Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1909-11-11
The Robber' S
Head

ladies and shrews filled the common
room to overlooking. The noise was
deafening.
Fatigued with my long ride, l
called the landlord and demanded
to be shown room. He looked at
me for a moment and then babe the
servant lass light me to the chamber
whose name sounded like "the room
of careless ease"
What" l thought to myself, as /
followed the girl, "can it be possible
that Frederick the Great has ever
slept in this tavern and occupied the
room in which l am to sleep?"
tried to question the serving girl,
but she was as stupid as she was fat
and, having shown me my door,
was glad to get rid of her.
The room was small, but clean, and
fairy comfortably furnished. One de-
tail, however, disturbed me. l could
not shut the door, either from the
outside or within the chamber.
But I was young and careless, and
after an instant's vexation I dis
missed all thought of the door from
my mind. In very short time I was
asleep.
1t must have been about an hour
later that I awoke, hearing a tre-
mendous racket at my very door.
Suddenly man burst into the room.
He was solid looking fellow of 80
years or less, with a flaming red wig
and mischievous, devil-may-care
countenance. In one hand he carried
red-stained bag, which he threw
into corner of the room, and after
placing lighted candle on the table
he set to work collecting all the
chairs in the room
What are you doing?" I STAN
mered, much taken aback.
Making my bed, of course" said
the man in a hoarse voice. I'm go
ing to sleep on these chairs; you
wouldn't turn a fellow out of doors
on night like this, would you?"
well, you must admit you are a
trif1e unexpected in your mode of en-
tering my room" i began, but he in
terrupted me.
Unexpected or not, it's the only
shelter for me tonight They won't
take me in anywhere else, knowing
who am"
who you are" repeatedly, stupid
ly, II do not understand. Would it
be too much to ask you
"My business? Oh, certainly not!
1t doesn't trouble me at all. Only
there are people who prefer not to be
in my society, as if the man and not
his business was what counted!"
/ looked at my undesired visitor in
horror. Then you are"
Apprentice to the city executioner,
at your service-but, of course, only
at your own desire!" he added with
a wicked grin. There is the head
now of desperate robber that my
| master and I dispatched four days
ago." and the monster pointed to the
bag lying in a corner of the room.
"Merciful saints" I cried, scramb-
| ling out of bed. "How horrible!" I
began to put on my clothes in the
| widest hurry.
Would you like to see it?" asked
the red-haired man.
II should like to see tat the
| devil!-and you, tool" replied,
warmly, tearing down the stairs with
out stopping to count the steps.
took refuge in the kitchen, where,
following the example of the execu-
toners apprentice, made bed of
some chairs and spent the worst
night in the world
The next morning I went in anger
to the landlord. At the first words
of my story, however, he began to
laugh, in spite Of his attempts to re-
| main sober Naturally this made me
even more furious than before.
At last he recovered sufficiently to
say alphabetically:
"Oh. my lord, do not be angry, it
was all the fault of Mr.. Eze, the wine
merchant from Amiens He always
has the room in which you were to
sleep last night OF course, when he
came, my wife and / told him that
1 the room was occupied
Don't bother about that" was his
reply. Then he went to the cupboard
and took out a roasted sleeps head
which he threw into bag. He didn't
tell us what he was going to do with
it, but as he always pays well, we
never said word. This morning he
told us the story and, indeed, your
lordship, we could not help but laugh.
But look, here he comes now"
The red-headed fellow was indeed
approaching us.
"Poltroon!" I cried again. 'I de-
mand reparation for the insult you
/ put upon mel"
THAT is only fair" answered the
executioner's apprentice. 81 am en-
tirely at your service; as l believe 1
said last night"
"A truce to your pleasantries, which
4 are not funny" I reioined Come,
let up fight like gentlemen; that is, if
4 you are able" said with what was
meant to be whitening sarcasm.
4 ] spoke more truly than I knew.
i w fought that very day. was
S. y wounded in the arm by the
Fl q evaa114ionor,c ,,,,-,.,.4.