The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1885-09-17
2lr 60 7

t4 49, k4
A cold rain siorm. shali CROWD westerl
towp. = hsifkept country hotel, and
winter night; surely no other accesscrie
vers needed 10 make my III bumor self
svsdsss proposition.
An accident 10 the Wheeling locomotiy,
n . branch railroad bad compelled me Il
stop q. Excelsior. and gave me lain
hope Of leaving that thriving town befor'
the next day at noon, in time TO make th,
connection with the Atlantic express
which would bfisg me home At the pleas
| ing hour Of 2AM III temper has three
stagcs--lhe spiteful. morose. and the des-
pairing. At o'clock. when the rattline
wagon which had brought me from The
scene Of disaster reached ths 81. Cloud
hotel. WAS enjoying the frat stage.
mentally ansnthAnatissd the "ofilce' q
'Stifling." !" ths disisg fssm = sscold, the
landlord ~ ''ofiicious." and the walters q
'surlyS WepA ! have : private parlorl
No. fsoaid rot; private psrlors were al
ways unventilated. and their chimneys in
vsriably smoked. Would order late
dinner, No. wonld not; knew what
supper" meant fried ham, ssleratus bis.
cult. hay tea, and molasses preserves.
The bsfiisd enemy at length drew off bis
iorcei and lSiI M 10 myself Itsisd the
| newspapers. aud threw them down; !
smoked my last cissf; I went Quito buy .
|new supply. and found only rink cabbage
leaves; wandered around the town with
increasing iisguA over its unpavsd streets
unfinished sidewalks, and aaring kerosene
lamps, and finally. having reached the
morose stage. returned to the 81. Cloud,
end wiIlfuIly selecting the hardest chair
ssd darkest corner, sst down with wet
feet to enjoy being thoroughly miserable,
Afull half hour Of moody silence brought
me TO the third stage; cold despair crept
over my heart, ugly suspicious Of my best
izi,sis siaainiated thsuselves into my
mind, once HARMLESS phrases acquired a
double meaning, and the world seemed 8
hovllpg wilderness. One pair Of bright
syss alols shied through the clouds, and
tltese'Sll Wa not y cSuld wish, for be-
hind them loomed the form OF rival,
and be, alas! was not detained at Excel
pior. but free to ply bis suit Al this stage
Of my meditations the door opened and 4
giant entered. As am not accustomed
to giaats in every day life. ! watched the
strangax y ithsoms curiosity as he walked
through Tho Sroom. esaminipg each occu.
pant with steady stare, and finally felt
CLEAN OF comfort steal over my forlorn
heart as he seated himself opposite me
aud began To read worn yellow paper
which be took from his pocket. The man
must have been at least six feet ten inches
in height, but his sxtrsme lesnnass, long
skirted, closely fitting black coat, and high
white beaver hat made him seem even tai
ler. Exceedingly awkward in his move
ments, his legs seemed TO be running away
with him, while his feet hung back ~ il
clogged with heavy weights; but his great
hands we're we'll kept, and rim Of white
linen around his lank throat gave q re-
decming grace to his otherwise shabby
attire. The face Of this singular creature
was one OF those curious combinations
which are never found in perfectly or.
ganized body, a meiange: OF uncongenial
tints which produces surprise, and even
dread, so great is our national aversion to
monstrosities. Apale blonde complexion,
light rdd hair, eyebrows and eyelashes Of
the same hue, and large protruding black
eyes, CLASSY and unwinking, almost ophi.
diAu. in their calm stare, gave the face 0
weird aspect. as though it belonged TO an
iahahilaut ~ smother world. As the man
continued absorbed in his paper. | beck
oned tor waiter. 49,
who = shss yssSh ?" asked in low
voice. I
"Thstf Oh. that's Os; a sort Of giant
though he don't belong to any show now"
Does he live in Excelsior?'
"Well. no; he doesn't live anywhere ex-
ac:ly; he comes and goes; he's . sort O.
Shaker, or Millerite, or Spiritualist, or
something Of the kind"
Here the landlord stepped up to my
lAble se
"Og. sir? Yes, be iss queer one:
don't wonder yon noticed him. Knows q
Asap o--philosopby, religion, and all
that sort OF thing; some folks call him q
mystic, others periectionist; but, how
,ver that may be, he's certainly something
,ut OF the conmon run. Would you like
% hear him talk. sir?"
"will be coysrso with q stranger"
Oh yes; nothing he likes better. We let
,im sit here ont Of charity; it amuses the
quests
So saying the landlord went over 70 the
yiaut. sumnarily took the paper from his
'and, and whispered few words in bis
ar. Slowly the ungainly creature emerg.
d from the abstraction, lifted his uncer
ain legs, and meandered across the room,
king his strange eyes upon me With
,lassy stare. as the landlord introduced
Mr.. Og."
"of Bashan. ! suggested. with weak
ttcmpt at a joke.
The same. At your service, replied the
,isnt II shall be pleased 10 see you IN
ssii far from h@eg'I ssted.
Just OF the town" interrupted the
ian open field where Mr. Og
~ bmlt himself small cabin. that is,
nall for . man Of bis size"
"you are. believe. something Of t1v.
.Arr. 6Y.v I said 10 the Riant, who was