Year: 1871

night to fill the soul with fright; the thunder
pealed, the lightning flashed, the wild beasts
sauealed and the elements clashed, while the
rain from above in torrents dashed, When a
poor preacher Of the gospel wended his way
through the dismal iutricacies Of western
forest many years ago.


The poor man felt anything but comfortable
for he was wet through to the skin, and al
most tired to death. He bad been tramping
about since morning, besides he had lost his
way so that the reader can imagine what state
of mind he was in, and also appreciate the sud
den transition from despair to hope which ne
experienced on seeing the glimmer OF light
ahead. He quickened his tagging footsteps
and soon came up to the light, which issued
from the only window OF solitary log caoin
in the forest.


Remembering the scriptural injunction
"knock and it shall be opened unto you, he
did so; but without meeting with any re-
sponse. He raped again, louder than before,
and this time gruff female voice asked:


"Who's there ?"


"ItsI." was the indefinite reply Of our
rainsoaked parson.


"Well, who are you and what do you want 2"
asked the voice gruffer than before.


"A poor, benighted preacher of the gospel
who has lost his way, and who wishes to stay
here tonight" answered the parson, in dolor-
Gus voice.


"well, stay there-I don't see what's to
hinder you"


"But | am almost starved, and will pay
you literally for some supper" he responded
chsttering with cold and not in the least ap-
precia;Ing the joke.


The words " literally pay" acted like open
sesame, and after few moments OF delay,
caused by the unfastiug OF the door, 1t was
opened and our pastor entered.


He found himself in rough apartment with
large fire. place at one end, on which great
log FIRE was blazing; a rough deal table and
three chairs, besides box filled with dry fax,
comprised its furniture.


But all minor deficiencies seemed to be
made up by the lady Of the house, for she was
fully six feet in height and weighed nigh unto
three hundred pounds.


After having placed some food on the table
she turned to the parson, who stood shivering
before the fire, making futile efforts to dry
himself by alternately turning one side, and
then the other TO the fire.


"Now want you to eat this grub as quick
as you know how, and then tramp, for it's per-
fectly impossible for me to keep you here over
nightp


"But my good woman" said the parson,
anxiously, al shall perish in this inclement
weather; have been wandering in this fear
full storm since morning, and if you will have
any compassion or pity at all you will try and
give me some place where can be sheltered
l. To- kba n;ohf " and ha oHereI
her five dollar bill.


"Well," said the woman, avariciously
clutching the money "if you think you can
stay in the garret, may be you can stay; but
hurry up for expect my husband home ev-
cry minute, and it's as much as your life is
worth if he should find you here, for he's very
devil incarnate, and would think no more Of
numbering you than he would Of shooting a
grizzly"


The woman produced short ladder as she
spoke and babe the parson get up in the gar
ret


There was a small " drop" or trap door in
the ceiling, which raised Of it's own accord on
the parsons head pressing it upward, and not
without some difficulty he managed to squeeze
himself through the aperture.


After he was up, the woman told him to
shut the trap and not to make any noise for
his life, and then taking the ladder away, the
parson was left TO his own reflections.


Wet and uncomfortable as he was, his
fatigue was such that he had almost fallen
asleep, when he was disturbed by some ones
knocking at the door.


Being somewhat curious TO know what kind
of looking man bis unknown host was, he
arose and peered through small crack in the
floor into the room beneath.


He saw the woman open the door cautious
ly, and after admitting short, thick set man
in heavy cloak, lock it again.


From the mysterious actions and whisper
ings that ensued, our parson rightly conclud-
ed that the person who had just entered was
not the womans husband, but her paramour,
who had taken advantage Of the husbands abb
sence to pay the woman nocturnal visit.


After whispering together for while the
woman went to a cupboard and produced
bottle of whiskey aud plate of ham and
bread, which she set on the table and the twain
were soon engaged in loving repsst.


While the parson was watching the guilty
couple there csme laundering knock at the
door, which caused them both to jump to their
feet in the greatest CONSERVATION. Without
moments loss of time the woman ran TO the
box of fax and empted it upon the floor then
she bade the man, who was almost scared to
death, to get into the box, which he was only
too glad to do, and when he was in she rapid
ly covered him up with the fax. The wo-
man then ran to the door and unbolted it, all
the while rubbing her eyes as if just awaken
ed out Of her sleep.


"Why the devil don't you let feller stand
outside all night" exclaimed the new conner,
tall powerful, villainous looking man, clad
in a hunters gsrb, as he dealt her ringing
box on the ear.


+" l was asleep and didn't hear you before !"
whimpered the woman. "And don't for
Gods sake, curse so much, for there's Meth
odist minister up in the garret."


"Who cares for the Methodist minister Id
like to knows But III soon have him out Of
his hole? Here, you old canting hypocrite,
come out OF this and show yourself, or III
make you !" be exclaimed, with many impre-
cations, as he set the ladder before the trap
door.


The poor parson, almost dead with fright.