Year: 1861

ungoverabls, but craven in sharp lines oil


every feature, as if it were the sculptureC


countenance of condemned criminal
On one side of the fireplace sat a maj


with his legs up against the side of the
room, looking moodily into the fire, and
smoking a clay pipe, black; he did moi
raise his eyes once towards me. On the
other side sat dog on his hind legs, q
rough, nondescript looking animal, with
a sullen, yet honest stare in his eyes AZ
he surveyed me, growing low all the
while. The furnitare of the room was. Of
the rudest kind, consisting of a few chairs
and a table, ON which lay large jack
knife and piece of plug tobacco; one tai
low candle stood near by with 10
smoky wick.


took chair and sat down by the fire
and asked il they could give me supper
The woman arose, and without saying a
word, set ON the table from behind the
bar half eaten leg of ham, loaf ol
bread and Jug of milk, and then resum.
cd her seat in silence. My conductor sat
down near the fire, with his face half
turned away from me, and lighting pipe,
puffed away, likewise, in silence. My
nerves are none Of the most susceptible,
but by this time the gloom of the party
had thoroughly infected me, and my feel
ings were not to be enved, as | heartily
wished the morrow had come. The one
eyed man rose at last and went to the
bar.


"Well?" said the woman coldly.


"Brandy," was the reply.


"You've had enough already, she re-
torted bitterly.


"You lie," he answered with fierce
OATH


Tve got to stick the hog early in the
and l want some more


"You had rather stick the hog than kill
a chicken any day exclaimed the woman
passionately. 81 hate you, you brute


"You do, do your sneered he. "Give
me the bottle, or III break it over your
head


"Take it YOURSELF groaned she, leaving
the bar. Il wish you were dead, and me
too


The man took the bottle and drank a
long draught from it, casting at the same
time menacing look toward the woman,
and shaking his head at her threatening
Iy. The woman shuddered and covered
her face with her hands. / could not
stand it any longer, and abruptly asked
TO be shown to my chamber.


The man, taking up the candle, mo-
toned me to follow him, when the dog,
which had been quiet before, evinced
signs Of great uneasiness, and after try
ng to arrest my notice by series of hy
Drd noises, half way between a bark and
, whine, seized hold of my pan falcons and
leld me fast,


Course the dog muttered the man
with an awful oath, under his breath, and
adding, don't mind the cur he dealt the
poor animal such kick with his heavy
boots as sent him flying across the room
with a yelp Of pain.


Without further delay he conducted
ne up a narrow flight of stairs into a
room containing tolerably decent bed,
yash-stand, table, and couple of chairs.
Setting the candle down, he left the room
md went down stairs. No sooner had
the door closed behind him than l noise
essly bolted it, and placed all the avail
able furniture in tho room against it,
which operation considerably alleviated
the uneasness of my mind. AS | turned
the table to examine my pistols,
was startled at seeing, in cheap look
ng-glass which hung against the wall,
The reflection of the end Of my money
belt just visible between my waistcoat
md pantaloons. 1 commonly wore this
next my body, but on this morning | had
forgotten it until nearly
dressed and therefore strapped it around
me hastily, as had little time to spare.


/ recollected with no small disquietude
the opportunity Of observing this which
had bcen afforded by the dark lantern;
and the emigmatical remark of the wom-
m, and the diabolical look ofmy host and
The suspicious behavior of the dog, sim
REQUIRED to my mind, and
greatly to increase this dis
quietude. My first impulse was not to
90 to bed at all! but my second was to
apostrophize myself under the title Of
''infernal fool, and following the line Of
conduct implied, although hardly express
ed in the remark, took off my clothes
and plunged into bed.


The wild meanings of the wind kept
me listening for a while to their gusty
music, and encanoed the feeling of awe
which / strove in vain to Danish from my
brest. After an hour or two, however,
as everything seemed perfectly still, the
fatigue of my journey gained the mastery
of all anxiety, and fell into state akin
to sleep, but distinguished from it by my
retaining a consciousness Of where l was
and how was circumstanced. was
powerless to move or act, but | seemed
gifted with almost supernatural acuteness
of mental activity, by which l took cog
uizance of the least noise or disturbance.
In this abnormal condition / appeared to
remain tranquil long time, seeing and
hearing altogether Independently Of my
physical organs of sense, when l became
aware in my dream--for it was only an
unusual kind of dream-of scratching
noise just outside Of my chamber window,
which was near the head of the bed
This grew louder and louder, until burst