Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-01-18
P /.

T was In August OF the Year 1SS-
that I turned the corner, as it
We're, into the strange history l
an now to relate. The Welsh
marches had been entirely unknown to
me until at q point in an idle tour of
the west OF England l fell upon the
little town OF Raymond and brought up
at I in the evening at the Swan hostel
~ that occupies a corner of the irreg-
ular triangle constituting the market
place. The country in that part is full
Of swelling hills and valleys. soft and
exhilara1ing of air and clothed with a
great veSture Of wood. The great
GwenL, as the forest across the little
river Ray is cailed in the countryside,
rolls westward across the county. bro
ken by tracts of fertile fields lying un-
der grain and pasture, and GeScends
upon the black hills of the mining dis
tict beyond. At Raymond. which
stands upon the hither side OF the river,
We are yet in England proper and upon
the margin of a more open country.
The town itself is small and neat and
wears it's air Of respectable antiquity
very haughtily.
The inn, which was itself among the
most venerable buildings in the small
town, was comfortably served by a
very brisk landlord of middle age. 1t
had kept, so to speak, a %precarious
continuity with antiquity and in the
main scheme had changed but little
during the 800 years which had passed
since its erection
The hostelry was much too large for
its present uses, but for all that wore
no air of neglect in the inhabited cham
bers. My own rooms were marked by
homely comfort, and 1 was waited upon
like a prince of the blood. After a rude
and wholesome country dinner l sought
distraction in the Iaproom with my
pipe and a heterogeneous company of
townsfolk. The landlord was in some
kind a president at this symposium,
which consisted for the main part Of
a few Of the smaller s~hopkeepers.
There was Mr.. Jones, for example,
whose name I had noticed upon a shop
front as I rode through the High street.
This man fixed upon me early in the
evening. and poured his condolences
into my ear. He was a hay merchant,
and he had nc dearer ambition than to
establish his business in Bristol. He
found Raymond too mean for his as
piring temper, and the Mecca of his
prayers vas Bristol. l confess that I
found him something of a bore, and
was glad TO exchange commonplaces
with my other neighbor. The landlord
himself kept his seat before the long
table, smoking his long pipe with the
peace of q man whose business is end
ed for the day, and now and then dis
charging a glance in my direction. He
was, I discovered. a Travelled man for
those parts, and had the reputation Of
a mart fellow. Indeed, he compared
well with the duller rustics who sur
rounded him. The placid air of the tap
room was in some ways little more di-
verting than the solitude Of my cham
Der, but that was DOT to pass. Pres
emily there came a great noise, fol-
lowed by a heavy tramp Of feet ap-
preaching from the outer bar, and in
strutted a tall young fellow, with his
hat upon one side, and a jaunty air of
one who knows his own worth and
despises his neighbors.
Come in" says the innkeeper, very
friendly, but with q certain air of con-
straint. Plenty Of room, MI. Mont
gomerC. sir. and a good evening to
you"
"Oh. hang your ceremonies says
the newcomer, but with no touch of i'll
humor, and give your best attention
to my order, Wendover..' And, clap
ping his hat more firmly on his head,
he raped loudly upon the table.
He crank the glass of whisky which
the barman served and then fell into a