Smyrna times., 1911-04-05
Ny Midnight Peril

The night of the 1Tth of October,
18-, shall l ever forget it's pitchy
darkness, the roar of its autumnal
wind through the lonely forest, and
the incessant down pOur of rain?
"This comes of short CUTS"
muttered petulantly to myself, as l |
plodded along, keeping close to the
trunks of the trees to avoid the
ravine, through which l could hear
the turbulent stream, forty or fifty
feet below. My blood ran cold as
thought what might be the possible
consequence of misstep or move
in the wrong direction. Why had
| not been contented to keep in the
right road?
Hold on was that light, or are
my eyes playing me false? / stop
ped, holding on to the low resinous
boughs of hemlock that grew on the
edge of the bank, for it. actually
seemed that the wind would seize
me bodily and hurl me down the
precipitous descent.
1t was light-thank Providence
it was a light, and no ignis fac
tuus to lure me on to destruction
and death.
"Halloo %
My voice rang through the woods
like clarion. plugged on thro'
tangled vines, until. gradually near
ing, l could perceive a figure wrap
ped in an oil cloth cape, or cloak,
carrying a lantern. AS the dim
light fell upon his face 1 almost re-
c,iled. Would not solitude in the
woods be preferable to companion
ship of this withered old man? But
it was too late to recede now.
"What's wanting?" he snarled,
with a peculiar motion of his lips
that seemed to leave his yellow
teeth all bare.
81 am lost in the woods; car
you direct me to R-station?"
eyes, R station is twelve miles
from here"
"Twelve miles!'
= l stood aghast.
eyes"
"Can you tell me of any shelter
1 could obtain for the night?"
emo"
"Where are you going?"
"To Drew's down by the mapl,
swamp"
els it a tavern?"
TNo."
"Would they take me for tn
night? l could pay them WE'LL"
, His eyes CLEANED; the yellow
stumps stood revealed one more.
81 guess so; folks do stop ther
els it far from here?"
"Not very; about half a mile
'Then make haste and let u
IS reach it. l am drenched to tn
II skim
Re We plodded on, my companio
a more than keeping pace with me
lle Presently we left the edge of tn
IN ravine, entered what semed like
e; trackless woods, and kept straigh
4. on until the lights CLEANED fiitfull
I'd through the wet foliage.
II 1t was ruinous old place, wit
the windows all drawn to one sid,
as if the foundation had settled, ar
o. the pillars of rude porch nearl
er rotted away.
~ A woman answered my fello
by travellers knock. Ny companiC
r. whispered word or two to her ar
IL she turned to me with smooth, vo
uble words of welcome.
"Where is Isaac?" demanded n
he guide.
"He has not come in yet
| sat down on a wooden ben
beside the fire and ate few mout
IL. fuls of bread.
q 81 should like to retire as so
. as possible, said l, for my weal
ness was excessive.
/, Certainly. The woman start
Ns up with alacrity.
"Where are you going to P
hint" asked my guide.
"Up chamber. -
"Put him in Isaac's room.'
emo"
"It's the most comfortable. -
But interrupted the whisper
"a colloquy.
~ 81 am not PARTICULAR dol
e care where you lodge me, only ma
It haste."
v So was conducted up a ladc
,r that stood in the corner of the roo
into an apartment ceiled with 81,
= ing beams and ventilated by {
-, small window, where cot bedste,
crowded close against the hoard p
~, tition, and pine table with two
three chairs formed the sole attem
. at furniture.
The woman set the lamn-an