Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-04-16
A Walk on the lee.

ride, SAID I1rS n NMOn, cOmplac enlly
gazing around the small circle of ad-
miring nephews and nIeces who had
gathered at her hospitable house for the
holidays, Midnight ride, indeedl |
wonder if Paul Revere ever walked
across the frozen Hudson under the
circumstances that did?'
Now, all knew that Mrs. Nixon
dearly loved to tell a story, and as her
tales were usually interesting, they
never failed to indulge her hobby. And
this occasion was no exception.
"Tell us all about it," cried a chorus
of voices, and the whole party clustered
closer around the Old lady.
"Well," said Aunt Nixon, folding
her withered hands III her lap, and
smiling amiably ON the eager. upturned
faces. sit is Just thirty years ago to-
night that Uncle Nixon and had a
most startling adventure. lie was at
that time one of the directors of the
B Bank, and when there was Il
large sum of money-about lO,OOO-to
be collected in New York City, a hun
dred and fifty miles away, who but he
should be sent to fetch it. 1t was ar
ranged that he should go down on Mon
day and return on Saturday, and as the
sum was large, George Doldrum, an
employe of the bank, was to meet him
in the city on Friday night and accom-
pany him back.
"Well, when Uncle Nixon told ME
about it, | somehow felt that must go
with him. As you all know, l was
something of a beauty in those days,
and weeks shopping in New York
with theatre-going and sightseeing was
a grand thing for me.
$50 begged and teased, and as Un-
Gle Nixon could never say no to me, l
packed up my trunk and started with
hin, bright and early on Monday morn-
ing. The week passed pleasantly enough
and by Friday night all my shopping
was finished, Uncle Nixon's business
was concluded, and the $4,000 was
safely packed III little black leather
handbag. But no George Doldrum ap-
peared.
".Perhaps he's been delayed said
uncle to Inc, we will have to wait and
take train tomorrow morning.
but the next morning he did not
come either, and as the money had to
be in the bank that night, We were
Obliged to start on the afternoon train
without him. l could see uncle was
anxious about this matter, for thirty
years ago $1,000 was considered big
sum, and we would not reach l.,
where We had to take the ferry TO cross
the river to our town, until late that
nigh.
The weather, which had been un-
usually mild i'll the early part of the
week, had grown bitterly cold on
| Thursday, and if the river was frozen
and the ferry stopped, We should be
forced to drive across the ice. This
was an unpleasant prospect, considering
the money We had on our persons, and
the fact that l. was not noted for
the honesty of its inhabitants.
"Its station-master, among Others,
had most unsavory reputation, and
was known to be an arrant knave.
Before we left New Y YOrk we tele
graphed to our coachman to meet us at
the depot, and this was the only precau-
tionary measure We could take. We
had tried to keep the fact of our having
the money as quiet as possible, but 1t
seemed, nevertheless, TO have leaked
out, for had noticed two ugblooking
men dogging us all Saturday morning,
and taking seats right back of us on the
tram.
"Uncle noticed this too, but he put
bold face on the matter, so as to reas-
sure lne, and laughed and joked all the
way as merrily as you please. Yet he
kept his eyes on those men for ali that.
"Well, it was about eight O'Clock
when We reached i, and as We
had anticipated. the river lay before us
glittering sheet of ice. The moon was
up full and bright and the fOOt-path on
the mirror-likc surface sparkled like
huge silver snake. But no horse track
was visible and our cutter was not
there.
Uncle beckoned to the statiOn-mas-
ter, who was talking in a low tone on
the edge of the platform to those two
suspicious-looking men.
"'Silas, said he, .'have you seen my
cutter?'
"'EO sir, answered the station mas
ter. Il don't think Tom would venture
over the river. The ice is all very well
for footers, but 1t amt strong enough
to bear a sleigh. Maybe if you're eros
sing, you'll leave your luggage'-with
another grin-'you'l find 1t rather in
convenient when you're picking your
way, for it's mighty rough
Walking is safe, you say was all
uncle replied to him. Then turning to
me he said:
"'Do you think you can manage it,
Fannie?'
"'Oh, yes / answered cheerfully.
and we started without more ado, uncle
carrying the leather bag under his arm.
When we had gotten on little way
and could see those two men skulking
off from the shore after us, uncle said
to me in low voice:
/" 'I don't think there's bit of dan
ger. It's bright moonlight night. l
am sure those men would not dare at
tack us on the ice. However, L have
both my pistols with me-"
"And sure enough in his right hand
Il was cliuging to his left arm under
which he carried the bag-I saw the
glittering barrels.
"Are you afraid, Fannie?" he
asked.
"'Oh, no. 1 responded bravely, al
though 1 was shaking with terror.
And, John, if you will give me one of
them, L will take care OF it until you
need it,
"He handed it to me without word
and we walked on rapidly in silence.
After while he bade me watch the
men while he picked our way along. 1t
was bitterly cold, and l was half frozen
in spite OF my furs and my wrappings.
The fellows still kept a good distance
in our rear, neither gaining on US or
losing, and had almost begun to think
, we had wrongly suspected them, when
as we neared the shore an exclamation
from uncle caused me to look up.
"'I understand their tactics, the
Villains he muttered-and following
his eyes, saw too. The path which
we had taken, instead of leading to the