The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-08-03

And where was it found, Ezra?"
@Why,phen, that is the strangest part o1
it. There's never man here that car
guess.
WAS it taken from Wills Hill?"
"'Tis more like he fished it out of Will
kins' Pond, with a stone in it to hold il
on the bottom"
Neither, though they are not bad
guesses. Twas in the last place any one
would think to find a shroud."
Come, tell us, then"
Twas in q hollow tree"
AYE, Era-and was there nothing
else found in the hollow tree?"
-"Twas enough to find shroud. May
hap the next thing they find will be Mar
tin Lee"
Not Martin Lee, but all's left of him,
Ezra"
-'Tis we'll you know what I mean, /"
Ezra replied, tartly. "'Tis no jesting
matter"
NO." said one; tbs hanging matter
for somebody"
Here some one in the group observing
Arthur Proctor, whispered his neighbor
The crowd thinned out on the side next
Proctor; his uncle made his way through
the group, where many turned and looked
at him.
Saw you the shroud?" he asked Ezra
Easty, looking at him keenly.
Il saw the shroud, as any one may see
it now, in the MarshaPs hands,"
You are sure it was nobody's gown"
Il soy it looked like shroud."
And I ask you again: Will you swear
the shroud you saw was not somebody's
night gown"
The listeners looked at Ezra earnestly.
They expected IN immddidate reply, but
Ezra Easty began to look about him. He
fumbled in his clothes and was silent.
well, then you are not 30 sure it was
q shroud you saw?"
Come" said Arthur Proctor, plucking
his uncle's sleeve, let him tell his story;
twill do no HARM
But the sharp questions put to the ap-
prentice, and his slowness in answering,
destroyed the impression he had made.
The story of the shroud was doubted,
and the suggestion that he had oonfound-
ed night-gown with shroud was SO
ridiculous that some smiled, while others
nodded knowingly to each other, as much
as to say, Il told you So"
When Arthur passed on with his uncle,
those about Ezra Easty walked away
from him and the apprentice was left
alone. In sheer desperation the appren-
!ice turned his footsteps to Globe Inn.
Meanwhile the story Of the shroud cir
cu1ated rapidly, but in so many forms
that Ezra would not have recognized his
narrative.
When he entered the Globe Inn the
landlord was in the act of helping him
self to q glass of rum. His hand was
unsteady-he was afraid that his wife
would come in on him, and he swallowed
the rum at gulp.
-Ah! It is you, Ezra Easty.'
Ave, Master Meade" Another Gus.
toner entering at that moment, Ezra was
resolved to make the most Of his small
audience.
Hast heard the news, landlord?"
There is SO much going 'twould be
hard to tell. hear much"
Another customer entering. and recoo.
nlzlng the one who entered Before nm,
they both sat at the table, and each or.
dered his liquor, while both looked
sharply at the apprentice. Ezra Easily
was we'll known 10 half the people Of
Salem-the other half did not desire to
know more of him than they were COM
PEELED to know.
But it's not such news as I have, l"
said the apprentice.
AYE. And what like is this strange
news?"
why" here Ezra Easily raised his
voice so that the customers at the table
could hear him, they have found Martin
Lees shroud."
Grizzle Meade coming through the
door at that instant, looked sharply at
the apprentice, then cast meaning look
at her husband. Daniel Meade put a
foot on the chair near him, and resting his
chin on his hand, with his elbow on his
knee, said quietly:
so? They have found Martin Lees
shroud."
Il always thought the truth would come
out" said Grizzle, looking at her GUS
toners for approval. The customers at
the table nodded, and each took pull
at the liquor before him.
-'Tis out now." Ezra Easily was wait
ing for the reward such news was worth.
Grizzle looked at her husband and the
landlord measured him drink of rum.
As the apprentice eyed the landlord .
movements, he added:
There's some would make light OF it,
and say twas only grandmother night.
gown. But wait till they see-walt till
they see."
And where was it found, and who found
it?" inquired Grizzle Meade.
Whereupon the apprentice, who was In
his element now. related with great par
ticularity how Indian Joe found the
shroud in the hollow Of q tree. The
landlord of the Globe Inn listened at
tentively, nodding approval as the sp-
prentice proceeded with details that en-
bellished statement forcible enough
when related in simple language. When
he ended Grizzle Meade inquired:
And the hollow tree-where is it?"
"'Tis just below John Lees place.
What! Not near the road?"
-'Tis on the road"
And the hole in the tree where he
found it's it near the ground?"
-'Tis on the ground"
why, then. said Daniel Meade SLOW
ly, whoever placed 1t there knew 1t would
be seem"
The customers at the table nodded. as
much as to say anyone could see mat
much.