The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-08-15

Il
IIe'll surprise Vie when he comes, and
Iye can't escape him -and that's the last
we shat seA os yo.~
| With queer chncltiing laugh she
hohhlcd Off Her words must have
made q deep Impression Oh Tim. for Il
Is said that he never dared " look her
n nc face again, but II he saw her
comiNg hurried into hts den, calling
his dsv after him; aud 80 Aunt Hannah,
ofhll gawsifk and Ilocltamocls, alone
Ind The freedom ~ his bridge and re-
ceivclue attentions from Scrap.
Bat the years rolled by and brought
no evil visitation upon the tollman. lie
grew tlchre and richer all tho time.
and with his wealth his sullcn avoid
aneo ~ hts fellpwmcn increased. Ife
seemed u regard them all with n hos.
/ Tile saspirian ard u have no friends
4 anf hts dog, WHO daily grew iinricr
| aaii n9lisr and more distruatful
0f What was going on III tho world
i Tim knew nothing and cared no more
4 hah was not 10 be seen IN his
hpttNe, aud he never read a newspaper.
81 ratlroaaa and steamboats,, which ail
the world had begun 60 talk abont, he
did mol even dream Civilization
marched on from ono height 81 prog
rose y another. great Inventions ana
i discoveries were followed by those vet
mora wonderful. but no sound of IL
came q him
| Y ie had any pleasure besides count
ing lia hNapa o. money. hc found II ia
annoying tae navigatprs 81 the reach
~ ohiiaing them Is biaw md blow for
haitian hour Al . timc brfore attend
| ing 10 their Signals Often would no
keep . sltli4ler waiting until thu wind
had changed or the tide had turned.
aud q gnot daY's work was lost, and so
oppressive did his ili-natured tricks be-
come THAT shtne ~ his Indignant mari
ners openly threatened TO tear down
his briA4s
Int TIN and his bridge held unmo-
lestett sway over tho reach until ccr-
tain summer evening Ia 49,. when just
ns the shadows wero falling thestoll-
man was startled by terrific scrcech-
ing that seemed 70 come from around
the bend
4 waa as loud and piercing as II nii
the horns md conch shells III the Clam
river fleet Ind blown at once, and e
| surprised him into an unwonted nlnc-
rity Lcapina out on the bridge he
seized Ills bar and swung open the draw
without d moments delay.
The strange Noise was heard again.
this time nearer and still louder Never
could horns and SHELLS have blown such
q blast or thatl perplcxed and half
frightened, Tim leaned oyes tho side Of
the draw, md, through the fast gather
ing shadows, looked eagerly down tho
reach
Suddenly he jamped back, his eyes
bursting from their sockets.
With ruah aud a roar, frlghtful
appnrisipu had suddenly turned the
bend and svns heading for the bridge
II doomed mp In the dim light, huge.
nnc0nth and uncmnny, monster
neither Of the sen nor of tho air. but
alive and on fire, breathing ont great
puffs of vapor. vomiting blotchcs OF
smoke and showersof sparks chnrning
the waters with its feet and piercing
the skies with its voice. As Tim still
looked, another cloud nf steam Kissed
from its nostrils and II shrIcked again.
That was enougtl Tim stared no
longer,' With q loud cry Of despair no
bounded tethc upper end Of the draw,
jumped into the water and disappeared.
The monster passed through the
opened drawbriage with sputtcring, a
trembling md q grooming II dashed
the murty waters III the reach high
against the piers, frightened the birds
from the srruccs md sent thc cattle
sporting and scampcring TO tho ends Of
the pastares Then III tnemont or
two u bad vanished, and tho face Of
nature was serene again
The draw still stood open, pointing
mp and down the river as II to mark the
course of the strange visitor. Travel-
ers came up on both sides, halted and
turned back, surprising the intcrrup.
ton to be the latest device Of Tins
malice. For two days traffic between
the two towns was at d standstill.
Then some Of the Hockamock worthless.
after vainly trying to arouse tho toll
man, went out In d boat, climbed IN
the pier and swung the draw back
Travel thercuppn resumed It's wonted
course. ana from that day to this Tins
bridge has been free to man and beast.
After waiting q die time for Tim to
reappear, the selcctmen Of the town
made thorough search Of his house.
but no trace Of Tim, or his dog. on.
strange To say, Of his bags OF money.
could be found Not even button.
nor penny pace, nor a bonel
Aunt Hannah Kicks always claimed
with many a chuclxle that her predic-
ton had been literally fulfilled; hut
after she had gone tho way Of all
the prophets, there came to the ears 81
the townspeople rumor that in one Of
the interior villages of Maine an old
man, apparently very poor, had been
found dead Of starvation and neglect in
a wretched hovel, his body guarded by
q half-blind, snarling old dog and
stretched upon a heap OF straw ii
which were hidden several bags Of
money, amounting to q wondrous sum.
Whether these were the relics Of Tim
Stubs or not nobody ever took pains
to make sure, though many Of the good
people Of Roswick and Hockamock
firmly believed the bones Of the dog,
and the gold were his. Some OF the
neighbors were fully persuaded that
Tim was never seen ON earth after he
jumped into the reach, and at the pres
ent day one opinion has about as many
champions as the other In these two
old towns. 900 Lewiston (Me. journal
Getting 1T tho Facts