Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-02-12
The STORY Teller.
AN UNCANNY GUbST.
A TRAVELLERS HOPELESS FIX

A TRAVELLERS HOPELESS FIX
The following amusing narrative is
adapted from story which appeared
some years ago in the London press
A commercial traveller, on his business
rounds, came to one of the large York
shire towns, where he found, upon his
arrival, that the time which, under
lapse of memory, he had chosen fol
his visit, was most inoppotune. "The
races were on" and every house Of
accommodation was crowded to excess
Upon application to the landlady of the
hotel where he had been in the habit
of staying, he was Informed that every
bed in the premises had been bespok
en- for a week before his coming; and,
more than this, that even the very
floors and tables of the dining-room
would be burdened at night with 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 circum-
stances, it is impossible that we can.
But" she added, ~ will give you the
names of some persons in the town
who let rooms, and perhaps you will
find among them some one who can
put you up-at least I hope So"
Our friend took the list of names
with a rueful face, and at once set
about the discovery of place of rest
for the night. But all his search was
fruitless. Every bed and possible
"shakedown" in the whole district was
pre-engaged; 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
landlady of former days, and cast him.
self upon her benevolent contrivance
and sympathy.
"Upon my word, sir" she said, "you
greatly distress and puzzle me. l
really do not know where in the world
1 can put YOU" But after thinking
for a moment, she said, "Will you con-
sent to occupy the hostler's room, sir
1t stands in the back part Of the prem
ises and perhaps we could manage to
make it-at least in some degree
comfortable."
The traveller thanked her warmly,
and declared that the accommodation
she spoke of was the very thing, un.
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 q
large yard in the rear of the inn, up q
step. ladder, along narrow, boarded
passage, then up three stairs, and
finally 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 unexceptionable.
Goodnight, SIR" said the hostler,
setting down his lantern to furnish
some light. 81 hope you'll sleep we'll,
sir; and, indeed, I think you'll have q
better chance of doing so here than
the gents in the house-you're away
from the noise; and in times like
these the streets all night are any
thing but quiet"
1t was late in the autumn of the
year-the nights were long-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 a
heavy step, and entering his bedroom.
Turning round in his blankets to learn
who was the intruder, he perceived a
man, tall, gaunt and grim, his throat
bare, the sleeves of his shirt turned
up. and his hair all unkempt and
standing upright in the most disorder
ed manner. The dark figure drew
near the travellers bed, stopped 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 out
side; after which, more impressively
still, he slowly recovered the extended
limb, and motioned with his forefnger
three times across his throat. This
done, the strange apparition abruptly
departed, his feet sounding as dis
tinctly 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 occurren-
ces and rough usages of the world.
Yet this dark, grotesque, and abso-
lutely silent intruder, and his most
singular gestures, did not strike him
as altogether pleasant or agreeable
and he would much rather not have
been disturbed in such an unseason-
able and unwarrantable manner. He
would, however, take no action in the