Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-08-29
The Story Teller.
Two TRAVELLERS.
THE HOST OF THE RED LION.

THE HOST OF THE RED LION.
If one were to seek the site of tht
Red Lion that stood on the Harlem
Road over century ago, he could ne
more discover it then he could the
snow that fell at the date of which we
write.
The Red Lion was an inn kept by 6
jolly old Hollander, named Peter
Steen, and directly opposite was the
only grocery store, on that part of the
island, and this was presided over by
Peters brother, Helst. The brothers
were very dissimilar in temperament
and appearance. Peter weighed over
200 pound, was hard drinker, invet'
crate smoker, and a great talker
Helst was of small STATURE weighing
only one hundred and some odd
pounds, and he never drank spirituous
liquors nor used tobacco in any form
Neither was he Of loquacious turn
Silent and meditative, he weighed out
his sugar and tea to his customers,
took their hard money, put it safely
away, and grew richer each year than
his laughing, rollicking brother Peter.
Every evening, after the store was
closed, Helst invariably went across
the way, and the. brothers, taking
chairs, would, when the season per-
mitted, sit in front of the tavern under
the trees and converse, while Peters
son, Dyke, attended the bar.
It was the latter part of the summer
when the brothers were seated in their
accustomed places, that a couple OF
strangers were driven to the inn, and
alighting, requested accommodations.
Peter slowly took his pipe from his
mouth and shouted for Dyke.
$50 yourself" said Helst, in an un-
dertone. "You'll never become rich
if you turn these matters over to
others. You must mend your ways,
brother, and not put the care of the
house on Dyke. Come, be stirring; p
and he gave Peter gentle shake.
The latter laughed, and arising,
went forward to attend to the wants
of his guests. A small trunk and two
shot guns was the only baggage the
travellers possessed, and these were
carried to the inn and the strangers
assigned room, and while their
supper was being prepared: Peter
resumed his seat by his brother.
"Do they seem like persons of
means ?" inquired Helst.
"How can I tell?" replied Peter.
"They went to their chamber without
taking a drink"
"If I had examined their faces"
continued Helst, ~ think I should
be able to determine their quality.
Your business is not the kind to enable
you to discover the depths of your
customers pockets. All! Peter, I
fear you will never accumulate large
fortune"
"Well, Dyke may if I DON'T" replied
the brother. "He's like you, Helst; he
turns penny over twice before taking
it to see if it is good"
"Dyke is prudent lad," said Helst.
"He may turn out well if he continues
to be so cautious. Brother, we have
to be wary in this world"
"Thank heaven, there'll be no occa-
sion for it in the next" replied Peter,
and he laughed, and blew great clouds
of smoke in Helst's face.
"It's a nasty practice" cried the
brother, coughing and moving little
apart, 80 as to be out of the reach of
Peters pipe. =,
"It's great consolation sometimes" ="
replied Peter.
"It's great waste of money. How
much do you spend in tobacco?"
"How should I know?" replied
Peter, in surprise. II never kept &C.
count"
"Try it," remarked Helst, dryly.
Just then a couple of shots made
Helst Steen bounce in his seat.
"It's only the travellers disharging
their guns" said Peter.
~ must co." replied Helst, "Good-
night" and the brother separated.
Peter Steen found his guests to be
quiet but eccentric Englismen, who
seemed to take the world easy and
paid literally for all they ordered.
"What in the world can they want
here ?" inquired Helst. "Why don't
they go to the city ?"
'I'm sure I don't KNOW" replied
Peter, "and as they pay in honest
money, I care not how long they
tarry."
"They may be robbers" suggested
the timid Helst.
$50 they may" responded Peter !;
"but they haven't robbed me, and as
they are not sharp enough for you, /
don't see why we should complain"
Fall deepened into winter, and the
strangers still sojourned at the Red
Lion. They went out cunning fire.
quently, and when they remained in
doors they read necessarily the news,
papers that came from England.
II have it," exclaimed Helst, one
evening, to his brother. "They are ref.
ugees from justice, and they read the
az Nrfc