A Night's Lodging
A young man, tired from his journey, seeks shelter for the night at an inn. The innkeeper, suspicious of the traveler's intentions, questions him about his destination and purpose. The traveler, weary and honest, reveals his desire to escape the monotony of his daily life and find meaning in his journey. The innkeeper, moved by the traveler's sincerity, offers him a place to stay for the night.
By Arthur Willis Colton · First published 1920 · Genre: Historical Fiction, Drama, Romance · 7,248 words
First lines
FATHER WILISTON was a retired clergyman, so distinguished from his son Timothy, whose house stood on the ridge north of the old village of Win-throp, and whose daily path lay between his house and the new growing settlement around the valley station. It occurred at odd times to Father Wiliston that Timothy's path was somewhat undeviating. The clergyman had walked widely since Win-throp was first left behind fifty-five years back, at a time when the town was smaller and cows cropped the Green but never a lawn mower.
What this Textopian page supports
A Night's Lodging is listed on Textopian as a short story by Arthur Willis Colton, dated 1920 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Arthur Willis Colton
- Date: 1920 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Historical Fiction, Drama, Romance, Tragedy, Adventure
- Length: 7,248 words
- Structure: 1 section, 133 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for A Night's Lodging by Arthur Willis Colton
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering A Night's Lodging?
- How does this short story by Arthur Willis Colton fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Historical Fiction first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Historical Fiction — The book is set in historical settings of early modern era in New England and contains fictional characters and events based on that era.
- Drama — The book explores the various emotional struggles and life changing decisions of its characters resulting to dramatic narratives.
- Romance — Some plot threads include romantic relationships between characters.
- Tragedy — Certain portions of the plot carry tragic events that lead to emotional distress for the characters.
Tags
mystery · thriller · detective · crime · suspense · intrigue · murder · investigation · clue · red herring · sleuth · detective work