The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-08-22

hpNNirNi 1ft. tter words must have
mnde deep impression on Tim, for Il
Is sail tliat he never dared T. is,alt her
In the iece ns.ain. but ii he saw her
coming hurried iato his den, calling
his dog after hims andso Aunt Hannah,
oflall Rowsick and uoclamucIx. alone
had the freedom Of his bridge and 70
ceivcd no attentions from SCRAP
But the years rolled by and brought
no evil visitation upon the tollinan He
grew richer and richer all the time.
and with his wealth his suiicn avoid.
ance Of his fcliownen increased lie
seemed II regard them all with hos
tile suspicion and to have no frIends
but his dog who daily grew dlngier
and uglicr and more distrustful
0f what was going on In the world
Tim knew nothing and cared no more.
A book was not 70 be seen IN his
house, and he never read a newspaper.
OF railroads and steamboats,, which alI
the world had begun TO talk abont, no
did not even dream Civilization
marched on from ono height ~ prog
ress 10 another, great Inventions and
discoveries were followed by those yet
moro wonderful. but no sound * Il
came 20 him
II he had any pleasure besides count
ing hts heaps of money. he found Ii 10
annoying the navigators Of the reach
by obliging them to blow and blow for
half an hour ut time before attend
ing 70 their signals Often would he
keep 4 skipper waiting until tho wind
had changed or the tide had turned,
and good days work was lost, and so
oppressive did his ill-naturcd tricks he
come that some 81 his indignant mari.
ners openly threatened to tear down
his bridge.
But Tim and hts bridge held nnmo.
Tested sway over the reach until a Ger.
tain summer evening in Is, when lust
rs the shadows were falling the toll
man was startled by o terrific screech-
ing that seemed 10 come from around
the bend
Il was ~ loud and piercing rs II all
tho horns and conch shells In the Clam
river fleet had blown at once. and ii
surprised him into an nnwun,ed alnc-
rity. Leaping out on the bridge he
seized his bar and swung open the draw
without a moments delay.
The strange noise was henri again,
this time nearer nndEtill louder. Never
could horns and shells have blown snch
a blnst MS that rcrplexed and half
frightened, Tim leaned over the side 81
the draw, and, through tile fast gather
ing shadows, looked eagerly down tho
reach
Suddenly no jumped back, hls eyes
bursting from their sockets
With rush and a roar, a f,fRhtful
apparition had suddenly TUNED tho
bend and was heading for tho bFiago.
It doomed up In tho dim hght, huge,
uncouth md uncanny, monster
mother Of the sea nor ot tho Dir, but
alive and on FIRE, breathing ont great
pnffs Of vapor, vomiting biotchcs Of
smoke and showcrsof sparks, churning
the waters with It's feet and piercing
the skies with It's voice. Az Tim still
looked, another cloud az steam Kissed
from It's nostrils and It shricl1ed again.
That was enoughi Tim stared no
longer. With loud cry Of despair he
bounded 70 the upper end Of tho draw,
jumped into the water and tisappeared.
The monster passed through the
opened drawbridge with nspnttcring, q
rembling andMn groaning ii dashed
the mur.sy waters OF the reach high
against the pliers, frightened tho birds
from the sprucca and sent the cattle
spQrting and scampering TO the cnls Of
thu HbAta II.
two II had vanished. and the face Of
nature was serene again
The draw still stood open. pointing
up and down the river as II To mark tho
course Of the strange visitor Travel
ers came up on both sides, halteh and
turned back. supposing tho Interrupt
tion 10 be the latest device 81 TINS
malice For two days traffic between
the two towns was at standstill.
Then some Of tho Hockamocls worthies,
after vainly trying 70 arouse tho toll.
man, went out IN q boat. climbed up
the pier and swung the draw back.
Travel thercupon resumed It's wonted
course. and from that day 70 this Tins
bridge has been FREQ to man aud beast
After waiting duo time for Tim to
reappear, the sclectmea 81 the town
made thorough search, OF his house,
but no trace d Tim, or his dog, or,
strange to say, 81 his bags of money.
could DO found Not even button,
nor penny piece, nor q bonci
Aunt Hannah Kicks always e iaimcd
with many chucltle that her predic.
ton had been literally fulfilled. bit
after she had gone the way Of I'LL
tho prophets, there came to the ears Of
the townspeople rumor that tn one 81
the interior villages OF Maine an old
man, apparently very poor, had been
found dead Of starvation and neglect in
. wretched howell, HIS body guarded by
. haH-blind, snarling old dog and
stretched upon a heap Of straw In
which were hidden several bags Of
money, amounting to o wondrous sum.
Whether these were tho relics 81 Tim
Stubs or not nobody ever took, pains
TO make sure, though many II the good
people Of Roswick and Tlockanlock
firmly believed tho bones 81 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 tho reach, and at the pres
ent day one opinion has about as many
champions as the other IN these two
old towns ny Lewiston Mel journal
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