The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1905-12-05
A CREWSOME
THANKSGIVING
IOriginal.1

IOriginall
In the taproOm of an inn before |
blazing open fire sat the landlord smok-
ing his pipe and taking pull occasion |
ally from a black bottle that stood on |
the table beside him. A cold wind |
blew an equally cold rain against the |
window panes and roared In the Chin |
ney. There were sounds of some one
without knocking the mud from his |
boots, and man entered.
"a bad night, Bill" said the landlord. |
II don't see why the parsons don't |
choose a better season for Thanksglv- |
what they don't git they might as well
do SO when at least the weather's like
ly to be such as to be thankful for"
Just such night as this a year
ago. Remembers" Bill replied. looking
at the landlord with singular express
sion. The landlord made no reply.
Say, BILL" he said presently, taking
his pipe from his mouth, there's a gen.
tleman come about an hour ago that
looks for all the world like the one we
done year ago tonight. He come be-
twixt daylight and dark and KEEP his
coat collar up and his hat down over
his eyes, so 1 couldn't see, but there
was somethin' about him that remind
ed me of the other"
well, the other left US somethin' to
be thankful for, and perhaps this one
has been sent by the Lord to do the
same" And Bill, who had seated him
self on the other side of the table,
helped himself to a stiff glass of grog
II showed him the nor'east ROOM"
the landlord went on, "but he turned
and started into the nor west room just
as If he'd been there before and know
ed all about it."
Bill looked up quickly at the land
lord. He didn't say anything. 1t was
not necessary. 1t was in the north
west room that the stranger had been
murdered. The two men sat, now and
again helping themselves to the con-
tents of the bottle. Each knew the
thoughts of the other. Their funds
were low, and it was necessary to re-
plenish them. But they didn't like the
only way for doing SO that suggested
itself to them. Besides, the resem-
blance of the man upstairs to the one
from whom they had secured a fine
haul a year agone and hts passing so
Familiarity into his predecessors room
made the work all the more obnoxious
to them. The rum they drank did not
make them drunk. They were below
par, and 1t gave them the necessary
stiffening.
Singular" said Bill presently, "that
year ago tonight there was only one
traveller in the house and only one to-
night"
"It goes to show that the Lord takes
care Of us. Some think only good peo-
as much to be thankful for on this
Thanksgivin night as If we had wings
CROWN out OF our shoulders"
There was a pause, during which q
similar picture came up before the
memory of each-a picture of happy
and innocent group gathered around
the fireside after the Thanksgiving din
ner. There were the old father, proud
Of his boys and girls; the mother solicit
tous for her children's future, all con-
shutting a loving united family. Sure
ly there had been great changes since
then. The landlord went to the fire
and sat, bent over it, peering at the
, live Goals to which 1t was now reduced.
| Bill sat with his hat drawn down over
his eyes, apparently asleep.
Suddenly wheezy clock struck the
hour Of IL. Bill slowly raised himself.
"Well, what d'you think" he asked.
81 amt up to job tonight"
Neither am l. But I've got to have
money"
1--WE didn't git so much out Of the job
we done year ago."
I'VE got five hundred for the dia-
mond."
The last reminder stiffened the reso-
| luton of the landlord, and they began
to make preparations for sending the
| gentleman where he wouldn't need his
belongings The landlord went out and
returned with his pistols, but Bill pro-
| tested that he didn't like noisy weap-
| ons.
That's fright" said the landlord.
There isn't house within mile"
Eyes, but supposin' some un happen
ed to be walkin' by and heard shot.
What would become of us in case the
stranger should be traced here? Bet
ter do him as we done the other"
Bill took off his boots-the landlord
was already In slippers-and, going to
the staircase, they silently crept up to
the floor above. The door to the trav-
eler's bedroom was ajar, as If inviting
them to enter A kerosene lamp was
fixed in the hall, throwing some light
into the room. Bill tiptoed to the open
ing and looked In. Then he returned to
his companion and said:
Hes awful still. l can usually hear
any man breathe when he's asleep, but
1 can't hear him."
I'm sick of the business before it's
begun" replied the other.
"Oh. git some sand into you. Come
onr
Each, drawing long knife, crept in
to the room. In passing through the
door they left it wide open, and there
was light enough to see the stranger
stretched on the bed. Suddenly both
started back and looked into each 9TH
| er's blanched face.
IT'S the same onep' each whispered,
aghast
There on the bed lay the stranger
they had murdered on Thanksgiving
night year before, his heart exposed,
showing the wound that had killed
| him.
The next morning, when they had
mustered courage to enter the room by
daylight, the stranger was not there.
The bed gave no evidence Of having
been slept In.