The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-09-11
THE LONG PACK.

THE LONG PACK.
3 JAMES HoGG THE ETTRICK SHEPHERD.
In the year 1928 Colonel Riddig re-
turned from India with what was con-
sidered in those days an immense for
tune, and retired to a county seat on
the banks of the North Tynein North
cumberland. The house was furnished
with every thing elegant and costly,
among other things a service of plate
supposed to be worth e1, ZOO. He
went to London annually, with his
family during the winter months, and
at these times, there were but few left
at his country house. At the time we
treat Of there were only three domes-
tics remaining there; a maid-servant,
whose slame was Alice, kept thehouse,
and there We're, besides, an old man
and a boy, and two p~loughman who
ived in houses OF their own.
One afternoon, a Alice was spin
ming some yarn fora pair OF stockings,
q pedler entered the hall with q com
ical pack on his back. Alice had seen
as long a pack and as broad u pack;
but a pack equally long, thick and
broad shedeclared she had never seen.
1t was in the middle OF winter, when
the nights We're long, cold and weari-
mt The pedler was Il handsome,
well dressed man, vet Alice declared
that from the first she did notlikehim
greatly, a%ndthough heintroduced him
self with Il great deal of ilattery, vet
when he came to ask for q nights
lodging, he met with a peremptory re-
fusal.
Heiested on~thesubiect, saying he be-
lieved she was i'll the right ,forit would
scarcely be safe to trust himunder the
salncroofw with such a sweet and beauti-
t~ulcreature. Alice was an oldmaid. and
anything but beautiful, but it would
not do, consent she would not to his
staying there.
But, are you really going to turn
me away t%o-night?"
"Indeed, my dear girl, you are un,
reasonable; | am come straight from
New Castle, where j have been pur,
chasing a fresh stock OF goods, which
are so heavy that | cannot travel tau
with them, and as the people around
here are OF the poorer class. | viii
rather make you Il present ofthc finest
shawl in the neutrality-suspicious."
At the mention of the shawl deliber
alton was portrayed in lively colors
o. .Alice's face, but prudence overcame
NO, she vas buta servant. and had
orders to harbor no person about the
house, but such as came on business
nor these either unless she was well ac
quainted hthem."
''What the worse can you or youl
master be OF suffering me to tarry I'M
til the morning." urged the peddler.
The conversation went on thus, Alict
proving %oDdurate, and at length the
peddler agreed tie go elsewhere and seel
tor lodgings, il she would let him leave
the pack where it was for the night
since, fatigued as he was, he could not
possibly carry it away. To this Alice
consented, although with much re
Iuctance, as she wanted nothing to dc
with his goods. "The pack will b,
better out OF your way" said he, "anc
safer if you will be SO kind as to loci
It by in some room or closet" Sht
then led him into a low parlor, wher,
ne placed it carefully on two chairs
aand went away wishing Alice q good
night.
Whom old Alice and the pack wer
.eftt in the large house by themselves
She felt a kind OF indefinite terrorcom
over her mind about 1t. ''Wha
IAN be in it that makes it SO heavy
Surely where the man carries 1t so ia
he might h~avecarried it farther, 1t
a confoundedly queer pack, I'll G
look at it onceagain. Suppose Shout
handle it all around? | may thenhav
q good guess what is init
Alice went cautiously and fearful
into the parlor. and opened Il wa
press. She wanted nothing iii IL
press. indeed she never looked into /
Tor her eyes we're fixed on the pacl
and the longer she looked at it tt
worse she liked it, as to handling i
she would never have touched it ft
all it contained. She came again int
the kitchen and reasoned with herse
She thought OF the mans earnestne'
to leave it-of its monstrous slap
and every circumstance connectt
with it: they were all mysterious, al
she was convinced that there W;
something uncanny, if not unearthl
in the pack. She lifted a mould'
candle and went again into the pa
lor, closed the window-shutters al
barred them; but before she can
out she set herself upright, held in h
breath, and took another steady al
scrutinizing look at the pack. God
mercy! She saw it moving, as wish
as she ever saw anything i'll her Ii
Every hair on her head stood straigl
every inch of flesh on her body crel
She hasted into the kitchen as fast
she could, but her knees bent nnd
the terror that overwhelmed herheal
She blew out the candle, lighted
again, and not being able to find
cnndlestick, though a dozen stood
the shelf, she set it in a water Jug, a
ran to the barn for old Richal
When she had told her story, endl
with theinformation thatthepack W
IA living pack, Richard dropped
fail upon the floor and stared at Al
with all his eyes.
"a living pack" he cried, "why t
woman's mad with doubt! " all !
foolish IDEAS this is the worst. Howe
apack madeup ofnapklns andmusl
and corduroy breeches ever beco,
~alive?" However, he followed her
to the house, and lifted the candlec
of the Jug; never stopping till he Ii
his hand on the pack. He felt
boards that surrounded its edges
prevent thegoods from beingrumpl
the cords that bound it, and the G.
vass in which it was wrapped. =!
nnnl, is u,all ennuoh y he said final