He'd kept me
awake a good deal, for father suffered constant in his last sickness,
and though I was done out, I still had the habit of wakin' regular at
his medicine-hours. The time was along in the fall, and there was a
high wind that night. Fair time, too, so there was more travel on the
'pike of people comin' and goin' to the Fair and from it, in one day,
than in a whole week ordinary times.
[Illustration: THE TOLL-WOMAN.]
"I opened my eyes just as the clock struck two and seemed like I
heard something at the front door. I listened and listened. It wasn't
the wind singin' along the telegraph wires as it does when there's a
strong draught east and west. And it wasn't anybody tryin' to wake me
up. Some of our farmers that buys stock and has to be out early and
late in a droviete way, often tells me beforehand what time o' night
they'll be likely to come by, and I set the pole so it'll be easy for
them that knows how to tip up. Then they put their money in the box,
and tip the pole back after they drive through, to save wakin' me,
for the neighbors are real accommodating and they knew father took a
heap of care. But the noise I heard wasn't anybody droppin' coppers
in the box, nor raisin' or lowerin' the pole.
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