Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-04-15
A Stolen PACKAGE.

From yellow, faded pamphlet that
lay for years on bookshelf in an old.
fashioned farmhouse in Tynedale in
the north of England, the story given
below is taken.
William Tarbot was lawyer at
Hexham, in the north of England.
Having to attend the assizes at Alu-
wick and probably spend some days
there and Mrs. Tarbot's parents resid-
ing eight miles from that place, Mr..
Tarbot arranged that his wife and their
daughter, girl of 16, should accom-
pany him and stay with their relatives
until he was ready 10 return home.
The family travelled on horseback, as
was customary among country people
in those days, and reached the abode
of Mr.. and Mrs. Norman, the wife's
parents, after pleasant ride of few
hours. Mr.. and Mrs. Norman were
PLAIN, old.fashioned people, owning
their own farm and accounted wealthy.
The next morning Mr.. Tarbot rode on
to Alnwck and was soon over head
and ears in business.
On the last day of the court one
Wray OF Marlborough paid over to Mr..
Tarbot $3.50 pounds in bank of Eng
/. land notes in settlement of suit.
Wray had the money in brown paper
parcel, which he opened in Tarbot's
bedroom in the inn where they were
both staying. The two men counted
the money, and Wray wrapped it up
in the same way in which he had pro-
duced it and laid the package on the
table, at the same time saying:
snow, Tarbot, you should stand
something, so ring the bell"
"Why, of course will, with pleas
ure,' Tarbot said, and thereupon
Wray playfully turned him toward the
bell pull, which hung by the side of
the mantelpiece.
After the men had drunk together
they parted with mutual expressions
of good feeling, Tarbot putting the
package into his pocket buttoning his
coat over it. An hour later he changed
his coat for travelling one and laid
the package on chair by a window,
leaving il there while he went out
upon the gallery and called the boots
to bring him his saddle bags, which
he had been cleaning. Having slowed
away his things in the bags, he put on
his travelling coat, placed the package
in his inside pocket and buttoned the
coat over his breast. Then he mounted
his horse and started for the dwelling
of his father-in-law.
1t was an unusually hot day in Sep
TENDER aud thunderstorm was rag
ing over the Grampians. Fearing that
he might be hindered by the swelling
stream if he attempted to ford it, he
rode two or three miles out of his way
to cross 1t by bridge. 1t was we'll
he did 50, for, though he rode right
into the storm and was wet to the skin,
he got on the safe side of the water, |
and the rest Of his road was unob.
structed Nevertheless so heavy was
the storm that he took refuge in a
smithy on the outskirts Of hamlet
and waited there until the blast had
spent itself. When he reached Squire
Norman's dwelling, it was past 8. A
roasting fire soon tried his clothes and
a hearty supper speedily put him to
right internally. As he sat by the
hearth smoking the squire said:
1--WE have curious visitor here to-
night-not here exactly either, as you'll
see. When the storm was at its height,
q tall, gaunt man, dressed like a
drover, came here for shelter. We
gave him all he could eat and drink,
and he is now asleep, 1 suppose, in
the hayloft. He told ne very strange
story. He said he had been east with
q drove of cattle and was returning
afoot when the rain caught him. He
with some difficulty to ford
the stream, and was making his way
along the bank when he heard q cry
for help. 1t turned out, so far as he
could learn, that man, in attempting
10 cross, had lost his footing and was
clinging desperately to the exposed
roots of a tree, while the rushing
food was too strong for him to resist
10 as to get hold of the root or any