The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1884-12-12
A TERRIBLE NIGHT.
eiVHta ~ ]

the marigolds and carnations common
and old-fashioned. It's q pretty ohttle
place this, amt it sir z q And it's my
OWL too-my very own-and will go to
my grandson after me He's a good lad,
he is-its him as looks after the gar,
den. Mighty fond Of flowers he is; and
rarely proud he'll be, I know, when he
hears as a fine town gentleman has tax
en- notice of 'em. AhyI wasfond Cigar.
dening too in my timei But I'm getting
an old man now eight;fYe i am come
Cbristmas-and I can't expect, to- be
spared much3aIkuger, though I'm
hale and hearty yet, thank Heav-
en-! Al, times z4have wsaltered,
sir, since my young daysEs For the
better you say? Well, things are
grander now than they were then but
somehow | seem to like the old times
best, perhaps because / was young and
strong in EN-. And talking of old times
reminds me of something that once
happened to meos Like to hear it, sir ?
Well, so you shall, and welcome, il you
don't mind wasting an hour or so with
an old chap like me. Sit down, then,
on that bench, and make yourself COM
Portable. 30 ~ al al5aL s7I12ifaY 9'ei
-.EAAVa
n o"Youu've been to Chelmsford perhaps /?
Then maybe, you knew the sScaracen's
Head? Web, close to where that now
stands there used to bean old inn called
the Swan A queet old place it was to.
be. sure, with its easement windows and
exchanging sgablesJsI was living at
Z Raldhan then-its nigh upon sixty Years
tagoz=a farmer i was, and had been mar
lried only a short time to a dear little
wife as loved we'll and true till she
died, poor lasst to1lf nGi 42R
ts'40ner cold December day I started
for Braintree2 to look at some stock as I
Thought of buying. AS it was two
days journey, II meant to stop ct
Chelmsford for the night, and go on
yearly the next day. / didn't leave home
It'll about two; and I had a weary road
to travel, SO that darkness came on be-
fore Preached the gibbet on the edge
of Che common ; and / can tell you my
flesh acrawled, as The saying is when I
galloped past at full speed. 1T was a
bleak cold night and the road was bad,
ssoEthat it was late before I rode into
Chelmsford. ~ fo9 s3q 1o ioe1 /.
tsstI put up at the s'Swan'-that being
the first inn / came to-Aand was stand
ing Watching the hostler rubbing down
my good old mare-forI always attend
ed ztoathat the first thingAwhen the
landlord came slowly out to me ne was
a short, sharp=faced man, with great
black eyes that had an u~neasy-sort Of
look in 'em.9 / tod him I'd had a long
nde, and was glad enough to get safe
into his yard-2fer I'd gold about me,
ard we'd heard horrible tales of the
Ecbberies and murders on the kings
highway. Well, he SLOWED me into a
long low roomAthe Kitchen it vas
with a brick floor and d bright fire
~burninge4g 30 jpE %
le"'There's a noisy lot in the parlour,
str,' said he; you'll be quiet and cosy
here, forimaybe you're tired and chilly
after your ridesin the wind
9 u ordered a steak and some wine,
and, as ute nay supper / thought to
myself thatT couldn't well have found
atbetter place titan the Swan to stop
at After Ihad finished, J called for
pipes and grog, and sat by the fire with
the landlord; bat might as we'll have
peen alone, for he never spokea word,
but Sustaining into the fire with a
wicked look in his eyes that / didn't
Ike; though didn't take much notice
ofit thehs Ah,yI know now what his
thoughts were as lie gazed modify into
the glowing eoaIsl He was thinking of
the disgrace brought upon his name
oyHhis only son, and wondering
wherenthe money was to come from
which must be- pfoeefed somehow
y hls boy WAS ito kubeW sssvsa
rom ruin. And then no doubt he plan
ned to murder InslAah; It's all true sir
rlYe1gcf his c~onfessionF BY ne ne#inlk
aha 1lnry me down by the river SIDE Inc
inc meadow behind the stable. laTflen
ny Meantf to turn my mare ont before
qa%n SO that Che. servants mightithink
! nag left earlyst and then, gouo see,
whens ~ was found, people would think
something had Happened to me onsthe
toad 70 Braiptree. Well, my companion
reused himself after cavtime. aildobeghns
asking meyshat 1 thought Of the coun.
sly,H 4 had ridden far, whether + had
Deen advised to put up at the Swan
ana such like questions. Unanswered
.nega freely enough, never surprising
that be askedfor any other reason than
lust 20 keep up the conversation. 7
asked I'M to call me early and he
promised he would 30 sosl6ss35Ds zld9n|
do it myself said hs, fforsthe
III nYxrI l-.AZ 1850