The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1896-05-14

are being made to effect their capture"
Peter laughed lboisterously.
"All Englishmen spend great part
OF their lives in reading newspapers"
he replied. ats q Characteristic of
the Nation; they are great readers,
Just as we Dutch are great smokers"
"I hope you may be correct" re-
sponded Helst, "but / don't like these
persons hanging about here for no OBJ.
ject."
"They may have an object" sug.
gested Peter; "they know best"
"But I'd like to know, too," said
Helst.
"Perhaps you'd better nsk them,"
replied the practical Peter.
"My doors are double barred" NUT.
tered Helst, as he moved away.
During the winter the strangers ate,
drank, were merry, sat up late at
night in their room, and paid their
bills punctually. Peter Steen grew to
like them vastly. Spring came warm
and balmy, and tho strangers seemed
to welcome it.
One day the elder Of the two came
to Peter Steen and remarked:
Landlord, we fancy your place
very much. II is quiet and healthy.
Your table is excellent, but we don't
altogether like your rooms. Suppose
you allow us to erect an addition to
your house; IL shall cost you moth
ing. We wish an apartment that
looks ont on the garden, and here,
just by this wnll (which is all tumbling
down, by the way), we'll build you q
snug apartment"
Peter opened his eyes very wide at
this proposition, and Mt once consent.
ed. Then he ha3tened to Helst and
told him what had occurred.
"'ris the strangest thing / ever
heard" remarked the brother. ''Peter,
those men must either be fools or
crazy. think they are fools"
"And l should be fool, too. il re-
fuse to have my property improved at
their expense" replied the other.
Helst scratched his head and ap-
peared perplexed. 81 really can make
nothing of it,, he said.
Very soon mechanics began to
bring lumber, and in due time n
pretty frame structure, with two
rooms, arose Mt the rear of the inn.
One side of it was directly against the
wall of the garden.
Peter was happy, the Englishmen's
gold flowed into his Golfers and all
went well.
One night when the brothers sat to-
gether Helst remarked: "Tve been
talking to old Adam Klomp, and he
tells me about sixty years ago an &C.
centric or crazy Englishman built u
large house where the Red Lion now
stands. Nobody liked him, and few
knew anything about his history. He
got into some trouble with the kings
officers and left tho place suddenly.
Soon afterward the house was burned
down. / never could comprehend
these English; they are the queerest
people in the world"
"Tbey pay well," laughed Peter,
slapping his pocket; "they pay we'll,
Helst."
July and ~ her was d"
llghtfu . e
the Englishmon stayed n great deal in
their rooms. Once Peter came upon
them suddenly and caught them in
tently examining map or diagram
which they had spread on the table.
"Ah, hal" he muttered, "they are
surveyors. Doubtless they came &c
purchase land. How foolish my
brother Helst was was with his sus
picions."
But what bothered Peter the most,
was the strangers were up burning his
cadles late into the night. Everybody
else was in bed. What were they do
ing up like owls?"
All at once the strangers began tc
take drives. They wouldn't 40 ou,
together, but would take turns, one
always remaining at home. These
things continued for several weeks.
When this was told Helst he had O
new source of perplexity.
"They certainly are FOOLS" he ex'
claimed. "Who but fools would SIT
up late summer nights, doing nothing,
and go driving abont the country
without n companion? Peter, thes,
men may have wealth. but they have
no brains"
At length there came q variation to
tho monotony. Both the strangers
went out to drive together one morn
ing. Night came, but they did no
return. Peter smoked his pipe an(
meditated at their absence, and Hels
scratched his head for thought.
Two-three-four days went by, bu
the strangers returned not, and nc
one about the country could give any
information concerning them.
Finally, when week had elapsed
it was determined to break open tn
door Of their apartment. With al
the forms of law this was accomplished
And 10 ! beside the garden wall was
great hole in the earth. On the tabl,
lay letter addressed to Peter Steen
from the strangers, informing hin
, that years before one of their ances
tors had lived on the spot and burie'