The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1915-01-29
The farmers
Daughter
BY JOHN Y. HARMED


sachusetts coast, driving pair or
horses attached to wagon on which
carried my merchandise. l stopped
at a farmhouse at noontime and ex-
changed some kitchen utensils for
dinner. The farmers wife did the
cooking and his daughter waited on
the table. Another stranger besides
myself partook of the meal-a short,
thickset man with bushy beard.
We peddlers are usually gifted with
good deal of talk, which we find es-
sential m selling our goods. l ratified
on at the farmer, and, he appearing to
be taciturn. l let fly at the stranger,
who sat opposite me. asking where he
had come from, where he was going,
what business he followed and other
questions usually attributed to the curl
GUS New Englanders. But this idiosyn-
Grassy was assumed, having been born
and bred in Maryland. The truth is
| began by asking him which way he
was going, thinking that IL his direc-
ton and mine were the same l would
give him lift for company's sake. He
seemed to be averse to telling me
Of his movements, and l noticed that
his reluctance interested the farmers
daughter. who at the time was stand
ing behind him. On her account l pur-
sued my questions till the man abrupt
ly arose and left the table. A few
minutes after this, looking through a
window, l saw him riding on horse
back the same way l intended to go.
Having finished my dinner and turn
ed over in payment to the farmers
wife a dashboard and a dozen tin pie
plates, got into my wagon and drove
on. About half hour after starting
heard the sound of horses hoofs be-
hind me and, looking back, saw the
farmers daughter coming. She was
so intent on her own thoughts as she
passed me that she was not conscious
that had dined at her home. Her gait
being faster than mine, l, jogging along
behind a pair Of horses drawing a
heavy load, was soon left in her rear
AS | drove on l was thinking about
the man l had questioned and the girls
interest In his answers, or want Of
answers, and wondered If her coming
had anything to do with him. The
anxious look on her face both in the
farmhouse and on the road caused me
to think that he might be bent on
something she wished he wouldn't do.
saw nothing more Of either of them
during the afternoon. stopped at
several houses, plying my trade, and
about dark, reaching point where the
road passed within hundred feet Of
the ocean, | came upon house In
which thought would ask for lodg-
ing during the night But, unfortu-
nately, / found it closed. was about
to drive on when 1t occurred to me
to see IL could effect an entrance
to the barn. pulled out rusty sta
pie, thereby opening the barn door, and
driving my team in. unhitched the
horses. fed them and went to the
house.
had no more difficulty in getting
into the house than the barn.
was awakened In the middle OF
the night by shot listened and
heard another and another. the sec.
ond and third seeming to come from
directly above me. Then there was
another from the outside. Next !
heard the sound Of a pair of heavy
boots, followed by pair of light ones,
rapidly descending staircase from
the second floor and continuing down
into the cellar. Soon after this the
front door of the house was smashed
In. and several men rushed into the
room where lay and flashed bulls
eye on my face.
by thunderT' exclaimed one of
them. IF 1t isn't that COMPOUNDED
Yankee peddler"
recognized the voice of the man
had questioned so closely at dinner
the previous day.
"Are you one of the gang?" he
asked.
w nat SuuS'
He told me that smuggling had been
going on at some point near where we
were. and they had located 1t in the
house we were in. told him how
happened to be there. and he believed
me. Then he explained to me that my
questions had annoyed him because
he wished to keep the object of his
presence in the neighborhood a secret
Then 1t occurred to me that the farm
er's daughter was interested In the
smugglers, had suspected the mans err
rand and had ridden on to warn them.
hurriedly told him Of my having
heard footsteps going downstairs, and
the party rushed to the cellar expect
ing to find her quarry.
We found lot of goods, but no liv-
Ing person. Opening door, we stood
in a tunnel which we followed and
came to a recess in the rocks on the
shore. Hearing the sound Of ears, we
knew that the smugglers had escaped.
I,said nothing Of my suspicion Of the
farmers daughter, since had no wish
to implicate her. The next time |
went her way stopped and told her
| - L., ho