Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1894-04-19
THE TOLL BAR.

In the month Of November. ~
and &C the hour Of midnight Simon
Groves the equity toll keeper Of G wyh-
die, sat asleep ID his old oak chair
His knitted nightcap OF Welsh wool
had bsen preceded By ahathsf kiad 81
aighcap in the shape of hot glass OF
speed ale and his conseq uent slumber
was heavy enough when he was awoke
by q piercing cry Of ..Gate!'' Gatep'.
Bolt and bar being Withdrawn,
Simon stood under tho starlit SLY,
ready TO take the toll and pass the
stranger on his way; but to his aston
ishment no wheel nor heel was there.
Nothing but the plaintive ..too.whit.
too-who. Of the brown owl In the dis
liant woods was to be heard. He swung
the lantern high. he swung it LOW. he
looked UP the hill add peered Into tbs
road; no one was there. His landlords
gig had passed that way at ten that
evening and there the track lay I'M
disturbed In Its frosty covering:
Gate! Gate!' again rang out in the
frosty night air. and Simon instantly
threw down his pen not without some
hope that 1t was the summons OF some
jolly atter-dinner old gentleman. who
would laugh at the jocks and t6ss Him
shalf-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
tul delight when on 4 visit four years
before had been to come to the front
OF the dollhouse and cry Gate!
gate" followed by ringing laugh er
when her old uncle made his appear
ance in answer to her false alarm!
Yes! The clear. shrill cry he had
heard that mig at resemb.ed the voice
Of Elsie-poor Elsie!
ASLSAOA u 0IA0AO0tOuO udO WOO0O duO
won her against the wishes Of her
Uncle Simon. who dlsliked the reputa-
ton for gallantry that R:chard had
obtained very quickly after his return
from q visit 10 London. Elsie's trust
ing nature however would believe no
i'll OF her lover. and when the bridal
day arrived. and she noticed the many
whisperings amongst the bystanders
she put them down to envy a. her
carrying of the handsomest maa 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. Richa d s
behavior filled her sinking heart with
apprehension. He said he mated a
pale face or q pulling girl; h. liked .
rosy cheek and nut-brown MAZDA
fact which Elsie had more and moe
reason to realize, as rumors rea shed
her ears Of Richa DIS squandering his
money on blacksmith's daughter Of
evil reputation.
Elsie like many others Of her sex.
could break but not bend; and. having
upbraidei her husband on his deser-
ton of her at such an approaching
crlsis ne resenteo the accu us Win
curse anu Win 9 D.o3 rom rom nls g
tna at, Ielled Elsie senseiess TO Inc noor
When she recovered she was alone.
He had lett her without friend or a
servan. ~ tla nous aug q sne nearo
.ne souhu VI MS norsets noo's dyihg
away - Inc issuance nef Dram reeleo
anu a.. slle peca!no eeilrlous $,
ol'non SAT "a nus cna'f .lh d;eyllgns
's.tangeiy aglta 'e. VAIN iears 1or MS MS
uleee > salety. AZ etent O'Clock ne
t.aas o " : p'1,1 3. " Dfo1n urt.sl anu
he ssa g = anu ..salns : SOU. SUCK !, -
n ne.u1 No "ent uown .no .os1u = -.ns
ovs ,tens. ~ Amy psnslonel Ky ~
M;'as es ~ smnn po.aO p..1en. ,u
nhasoa e" - I.s'y p''.suau9 :: - '.As
tnrnad ona - a ~. sf.a s, s;.nan a ~ e
ta;naa ~. =. 49, ~: :. =. !. .... -.
I,an@a,,a :, = w. $3.50, ''s,s.s, o.ns =
near i;rimaaton a !. rm 1 snd Is ..s r.
O'clock Simon was crossing the stile
leading up to the farm.
no good going on hero j see;
here are fences down. gaps In the
hedges Cites hanging by one hinge =
AL had signs of bad farming, and
Simon went round to the back door.
which he found open. Some ducks
had invaded the sffana massage and