Connecticut western news., 1890-08-27
A TRAVELLERS STORY.

A TRAVELLERS STORY.
 It happened one time that in travel ing across a tract of country where 1 had business got benighted, and about 8 o'clock, myself and my horse being tired and pretty nearly worn out, l drew rein before the door of a comfort able looking farmhouse, and dismount- ing knocked at the door with the handle of my whip. It was opened by a little girl, who stood in the doorway holding a candle in one hand and keeping back her thick curly hair with the other, while she looked at me half shy, as if demanding my business.
 |. My dear," answered, to that ques- tioning look, ''is there any one in the house besides yourselfT'
 'Yes there is," she answered; father and mother and the boys" |. 'sWen, ask your father to come here moment; I want to speak to him."
 She retreated, and entered the room behind her, and in about half a minute the farmer came out. I made known my business, explained that had been overtaken by the night, that my desti- nation was several miles distant, and that both my horse and myself were unfit for further travelling till we had procured food and rest.
 With the hospitality common to all farmers, especially American ones, my host for the night bade me welcome, conducted me into a large kitchen with floor so white that you involuntarily pitied the hands and arms that had brought it into such state of cleanli- ness, and bade me seat myself before the blazing fire while supper was being got ready; and then, not forgetting my horse, he told one of the 'boys" to feed him and take him to the stable.
 After supper, as I felt unusually tired, I asked to be shown the place where was to pass the night, and was conducted to 8 comfortable room with a downy bed, white counterpane and curtains, upon the second floor, by my host himself, who, after bidding me 'tgood night, D left the candle with me and departed, closing the door after him.
 Tired and sleepy as was hurriedly undressed, went to bed, and in five minutes was soundly sleeping. A grind ing, grating sound awoke meat what time I don't know-but the moon which did not rise till very late, was fully up, its bright rays streaming in through the window, from which had purposely looped back the curtain that the first streak of daylight might wake me, as was anxious to proceed upon my way. There, sitting full in the moonlight, was man with a long cary ing knife in his hand, which he was leisqrely sharpening upon g piece of grindstone, and which now perceived made the sound that had awakened me. thought surely was dreaming or, if I was awake, what in the name of heaven meant what I saw2 And still the man leisurely ground the blade of the knife, and in perfect stupor ot amazement lay perfectly quiet with wide open eyes looking at him. In few minutes he stopped grind ing, and passing his finger carefully along the edge of the knife he shook his head knowingly, to intimate to him self that he had brought the blade to a proper degree of sharpness. My blood ran cold; kind of panic seized me when I saw that action, and the cool, calculating smile with which he held the knife up between him and the full moonlight, looking at it with the air of a connoisseur. Then he leisurely got up, stepped over to the table where I left the candlestick and began look | ing around for something's match, conjectured.
 While his back was turned the ides of slipping from the bed and boltins out at the door suggested itself to me but before I had time to act upon i the match was found, and holding th' candle in one hand, the match in thu other, and the handle of the knife be tween his long, wolfish teeth, he came over toward the bed. Even then might have attempted to escape b. rushing at him, wrenching the knif' from between his teeth, and so getting the advantage, but that I was no capable of so overcome was by thu surprise and horror of my situation and through all such an insatiabl curiosity possessed me to know wha he was about to do, for as yet could only conjecture that his purpose wa to murder me.
 He struck the match against tn wall and lit the candle, and then tool the knife from between his teeth an, took firm hold of the handle in hi hand. I felt faint and sick when
 fully realized then that my last chanc of escape was gone. He bent over me flashed the light full upon my eyes and, perceiving that I was awake, e1 claimed with wild laugh:
 'sHai ha! Awake, eha Ha! ha Glad of it, sir meant to wake yo if you hadn't done it yourself. COT sider it cowardly to kill g. sleepin man."
 And he laughed at me again, an
 peered into my face with his red, ho1
 burning eyes.
 1 could see at once he was mad, an
 I saw that the horror of my situatio
 was increased. At first had though , him [ f0bbsr<--I hardly know what