Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1885-05-15

Sh2n."
The afternoon was still very warm, but
gray mist, drifting from the Irish channel,
and sailing eastward over the low-lying Island
of Anglcsea, was beginning to scatter thin,
1,enetrating drizzle on the driver of the cara
van.
To right and left of the highway stretched
bleak and bare prospect OF marshland and
moorland, closed to the west by asl1y of ever
deepening redness, and relieved here aud there
by black clumps Of stunted woodland. Here
and there peeped solitary farmhouse, with
outlying fields Of swampy greenness, where
lean and spectral cattle were lugubriously
grazing; and ever and anon came glimpse
Of some lonely lake Or tarn, fringed all around
With thick sedges, and dotted with water
tiles, The road was as desolate as tie pros
pect, with not a living soul upon it, far as
the eye could see. To all this, however, the
driver of the caravan paid little attention,
owing to the simple fact that he was fast
asleep.
He was reused by a sudden jolting and
swaying of the clumsy vehicle, combined with
sound of splashing water; and, opening his
eyes sleepily, he perceived that the gray mare
had turned aside from the centre of the road,
and, having placidly entered stagnant pond
on the roadside, was foundering and sttruggggl-
ing in the mud thereof, with the caravan rock
ing behind her. At the same moment head
was thrust round the backpart of the vehicle,
and an angry voice exclaimed:
''Tim, you scoundrel, where the devil are
you driving to? Wake up or I'll break every
bone in your skin"
Thus addressed, Tim woke himself with an
effort, and, looking round with an insinuating
smile, replied:
'Begorra, Master Charles, I thought it was
an earthquake entirely Come cut of that
nowl Is it wanting to drownd yourself you
area G-r-r-rl Shl Aisy now, aisyl"
The latter portion of the above sentence
was addressed to the mare, which was at last
persuaded to wade out of the cool mud and
return to the dusty track, where she stood
quivering and painting. No sooner YVES the
return to terra frma accomplished than
light, agile figure descended the steps at the
back Of the caravan, and ran round to the
front. An excited colloGuy, angry on the
one side and apologize on the other, ensued,
and did not cease even when the driver, with
a flick of his whip, put the caravan again in
motion, while the other strobe alongside on
foot.
It was just such caravan as may be seen
any summer day forming part Of the camp
on an English common, with the swart face
of a gypsy woman looking out at the door,
and half-a-dozen ragged imps and elves roll
ling on the grass beneath; as may be OBJ
served, smothered in wickerwork of all de-
scriptions, OF gittering pots or pans, moving
from door to door in some sleepy country
town, guided by a gloomy gentleman in a
velveteen coat and hareslin cap, and at
tended by brawny hussy, also Smothered in
wickerwork or pots and pans; as, further
more, may be deserted forming part of the
procession of travelling circus, and drawn
by niebald horse which, whenever a good
'pitch' is found, will complete its days labor
by performances in the ring. A caravan of
the good old English kind with small win
dows, ornamented by white muslin curtains,
with chimney atop for the smoke to come
through from the fire inside, with a door be-
hind, ornamented with q knocker, and only
lacking door-plate to make it quite COM
plete; in short, house on wheels.
The driver, though rough enough, and red
with the sun and wind, had nothing in COM
mon with the ordinary drivers ofsuch vehicles
and, in point of fact, he was neither gypsy
nor atraveling tinker, nor circus performer
Though it was summer time, he wore large
freize coat, descending almost to his heels,
and on his head wideawake hat-underneat
which his lazy, beardless, and somewhat
sheepish face shone with indolent good humor
His companion, Master Charles, as he was
called, bore still less resemblance to the Be-
hemians of English lanes and woodlands
He was a slight, handsome, fair-haired young
fellow, of two OF three and twenty, in the
tweed attire of an ordinary summer tourist;
and every movement he made, every word
he spoke, implied the gentleman born"
Presently, at signal from his master
such he was), Tim drew rein again. By this
time the sun was setting fiery red, far away
to the west, and the thin drizzle was becom-
ing more persistent.
s'How far did they say it was to Pencroesa"
''Ten miles, sor."
s'The mare is tired out, think. We shall
have to camp by the roadside"
GAIL right, Master Charles. There's a
handy shelter beyant there where you see the
trees,' Tim added, pointing up the road with
his whip. The young man looked in that
direction, and saw, about quarter of mile
away, that the highway entered dark
clump of woodland, He nodded assent and
walked rapidly forward, while the caravan
followed slowly In his rear.
Reaching the point where the wood began
and entering the shadow Of the trees, he soon
found spot well fitted for his purpose To
the left the road widened out into grassy
patch of common, adorned with one or two
bushes of stunted brown, and stretched out a
dusty arm to touch large white gate, which
opened on gloomy, grass-grown avenue
winding right through the heart of the wood.
The caravan, coming Slowly Up, was soon
placed in snug position not far from the
gate, the horse was taken out and suffered
to Craze, whils Tim, searching about, found
some dry sticks and began to light Q FIRE.
Diving into the caravan the young man re
emerged with a camp=stool, on which he sat
down, lighted q lnesrschaum pipe and began to
smoke. They could hear the rain family pat