Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1898-07-07
Plight of a Traveller.


press: commercial traveller, IN his
business round, came TO one of the
large Yorkshire towns, where he found
upon his arrival that the time which.
under lapse of memory. he had chosen
Tor MS visit, was most inoppottune.
The races were on" and every house
of accommodation was crowded to ex-
cess Upon application to the IandIadv
OF the hotel where he had been in the
habit of staying he was informed that
every bed in the premises had been be-
spoken for a week before his coming:
and, more than this, that even the verv
floors and tables of the dining-room
would be burdened at night wit. rae
ing men and weary pleasure-seekers.
We are extremely sorry, sir said
Mrs. Boniface, that we cannot receive
You, an accustomed patron of the house.
but under existing circumstances it is
impossible that we can. But she
added, Il will give you the names of
some persons il the town who let
rooms, and perhaps you will find
among them some one who can put YOU
up-at least, / hope So
Our friend took the list of names
with rueful face, and at once set
about the discovery of a place of rest
for the night. But all his search was
fruitless. Every bed and possible
''shahedown" in the whole district was
preengaged; and if he would remain
in the town he must walk the streets
until morning. But sooner than do
this he resolved to return to his good
iandlady Of former days and cast him
and sympathy
Upon my word, sir" she said, you
greatly distress and puzzle me. really
do not know where in the world /
can put you" But, after thinking for
moment, she said: "Will you consent
to- occupy the hostler's room, sir? 1t
stands in the back part of the premises,
and perhaps we can manage to make
it-at least, in some degree comfort
able"
The traveller thanked her warmly
and declared that the accommodation
she spoke OF was the very thing I'M
der the circumstances.
In about half an hour the hostler
was called, and told to take lantern
and conduct the gentleman to his bed
room. The way proved to be across
large yard in the rear of the inn, up
a stepladder, along a narrow, boarded
passage, then up three stairs, and final
" through a doorway into the sleeping
apartment. Our traveller found upon
looking around that good use had been
made of the half-hour he had been kept
waiting. A carpet had been put on the
floor: the blankets and sheets were I'M
exceptionable.
Good night. sir" said the hostler.
setting down his lantern to furnish
some light. 81 hope you'll sleep well,
sir. and, indeed, l think you'll have
better chance of doing so here than the
gents in the house-you're away from
the noise; and in times ike these the
streets all night are anything but
quiet"
II was late in the autumn of the year
the nights were Iong-and our friend,
rather tired, soon fell asleep, and did
not wake until the gray dawn of the
morning, and not even then, had he not
been reused by some one coming along
the outer passage with heavy step. and
entering his bedroom. Turning round
in his blankets TO learn who was the in
truder. he perceived a man, tall, gaunt
IL.
of his shirt turned up, and his hair all
unkempt and standing upright in the
most disordered manner. The dark
figure drew near the travellers bed,
stooped over him. and peered down
closely in the dim light. evidently
anxious to find out if the person lying
there was awake Perceiving that this
was the case, our traveller saw him, in
the dusky light. draw himself upright
in the room, then solemnly raise one
arm. extend it, and point with his hand
through the window to place outside;
after which. more impressively still. he
slowly recovered the extended limb,
and motioned with his forefinger three
times across his throat. This done, the
strange apparition abruptly departed,
his feet sounding as distinctly upon
the floor and stepladder on his going
out as they had been heard to do when
he came in.
The commercial traveller was not
nervous man, and he had knowledge,
more or less, of the strange occurrences
and rough usages of the world. 1et
this dark. grotesque, and absolutely ST.
lent intruder, and his most singular
gestures did not strike him as alto
gether pleasant or agreeable; and he
would much rather not have been dis
turbed in such an unreasonable and I'M
warrantable manner. He would, how
ever. take no action in the matter-at
least. for the present. Indeed, he felt
himself powerless to do this in
this lonely part of the prem
iSss. But he certainly, when he
got up. would make complaint TO
Mrs Boniface of the way in which he
had been annoyed. Fixing this purpose
in his mind, our isolated lodger betook
himself again to slumber. and had al
most reentered the land of dreams
when. both to his vexation and alarm,
the footsteps he had previously heard
again sounded upon his ears-the same
firm ard measured tread-and soon his
former visitor repeated his mysterious
intrusion.
This time the gaunt figure looked agi-
tated and angry, and, to our travellers
Amusement and fear, carried N his
right hard a large, long and cleaning
knife. Pointing his hand in a similar
direction as before, he shook his grizzly
head. and violently winked his eyes,
and stamped his foot, vet uttered never
a word, but kept perfectly silent, and
I L. I l. l.