Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-09-11
weather. beaten gun he was examin

weather. beaten gun he was examin-
ing.
~ want to get to Hazelton" said 1
shave you got trap of any kind l
could have?"
give not" said the landlord.
"How far is it? ?" 1 inquired.
The landlord looked lazily at his
companions.
"'Bout 1S miles," said one of them.
give lost my way, then" said l.
"I've walked from Dayton station /
can't possibly get to Hazelton tonight.
Can l have bed and some supper
here ?"
"Of course you can," said the wo-
man "come up to the fire, SIR"
Her manner was very civil, but her
appearance was far from alluring.
She was tall and extremely stout !; her
lilac print apron being apparently tied
around her waist by guess work. Her
gray hair was drawn carelessly' into a
tight and unseemly knot at the back
of her head, and she leered at me am
iably as she waddled briskly forward
with a chair.
The men moved their chairs back,
and the landlady, planting mine full
in front of the fire, assisted me to
remove my overcoat. could cheer
fully have dispensed with her assist
ance, but, fearful of arousing suspicion
as to its contents, raised no objec-
tion.
"I'll take it up to your room," said
the landlady, throwing it across her
arm.
"Oh, don't trouble; I'll take it up
when co." said I, unconcernedly.
"I'ts all right; I've got to 60 up
there to see to your bed," she replied,
and I heard her painting up the stairs.
While she was gone I took stock OF
my companions, and the more saw
of them the less liked them. Both
the customers were tough looking, and
neither was at any great pains to make
himself agreeable. A brief inquiry or
two concerning my journey satisfied
them, and they turned their gaze from
me to the huge iron pot which was
bubbling over on the fire, and from
which issued q most delicious odor.
For sometime I sat over the fire,
half doing with the comfort and
warmth of it, until the stout landlady
hustled about preparing supper. We
all sat down together, the landlord
being by no means inclined to pay any
foolish Difference to me as paying
guest, hut I certainly made a good
meal, for the iron pot contained a
savory stew of rabbit and game, and
my long days journey had reduced
me to almost famished condition.
Supper finished, we drew up to the
fire, and I ordered glasses round as l
sat comfortably smoking. sat until
had finished my pipe, and then asked
for candle, saying that my walk had
made me very tired, and asked to be
called at an early hour in the morning.
The landlady, taking a huge tin can
dlestick from the dresser, lighted me
up the narrow, naked stairs, and, lead
ing the way into small bedroom, set
the light on a painted washstand, and
withdrew, after bidding me goodnight.
MY first glance,was for my overcoat,
which was hanging from a nail in the
corner of the room, and, to my great
relief, found the notes intact. re-
solved not to be separated from them
again, and, taking them from the wal
tet, made them into small parcels, and
distributed them about my pockets.
The room was damp and cheerless,
the only furniture being the washstand
before mentioned, a broken chair, and
small, looking bed. There
was no lock to the door, and no cur
tain to the window, and, after care
full inspection, I blew out the candle
and lay down in my bed in my clothes.
I lay for sometime half doing in
chill discomfort, until I was aroused
by the sounds of shutting up down
stairs. Doors were shut and bolted
and I waited lazily to hear the sound
of my hosts feet coming up stairs to
bed, for I wanted to order stiff glass
of hot brandy and water, as protec.
tion against the damp, which seemed
to be eating into my bones, hut they
were so long in coming that l les; pa
tience, and quitting my bed, felt my
way down stairs in my stocking feet.
A light was still burning in the tap
room, and I was about to enter when,
through small hole in the red cur
tain which was drawn across the glass
of the door, I saw, to my surprise, that
the other customers were still there.
All three men were sitting by the fire
almost as I had left them, conversing
in low tones, and 1 had just laid my
hand on the door, which stood slight
ly ajar, when they spun coins in the
air, and bent their heads eagerly for
ward with the coins covered. At the
same moment the huge landlady ap-
preached, and loomed over them with
face like dirty white mask.
care YOU going to be all night p
she asked, in low, tremulous voice.