The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1893-11-08
THE TOLL BAR.

and aG the hour of midnight Simon
Groves the gouty toll-keeper of Gwyn-
die, sat asleep in his old oak chair
His knitted nigntcap OF Welsh wool
had been preceded by another kind of
nighcap in the shape of hot glass of
speed ale and his conse luent slumber
was heavy enough when he was awoke
by piercing cry OF 'Gate!" .Gate!'
Bolt and bar being withdrawn
Simon stor under the starlit sky
ready to lake the toll and pass the
stranger on his way; but to his aston
ishment no wheel nor heel was there.
Nothing but the p.aintive 'too-whit.
too-who. OF the brown owl in the dis
tant woods was to be heard. He swung
the lantern high he swung it low he
looked up the hill AMI peered into the
road; no one was there. His landlords
gig had passed that way at ten that
evening. and there the track lay un-
disturbed in its frosty covering.
Gate! Gate again rarg out in the
frosty night air. and Simon instantly
threw down his pen not without some
hope that it was the summons of some
jolly afterdinncr old gentleman. who
would laugh at the joke and toss him
half-a-crown.
Again Simon appeared in his COW
cred doorway lantern in hand, but
there was no mortal there. nor tire
nor wheel OF mortal make. He swung
the lantern high; he peered up the
road and down the road; he stopped
down. and again found the rime frost
still undisturbed in the ruts. Whose
voice was like unto that cry of Gate!
Gate" Surely he had heard it before
somewhere! Could it be that of his
darling niece. Elsie. the golden haired
lass OF fourteen summers. whose play
full delight when on visit four years
before had been to come to the front
of the dollhouse and cry Gate!
gatem followed by ringing laughter
when her old uncle made his appear
ance in answer to her false alarm,
Yes The clear shrill cry he had
heard that niglt resembled the voice
OF Elsie-poor Elsiei
Richard Grimestone had wooed and
won her against the wishes of her
Uncle Simon. who disliked the reputa-
tion for gallantry that Richard had
obtained very quickly after his return
from visit TO London. Elsie's trust
ing nature however. would believe no
i'll OF her lover and when the bridal
Gay arrived. and she noticed the many
whisperings amongst the bystanders,
+. she put them down to envy at her
carrying off the handsomest man OF
the village
Her husband very soon absented
himself on pretended calls of BUSINESS
to the market towns and when her
paled cheeks and ill-health betrayed
an approaching motherhood Richards
behavior filled her sinking heart with
apprehension. He said he mated q
pale face or a pulling girl; he liked
rosy cheek and IL nut-orown maid-a
fact which Elsie had more and more
reason to realize. as rumor5 reached
her ears of Richards squandering his
money on a blacksmith's daughter of
evil reputation.
Elsie like many others of her sex
could break but not benz; and. having
upbraide1 her husband on his deser-
tion of her at such an approaching
crisis. he resented the accusation with
a curse, and with blow from his fist
that felled Elsie senseless to the floor
When she recovered she was alone
He had LETT her without friend or a
servant in the house. and as she heard
the sound of his horses hoofs dying
away in the distance her brain reeled
and she became delirious
Simon sat in his chair till daylight.
strangely agitated with fears for his
nieceS safety. At eight o'clock he
made up a basket of brown bread and
fresh eggs. and taking a stout stick in
hand he went down. the road to the
cottage OF an army pensioner who
fultivate d small potato patch. Old
Miles was easily persuaded to take
charge OF the gate until Simon re-
urned. and shortly after Simon OBJ
aimed lift in the POSTCARD going to
1langollen. This vehicle passed
near Grimestone's farm. and by one
,'clock Simon was crossing the stile
eading up to the farm.
No good going on here. l see;
ere are fences down gaps in the
edges. gates hanging by one hinge"
Ill had sigas of bad farming" and
Simon went round to the back door.
mShich ne found open. Some ducks
ad invaded the stone passage and
uily quaci1ed at the intruder. All
sc was silent. and with bated breath
mon looked in the kitchen 1t was
npty aud with no fire even in
he CRATE. He went into the front
pom that was called the parlor
he blind was yet drawn down from
e p.. rs niTht-no one was there;
ne tiny pieces "a n,edlework unfin-
ned lay on the table He called out
Elsie Elsie.' No reply came but
echo of his voice down
period corridor. He mount
s.a.rs and peering into
pt rOon he saw
eP on The floor with
stain flowing from its