Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1890-07-24
SN0WD0N DUNHILL.
Good Stories Of This Bold Robber
OF Yorkshire, Eng.
The Housemaid Who stopped At lis
House over Night for safety-The VII
iase 1ailor's Experience with
Mysterious burglars.

Mysterious burglars.
Nearly century ago the inhabitants
of the East Riding Of Yorkshire were in
constant dread OF the attacks OF snow
don Dunhill, the highwayman and burg
lar, and his lawless associates. Dunhill
lived in matched cottage on the road
side, near to Misunderstanding Moor,
and had confederates in nearly all the
market towns and principal villages IN
the riding lie and many of his asso-
ciates lived entirely on the proceeds Of
their depredations. Farmers dared not
to return home from the markets except
in companies, and well armed for pro
lection. Dunhill his wife, his daugh-
ters and their husbands were all trans
ported for their robberies.
1t was the 23d OF November. rs the
clock struck twelve at noon the twelve
months seryttu8e of both male and fe-
male agricultural servants terminated
Mary Humblet9n, who had been house
maid at Eavenford Grange. had already
packed Zip her .llist. and send it ofY to
Hthc old house ~ home" by Reuben
Slowcome, the carrier, whose heavy
wagon performed distance of fully
two and a half miles per hour. Coaches
were then unknown in the neighbor-
hood, and the carrier came only once a
week. Having paid hasty visits to her
friends IN the village, she babe good
bye to her master and mistress. and
started f on her homeward journey, a
= ;-A n We
wages, eight bright guineas in gold, she
had carefully wrapped UP in piece OF
brown paper. Purses were then I'M
known. except to the aristocracy
Scarcely half Of her journey was ac-
complished when the blood-red sun be-
gan 20 dip beneath the Western horizon
and speedily sank. A deep orange glow
oyerspread the Western sky which
gradually changed to the gray twilight,
succeeded by the approaching gloom Of
a moonless November night. she had
heard Of the many robEeries and burg
laries committed hy the daring Snow
con Dunhill and his fearless gang y no in
tested the neirlhorhood She felJ in her
pocket. The preciocs gusneas were safe
The deepening gloom convinced her
shat midnight darkness would overtake
her while still several miles from home.
Almost paralyzed with fear she slack
ened her pace, every sound in toe dis
tance coniuring mp the horrifying piot-
ure OF highwayman rushing from be-
hind some hawthorn bush and demand
ing her money. She dared not go
farther, and resolved to ask for a nights
lodging 1t the first house She came to.
A few hundred yards more brought her
to a low, matched cottage on the road
side She knocked at the door. 1t was
opened BY woman Who invited her in.
The cheerful aspect Of the interior OF
the cottage, like a magic spell. dissi-
pated all her fears. Highway robbers
might attack their victims, as no doubt
they would She was nov safe. A
bright, blazing ire litup the well-fur-
nished apartment. Two large dogs lay
basking on the hearth. A middle-aged
man sat smoking his pipe in the ingle
Of the old wide-open fireplace. The
daughters, four Young girls, we're busy
with the household work
Mary told them her whole story;
where she had been Ii ing; that she had
just got her wages, eight guineas; that
she was walking home: that she was be
nighted. and afraid Of being robbed by
highwaymen, and that she had resolved
not to further risk the losing Of her
money They listened attentively &c
her story, and the man assured her that
she was welcome and would be perfectly
safe under his roof, for which she
thanked him.
The evening was spent in discussing
the gossip Of the neighborhood; Mary
probably through the horrible dread
which had seized her on the road, fire.
| quently referring TO the many robberie:
committed Is the highwaymen, partic
ularly naming Snow0on Dunhil, whC
was terror to the whole Of the East
Riding. Mary's remarks on this sslbjec
caused a smile 20 light MP the counter
ance of her host while the womeI
looked on in silence
substantial supper vas provided
showing that the hosg WAS in much bet
ter circumstances than the generalit,
of the agricultural laborers Of tn,
neighborhood; after which they all re
tired to rest, Mary feeling grateful 70
the kindness OF her host and hostess il
protecting her from tile dangers OF tn,
road.
Morning dawned When Mary cam
downstairs She behold breaA tast-tabl
with a spread equal 10 that Of many O
the farm-houses. Ste was told 60 max
a hearty breakfast, is She lad still
many miles 10 walk. Having done 81
she asked: What have q ray2" He
host, with . pleasant smile, replied
Nothing, ms lass Fhou san tel tn
friends that thou Vas iaid' e bcin
rohbed s. thou SCENT a.l n-cht : SaoN
! DOR paahilI'S." SUca was sao tact