Wichita eagle., 1888-12-30

repeated it was one hundred miles.
GLOW can you say So" said he's" was
told last evening it was but fifty, and / have
Travelled all night"
But" said I, "you are now travelling from
Boston; you must turn back"
"Alas," said he, lit is all turn back! Bos-
ton shifts with the wind, and plays all around
the compass. One man tells me it Is to the
east; another to the west; and the guide
posts, too, they all point the wrong way"
"But will you not restl You look wet and
weary"
Eyes, it has been foul weather since left
home"
"Stop, then, and refresh yourself"
II must not stop; l must reach home to-
night"
He then gave the reins to his horse, which
he restrained with difficulty, and disappeared
a moment. A few days afterwards 1 met
the man little this side Of Claremont. wind
ing around the hills In Unity, at the rate, !
believe, Of twelve miles an hour.
SIS Peter Rugg his real manner"
II know not but presume he will not deny
his name; you can ask him-for see, he has
turned his horse and is passing this way"
In moment dark colored, high spirited
horse approached, and would have passed
without stopping, but / had resolved to
speak to Peter Rugg, or whoever the man
might be. Accordingly stepped into the
street, and as the horse approached made a
feint Of stopping him. The man Immediately
refined in his horse. "Sir," said |, "u1ay l be
SO bold as to inquire if you are not Mr..
Rugg, for l think have seen beforeF"
'My name is Peter Rugg," said he, 81 have
unfortunately lost my way; l am wet and
weary and will take it kindly Of you to direct
me to Boston"
'You live in Boston, do you, and in what
street,"
SIN Middle street"
"When did you leave Boston?n
81 cannot tell precisely; it seems a consid-
cradle time"
'But how did you and your child become
so wet2 1t has not rained here today"
at has just rained heavy shower up the
river. But l shall not reach Boston tonight
if 1 tarry. Would you advise me to take the
old road or the turnpikeF'
"Why, the old road is one hundred and
seventeen miles, and the turnpike is ninety
seven.n
SLOW can you say sol you impose on me;
it is wrong to trife with O traveller; you
know it is but forty miles from Newburyport
to Boston"
"But this is not Newburyport; this is Hart
fordn
"Do not deceive me, sir Is not this town
Newburyport, and the river that have been
following the Merrimaca"
'This is Hartford, and the river the Con-
uecticutn
He wrung his hands and looked incredu-
lous
"Have the rivers too changed their courses,
as the cities have changed placesa But seel
the clouds are gathering in the south and we
shall have rainy night"
I had now, as l thought, discovered a
clew to the history Of Peter Rugg,
and 1 determined, the next time my bust
ness called me to Boston, to make further
inquiry. Soon after / was enabled to collect
the following particulars from Mrs Croft,
an aged lady in Middle street, who has re-
sided in Boston during the last twenty years
She says:
The last summer, person, just at twilight,
stopped at the door Of the late Mrs. Rugg
Mrs. Croft, on coming to the door, perceived
stranger, with a child by his side, in an old
weather beaten carriage. with black horse
The stranger asked for Mrs Rugg, and was
informed that Mrs. Rugg had died more than
twenty years ago.
The stranger replied, "How can you de-
-ceive me so? do ask Mrs. Rugg to step to the
door,
s.Sir, 7 assure you Mrs. Rugg has not lived
here these nineteen years"
The stranger paused and looked up and
down the street, and said, Though the paint
ing is rather faded this looks like my house."
YES" said the child, "that is the stone be-
fore the door that 1 used to sit on to eat my
bread and milk"
But" said the stranger, cit seems to be on
the wrong side of the street. Indeed, every
thing hero seems to be misplaced The
streets are all changed, the people are all
changed, the town seems changed, and what
is strangest of all, Catherine Rugg has de-
serted her husband and child Pray" con-
tinued the stranger, "has John Foy come
home from sea? He went on long voyage;
he is my kinsman. If l could see him he
could give me some account Of Mrs. Rugg"
"Sir," said Mrs Croft, Il never heard of
John Foy. Where does be livel'
''Just above here, in Orange Tree lane"
"There is no such place in this neighbor-
hood"
what do you tell mel Are the streets
gonef Orange Tree lane is ct the head of
Hanover street, near Pemberton's Hill"
''There is no such lane now"
Madam, you cannot be serious. But YOU
doubtless know my brother, William Rugg.
He lives in Royal Exchange lane, near King
street"
AZ know Of no such lane; and l am sure
there is no such street as King street in this
town"
''No such place as King street, Why,
woman, you mock me. You may as well tell
me there is no King George. However,
madam, see l am wet and weary. l Will go
to Harris tavern near the market"
(Which market siri We have several
markets"
''There is but one market, near tie town
dock"
''Oh, the old market; but no such person
has kept there these twenty years"
Here the stranger seemed Disconnected, and
uttered to himself quite audibly-"Strange
mistake; how much this looks like the town
of Bostonl It certainly has q great resem-
blance to it; but perceive my mistake now.
Some other Mrs. Rugg, some other Middle
street.
Then" said he, "can you direct me to
Bostonan
why, this is Boston, the city Of Boston"
CITY of Boston, it may be; but it is not
the Boston where live. l recollect ROW, l
came over bridge instead of a ferry. What
bridge is that just came overt"
at is Charles river bridge"
81 perceive my mistake; there is a ferry
between Boston and Charlestown; there is no
bridge. All, perceive my mistake. If /
were in Boston, my horse would carry me di-
rectly to my own door. But my horse shows
by his irnpatience that ho is in a strange