Stljc imcs, Nut) Blaomfteft, JJa.
An Odd Man.
fcfcT) EALLY, I fear not J tbia ( quito
X V an out-of-tho-way place. The dri
ver can toll you better than I can, but I
know the neighborhood pretty well, and
think you would have to send back to the
Bwan at B for horses."
" It is very unfortunate, and it is pant
nine already ; what is the nearest placo, sir,
where I could got decent accommodation
for the night ?"
" Why, the nearest place," said Harry
hesitatingly, " is the ' Crown and Thistle,'
about tli rco miles off, but I can't say much
for the accommodation, Wo-ho," one of
the horses, tired at butt of standing in the
drizzling rain, was showing symptoms of
an immediata return to his stable The
stranger merely gave vent to a dissatisfied
" Humph I" and they stood silently await
ing the approach of a light along the road,
which betokened Joe's return with assist
ance. The coach was soon righted, and
set up against the side of a bank ; and Mr.
Haines, having given chargo to one of his
aids-extraordinary to keep watch by it till
dawn with a light, both to prevent acci
dents and abstraction of the luggage, an
nounced his intention of returning with the
horses to B , offering his inside passen
ger the choice of a ride back, or taking a
nap in the coach till morning. " Ton
won't be long getting homo, Mr. Bolton,
anyhow," and the pronoun was empha
sized, to show that even this sympathy was
little extended to his fellow-traveler. .
"No, Joe, I must say you have been
pretty considerate ; as you were to break
down, you could hardly have arranged it
more handily for me. Just look me out
my little carpot bag, and I suppose you'll
expect an extra shilling for your perform
ance to-night, eh ?"
Joe gave a hoarse laugh, and proceeded
to rummage the boot ; and Harry took ad
vantage of the opportunity to whisper a
few inquiries about his fellow-passenger.
" Well, I'm pretty sure, sir, it's a Dr.
Bates, as preached at the opening on Tues
day. There was two or three black-coats
came with him to the yard afore we start
ed ; he's quite a top-sawyer among 'em, and
can hold on for two hours good, best pace,
they tell me. He's giv' out to preach over
at 8 to-morrow morning. I see'd the
printed bills stuck all over town to-day."
To-morrow waa Sunday ; and Bolton
thought of a certain manuscript, not quite
finished, lying in bis desk at homo. He
glanced again at the Btranger, and possibly
' in the orthodoxy of his hoait, did not feel
particularly grieved at the disappointment
probably in store for the itching ears of the
8 non-conformists.
" Well, good-night, Haines," said ho
But seeing his lato companion still stand
ing in the road, looking rather helpless,
and hesitating to leave him to the tender
mercies of the coachman, "I am walking
in the direction of the village inn," he con
tinued, "and if I can show you the way, I
shall be very glad to do so. I dure Bay I
can also una some one to letch, your
luggage."
"Thank you, sir," said the other. "I
cannot do better than follow your exam
pie ;" and he at once selected and shoul
dered, with some activity for a man obvi
ously on the wrong Bido of forty, a carpet
bag of more cumbersome dimensions than
Bolton's ; and they strode down the rood
together, nearly in darkness, and with the
rain still falling.
They bad nearly reached the curato's
humble cottage, without much further con-
' vernation, when the stranger repeated his
inquiries as to the distance to the inn, and
the probability of bia obtaining there any
- tolerable accommodation. " A clean bed,"
he said, " would content him ; was he like
ly to find one ?"
' A struggle had been going on, from the
time they left the coach, between Harry
Bolton's good-nature and what be thought
bis due dignity. Every word hi fellow
passenger bad uttered had convinced him,
more and more, that be was a man of edu
cation and good sense, to say the least ; a
totally different being from the the class of
wbom Jabez Green, ' who expounded at
Mount Pisgah in his own parish on Bun-
days, and did a little shoemaklng and
poaching on week-days, formed a specimen
ever before bis eyes ; and if it bad not
seemed a ludicrous misapplication of bospl
tality to have entertained the great gun of
' schism within the lares of "pertona teclt
$ia," be would long ago have offered the
very respectable and mild-mannered gentle
man, dropped by an unlucky accident al
most at his very door, at least a good fire
and a pair of clean sheets for the night.
' Bleep at the Crown and Thistle 1 why, oil
consideration, it was scarcely creditable to
himself to send him there. ' The landlord
was one of the most disreputable fellows In
the parish,and by ten o'clock on a Saturday
night, was usually so' drunk as to be more
likely to refuse a guest any accommodation
at all, than to iake any extra pains for him.
And the dirt, and the noise, and the etcet
eras I No, Dr. Bates bad better have stuck
to the inside of the coaou than to bav
tried the Crown and Thistle. But where
was be to go? There was a good spare
bedroom, no doubt, at Barby farm, within
half a mile ; but it bad not been occupied
siuce Harry slept in it himself on bis first
arrival in the parish, and then it took a
weok's notice to movo the piles of wool and
cheese, and have it duly aired. The stran
ger coughed. Harry grew desperate and
spoke out.
" We are close to my little place now.slr.
I think I can offer yon what you will hard
ly find at the inn a clean room and a well
aired bed ; and it seems a mere act of
common civility to beg you to accept it."
With many thanks, but with the natural
politeness and case with which a, gentle
man receives from atiuthcf the courtesy
which bo is always ready to offer himself,
tlio hospitable invitation was at ouce freely
accepted ; and in five minutes they had
passed tho little gate, and wore awaiting
the opening of the door.
This service was performed by the whole
available force of Harry's establishment.
One nctive little elderly woman, who was
there on resident and permanent duty,in all
capacities, assisted on this occasion by
Samuel Shears, parish clerk, sexton, bar
ber, bird-fancier, fishing-tackle maker, etc.,
etc., and acting gardener, Talct, butler
nnd footman, when required, to the rev
erend the curate. Loud was the welcome
be received from both. " Had he walked
through all the rain, surely I The coach
was very late then ; they'd most given him
up ; no, Sam hadn't, 'cause of sorvice to
morrow," when their volubility was somo
what checked by the sight of his compan
ion ; and the old lady's face underwent no
very favorable change when informed sho
must prepare a second bed, ' 1
" Walk in, pray, and warm yoursolf
that room Sam, take these bags." And
Harry stepped asido into the kitchen, to
negotiate with bis housekeeper for the
stranger's accommodation; a matter not to
be effected bhtj, by some little tact ; for
Molly, like servants of higher pretensions,
did not like being put out of her way, by
people " coming tram pin'," as she said, at
all hours of the night ; and if Bolton had
replied to her cIoro inquiries as to who and
whence the new guest was, with the
statement that be was a stray Methodist
preacher, it is probable that Molly, who
had lived with clergymen since she was a
child, and would sooner havo missed her
dinner than " her church," would have re
signed her keys of oilice at once iu high
disgust.
" The gentleman will sleep in my room
of course, Molly, and I shall have my
things put into the other ; anything will
do for supper bread aud cheese, Molly,
quite well toast a little, will you? Poor
man, he seems to have a cough."
" Toasted cheese ain't good for a cough."
" No ; to be sure. Well, you can fry a
little bacou and a few eggs, you know."
" There ain't no eggs. I don't know
what's conio to tho 'eus ; they behaves 'or
rid, they does."
" Well, anything, anything, Molly. I am
very tired, and I don't care what it it ; we
shall both be very glad to got to bed."
" Lor, I daro say you be tired, sir," said
Molly, somewhat pacified. " You've had a
very wet ride, to be sure ; lawk-a-me, why
this coat might be a-wriDged out. And
she hastened to relieve her master of bis
outer wrappings, and supply him with a
warm dressing-gown and slippers, in which
bo soon joined his guest in tho little parlor;
and having introduced him to the room be
was to occupy for the night, left him also
to make himself comfortable.
If Harry Bolton did not repent of bis
hospitality, which would havo been very
unlike him, yet, upon consideration, bo
certainly felt he was acting the good Sa
maritan somewhat more literally than he
ever expected to do.
" What on earth shall I do with him to
morrow, I should like to know ?" was the
first question that suggested itself much
more readily than did the answer. Ho
could not be expected to go to church, per
haps ; but would he stay quietly at home?
or walk off to assist the very reverend Ja
bez at Mount Pisgah ? As to his keeping
his appointment at S , that at least was
out of the question ; and, ' after all, there
seemed to be so much good sense aud feel
ing of propriety about the traveler, that it
was most probable at least Harry thought
so that he would not in ' any way offend
against the rules of the household which
he had entered under such circumstances.
So the curate brushed the clinging rain
from his hair, and the cloud from his brow,
with ' one and the same motion, aud re
lapsed Into his usual state of good-humor.
Supper came in, and he and bis guest sat
down opposite to each other, and prepared
to discuss old Molly's simple cookery.
Really, now that one could look at him
well, the man was very presentable in per
son as well as in manner. Harry said
grace in a very few words, and the other's
" amen" was audible and unexception
able ; reverent, and not nasal. ' He had a
capital appetite ; it was said to be charac
teristic of his calling, but in that point
Harry fully kept pace with him ; and the
conversation was not, for the present, a
very lively one. Sum came in at last to
take away. m''J l"
" Sam," said the dilute, In a balf-aside,
"is there a bottle of port? here's' the
key." ...1 !
" La 1 sir, you bid me take it down to
Id Nan, you know ; and it wor the last
bottle, I tell'd you then." 1 ,.
"Ha 1 so I did so I did. Did she like it
Bam?" , i . ! i ' . ,1 ,
" Like it ?" said Sam, opening his eyes,
"I warrant her I"
Well, Sam, I hope it did her ( good ;
never mind. You must fare as I do, I am
afraid," said he to the other. "Bring out
tho whiskey-Jar, Sam."
Bolton mixed himself a gloss without
further preface or apology ; and his neigh
bor, with the remark that it could not be
much amiss after a Wetting, very moder
ately followed lift example.
"And now," said Bolton, rummaging in
a little cupboard behind him, " I hope you
don't dislike the smell of tobacco. I'm
rather too fond of it myself. My weakness
is a pipe ; I could find you a cigar, perhaps,
if you are ever "
" Thank you, I never do smoke ; but
pray do not. mind mo. I was at a German
university for a year and a half, and that is
a pretty fair apprenticeship to cloud
raising." )
Took a doctor's degree thero, no doubt,
thought Harry ; but it served excellently as
an opening for general conversation ; and
two pipos had been consumed, and Molly
had twice informed the gentlemen that the
beds were all ready, , aud that Sam was
waiting to know if there were any orders
for to-morrow, before Harry remembered
that he had a sermon still to finish, and
that it was verging upon Sunday morning
so intelligent and agreeable had been the
discourse of the stranger,
"If you please, sir," said the clerk, put
ting bis head in at the door, " the rain is
a-coming down like nothing, and that great
hole over the pulpit ben't mended yet.
Master Brooks promised mo it should be
done afore to-night ; but he's never seen to
it."
" That Brooks is the very but, there, it
can't be helped to-night, Sam, at all
events," said Bolton, rather ashamed that
the defects of his parochial administration
should be exposed, as it were, to the ene
my. " I must speak to him about it my
self." " I clapped a couple of sods over it as
well as I could, sir," said the persevering
Sam ; " nnd I don't think much wet can
come in to hurt, like. Will this gcntloman
'llciate to-morrow ?" (this was said in a
loud confidential whisper) '"cause the
t'other Burplico ain't "
' " Don't bother now there's a good fel
low," said Harry, considerably anuoyod, as
he shut the door in the face of bis oston
lulled subordinate, wbo was generally priv
ileged to gossip as much as he pleased. He
covered his embarrassment by showing his
visitor at once to his room, and then sat
down to complete his own preparations for
the next day's duties.
The rain was as busily falliug in the
morning as if it had only just begun,!nstead
of having been at it all night. . Harry had
been more than usually scrupulous in his
dress ; but when they met at the breakfast
table, his guest's clerical tout entemble beat
him hollow. After a rather silent meal, in
which both, as if by tacit consent, avoided
all allusions to subjects conneoted with the
day and its duties, Bolton mustered his
courage, as they rose from the table, to say,
"My service is at eleven, and I shall have
rather a wet walk ; you, perhaps, are not
disposed to accompany me ?"
"By all means," said the stranger, bow
ing. " I am quite ready ; is it time to set
out?" And in a few minutes they were
picking their way, side by side, down tho
little miry lane. ., . :
The church, it must bo confessed, was
not a comely edifice. Its architectural pre
tensions must originally have been of the
humblest order ; and now, damp and dilap
idated, it was one of the many which in
those days were a disgrace' to any Chris
tian community. There was the hole iu
the roof, immediately over the curate's
head, imperfectly stopped by Sara's extem
pore repairs ; and very wretched and com
fortless did the few who composed the
congregation look, as they came dripping
in, and disposed themselves among the
crumbling pew. The service proceeded,
and none showed such reverent attention
as the stranger ; and being placed in the
rectorial pew, immediately .opposite the
clerk, the distinct though subdued tone of
bia responses was so audible, and so dis
turbed that functionary (wbo bad that part
of , the service usually pretty much to him
self, and bad come to consider it as in some
sort bis exclusive privilege), that he made
tome terrible blunders in the bard verses
in the Psalms, aud occasionally , looked
round upon his rival, on these latter oc
casions especially, with unmistakable in
dignation. , The service concluded,. Bolton found his
guest awaiting him iu the porch ; aud sonio
ten minutes' sharp walking, with few re
marks, except iu admiration of the perti
nacity of the rain, brought them homo
again to" tho cottage. A plain early dinner
was discussed ; there was no afternoon ser
vice ; and the curate had juat stepped into
bia kitchen to listen to some petition from
a parishioner, when the stranger took the
opportunity of retiring to bis own apart
ment, and did not re-appear again uutil
summoned to tea. 1 . - ! . . , !
: Bolton's visit to the kitchen had inter
rupted a most animated debate. I u that
lower bouso of bis little commonwealth the
new arrival bad been a fruitful , toplo of
discussion. The speakers were three Mol
ly, Sum and Binns the wheelwright, who
had looked in, aB ho said, ou a little busi
ness with the parson. Molly, as has been
said, was a rigid churchworaau. Her no
tions of hor duty in that capacity might not
have been' unexceptionable, but they Were,
so far as the Sunday weiit, as follows:
Church iu the morning and afternoon if
practicable ; as much reading as bereyes
not quite what they used to ' be could
comfortably manage ; pudding for dinner,
and tea and gossip in the evening. If fine,
a walk would have come among the day's
arrangements ; but with the rain coming
down as it did, and after having rather
puzzled herself with a sermon upon the
origin of ovil, tho sudden, and in a degree
mysterious, visit of a strange gentleman
when visitors of any kind were so rare
benamo invaluable as a topio of interesting
for aught wo know, of profitable dis
course. Sam Shears dined with ber always
on this day, and was allowed, not without
scruples, to have his pipe in the chimney
corner ; in consideration of which indul
gence, he felt it his duty to make himself
as agreeable as possible ; and inasmuch as
his stock-stories respecting enormous perch
caught, or gifted starlings educated by him
Samuel Shears, had long ceased, to interest
indeed had never much interested his
fair listener here, though they still ' went
down, with variations, at the Crown and
Thistlo, ho was reduced very often, in tho
absence of anything of modern interest
stirring in the neighboring town of S- ,
to keep up his credit as (a rare good
companion," by entering into politics for
which study, next to divinity, Molly had a
decided taste talking about reforms and
revolutions in a manner that Molly de
clared made ber "creep," and varying this
pleasurable excitement by gloomy ibrbod
ings with regard to " Rooshia and Proo
shia." On this particular evening, however, the
subject of debate was of o domestic nature,
and Molly and the clerk bad taken oppo
site sides ; Binns arriving opportunely to bo
appealed to by both, and being a man of
few words, who shook his head with great
gravity, and usually gave a nod of encour
agement to the last Bpcaker. Molly, after
herrirst indignation at tho intrusion of a
wet stranger, without notice, at ten o'clock
of a Saturday night, had been so softened
by the courteous address nnd bearing of tho
enemy, that she bad gradually admitted
him nt least to a neutrality ; and when Sam
Shears had in confidence hinted that he
"hadn't quito made up bis mind about un"
her woman's kindness of heart, or her
spirit of contradiction, rushed forth as to
the rescue of a friend. -
"I wonder at you, Sam," said Bhe ;
"you've had heddication enough to know
a gcntloman when you sees him ; and
you'd ought to have more respect for tho
cloth."
" Cloth I There now," replied Sain,
" that's just it ; I ain't so sure about his
cloth, as you call it."
"Why, what ever do you moan, Sam
Shears?"
"I mean," rejoined Sam, boldly, though
he felt that Molly's fiercest glance was
upon him, and almost choked himself in
the endeavor to hide himself in a cloud of
his own creating, "I don't think he's a
regular parson. If he had been, you sec,
he'd have took some of the duty. Besides,"
continued tho official, reassured by Biuns's
respectful attention, " We had a littlo talk
while we was a-waiting for master after
church I offered him a humberclla, you
see and I just asked whereabouts his
church was, and he looked queerish at me,
and said he hadn't no church, not exactly ;
and then I begged his pardon, and said I
thought he was a clergyman ; and he said,
so be was, but somehow ho seemed to put
me off, as it might be." Binns nodded.
"To bo sure," said Molly ; nnd 'twits
like your manners, Sam, to go questioning
of him in that way," , '
" Bless you, I was as civil as I could be ;
however, I say again, I . 'as my doubts;
he'd a quakerisk-looking coat too, such as
I never see'd on a regular college parson.
He's tho very moral of a new Irvingite
preacher." ,
, " And what's their doctrines, Sam ?"
asked Molly, whose theological curiosity
was irresistibly excited. 1 . , .,
"Why," said the clerk, after a puff or
two to collect his thoughts, " "they belioves
in transmigration." ' '
' Binns made a gesture of awe and adjur
ation. " ' ' -."
Stuff?" said Molly, "that's popery; nor
you don't suppose, Sam, that master would
have anybody of that sort in his house
eh, Mr. Binus?" :
The benefit of . that goutlouiau's opinion
was lost to both parties, for it was at that
juncture " master" himself entered, and
having discussed his communication, which
related to a sick wife, bid him call again in
the morning, and the wheelwright took his
leave. ,
"And now, Shears," said the curate,
"(don't put your pipe behind you, man;
do you suppose I have not smelt it this
half hour I wish you would buy better
tobacco) you must be off to 8 to
morrow at daylight, and order a chaise to
be here, for this gentleman, by nine o'clock
at the latest.' Do you understand, now ?"
, "Yes sir, yes. I'U, be sure to go.,- And
what name shall. I suy,, sir?" , Concluded
next week. , . , t
Newport Advertisements.
TSwSTORE ROOM.
NEW FIRMI
NEW GOODS I
E. B. WISE,
Having opened a New Rtore at the corner of
Fourth Ik Cherry Streets. Just above the I'enn'a
B. B. depot, In Newport, are now prepared to
allow a
Complete Stock of New. Goods,
Consisting In part of
DKY GOODS,
GROCERIES,
BOOTS & SHOES,
HATS & CAPS,
- NOTIONS,
and a general assortment of all kinds of goods
which they will sell
AS CHEAP AS THE CHEAPEST.
Theya.sk the eltlwns of Newport and vicinity
to call and examine their stock and see that they
are ottering goods at such prices as will secure
hare ot the public patronage.
13. JB. AVISE,
WALNUT BTKEET,
35 tf Neivport, Pa.
Do You Want Bargains ?
IF SO, CALL ON
W. H. MUSSER,
At Newport, Penn'a.
0
Having Just returned from the City with a
SPLENDID STOCK
OF
IDIfcY - sOOOOS,
II O C 12 It I 12 S ,
KUV NOTIONS,
I am prepared to ofier to the citizens of Perry
County one of the BEST ASSORT MEN TS ot
GOODS ever brougnt Into this vicinity. My
Stock of
DRESS -GOODS,
DRESS-TRIMMINGS,
AND NOTIONS,
Is complete, and were bought at I" ANIC PRICES,
and will be sold at SHORT i'ROFITS, for Cash.
Call and see for yourself.
W. H. MUSSER,
CENTRE SQUARE,
43 tf NEWl'OHT, PA.
Drugs ! Drugs !
THE Subscriber bason hand and for sale, at
low prices, a complete assortmentof
DRUGS, MEDICINES
AND CHEMICALS,
Of all kinds. Also, a full stock of
Concentrated Remedies,
PATENT MEDICINES, ,i-
r ESSENTIAL OILS ' '
PERFUMERY,
HAIR OILS,
BRUSHES, 1
AND FANCY ARTICLES.
Pure Wines
. ' AND " '' ' ' ' !
LIQUORS,
Always ou band, for Medicinal and Sacramen
tal purposes.
ttBfl'hytiviavi' Ortlr.rt carefully and
promptly jilfni.
B. M. EBY,
. .'' i ' ; n ' n ' 1 . '
NKWPOBT. FERRY COUNTY, PA.
Xeiv Millinery Goods
At. INcwpoi-t, lu.
I REG to Inform the public that I havs Jiistre
lurned from i'hlladelphia, with a iul assort
Lieut ol the latest sty lei of
MILLINERY GOODS,
, IIAT8 AND BONNETS.
KIHHONS, FRENCH FL0WEB8
FEATHERS,
CHIGNONS,
LACK CAPES. 1
flOTIONB, ,
And all articles usually found III a flrst-cla Mil
linery Kslabllnhinent. All orders promptly at.
tended to. -We V'lll sell all goods as Cheap as
bhu be got elsewhere. , , , , 1 ...
DliKSS-MA KING done to order and In tho la
test style, as I get the latest Fashions from New
York every mtinth. Gollerlng done to order, In
all widths. I will wan un tall my work to give sat
isfaction.' All work done at low as possible.
. . i . ANNIE 1CKKS,. ' -' I
,. 1 , cherry Street, near the Station, (
61613: . Newport,, Pa.