"
SoIagain lit tho lamp, but We searched
in vain.
Nightmare" said Ben, when told
him my story.
BEN" said 1, "what is there at the
cro.s-roadsP'
"a house." said Ben. He had lived
in the neighborhood a long while, aud
not long.
| "Oue little house. beside two oak tree
and a fence, An old man lives there's
rich man, and bit of a mIser, they say.
HIS granddaughter keeps house fol
him.
ben. that fellow may haye mean
BARN to them,, 1 may be wanted at thu
cross roads"
Brother," said Ben, Ego to sleep
Y u bad a nightmare and Ben plunger
in beneath the blankets and was snoring
again,
also, in ten minutes. slept as sound
ly as before, but the awakening very sool
came again.
l opened my eyes to SEQ girl stand
ing at the foot of my bed. A girl il
white robes, with golden hair all abou
her shoul iers, who wrung her hands ant
cried: oh, wake up! you are wanted a
the cross roads"
This time l started out Of bed. bathe,
in n COLI preparation. trembled like
leaf. had no doubt that had receives
suut trnatural warning.
"Ben!" l cried; ben. for the thirt
time have been told tha, I wanted y
tie the CT osS- roads. aud I am going"
Aud 1 began to dress as speedily y
possible listening the while TO the storu
raging wilder and wilder than at al,
other peric since its commencement,
Ben demonstrated with me in vain
At last he also began to huddle on hi
clothes.
'Ifynu have gone mad must go wit
you aud take care of you,' he said.
"But fancy another man going out i
n storm like this TO the crossroads be
cause nightmare caused him to do Sc
and what would you think Of him?"
said nothing All could have arl
wered would have been:
4 am compelled to GO; mrs' 60.
; dare not refuse, whatever may be though
Of me-"
: 'Iu ten minutes VIC we're sJlashir
through tue mud aud rain along Il
r road. 1t was perfectly dark. Now an
= then n blazing red star in the dis'anC
( told US that lamp was beamiug throng
Y the rain in some cottage window, bl
I otherwise we would not have been col
scious of our prox unity TO any habitaiio
, whatever At last, nearing the sP'
: where the road from s. crosse' Il
road to P we we're indeed in as sol
tary place as can be imagined.
i The house, which abu ted on the vel
e angle of tue roads, called In familI
Is parlance the crossroads, was the on
one for some distance in either directit
e aud certainly on such a night We We
l not likely to meet any travellers.
o All was quiet ss the grave. We sto'
quite still. In a moment Ben broke o
d in one of his widest laughs.
le We'll" be said, "how now? Will "
go home now and have another nigl
/ mare?"
Al