Chambers's Journal of Popular Literature, Science, and Art, No. 681: January 13, 1877Various
History
Chambers's Journal of Popular Literature, Science, and Art, No. 681: January 13, 1877
Various
Periodicals
Upon lapsing into silence, the men's faces naturally fell into their
ordinary expressions, and as my gaze now wandered from one to another,
a feeling of dislike and mistrust of the entire group seized upon me.
The feeling was one that I could not well account for, and for which
indeed I blamed myself severely. Nevertheless, far from diminishing
as the evening wore on, it increased to an almost painful degree; and
upon my mind suddenly reverting to the large sum of money carried by
my companion, I took an opportunity of anxiously whispering him to
beware of any allusion to it. The suggestion implied in this warning
appeared to startle the little minister; but his nature was eminently
trustful, and as I could see, a short cogitation ended in his mentally
condemning my suspicion as uncalled for. Shortly after it had been
uttered, however, he proposed, to my satisfaction, that we should go to
bed; whereupon the farmer (whose face and figure, though I knew I had
never seen him before this evening, seemed somehow familiar) slipped
from the room, and returning directly with a black bottle in his hand,
pressed us before retiring to rest to take a glass of spirits. Being
a teetotaler, I declined for myself the proffered hospitality. But
thinking, as he remarked, that it might prevent his taking cold from
the wetting he had sustained, Mr Morgan accepted a somewhat stiff
tumbler of whisky-punch. This, in order not to keep me waiting, he
drained almost at a draught; and our host then preceding us to an
upper story, pointed out the rooms in which we were to sleep. They
were situated at each end of a long passage; the first, which opened
at the head of a rather steep flight of stairs, being assigned to my
companion, and the farther one to myself. Upon following Mr Morgan
into his chamber for the purpose of bidding him good-night, I noticed
with astonishment that he staggered slightly in crossing the floor.
He complained too, as we shook hands, of feeling 'terribly sleepy;'
and smiling to myself at the rapidity with which the whisky-punch
was taking effect upon the little Welshman, I recommended him in an
under-tone to lock his door; and leaving him to his slumbers, betook
myself, under the farmer's guidance, to the apartment appointed for my
own occupation.
SOME UNCOMMON PETS.
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