The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware advertiser., 1826-11-23
TEE MYSTERIOUS GUESTS

They did not take up their quarters at the
hotel of M. Dessein, on which the author Of
the Sentimental Journey bestowed such ce-
lebrty, but went to an obsure inn, kept by
man of the name of Du Long. They de-
sired to have his best apartments, spent
great deal of money, relished the produce OF
his wretched kitchen, and thought Ills adul-
terated wine perfectly genuine. From day
to day Du Long supposed they would contin-
ue their journey, and proceed to the capi-
al;for that they had come merely to sec Calss
is, was an idea too absurd to enter any body's
head. But so tar from continuing their jour-
ney, and proceeding to the capital, they did
not even inspect what was worth seeing at
Calais, for except going out now and then
to shoot snipes, they kept close at home,
eating, drinking and doing nothing. They
may be SPIES thought the host, 'or runa-
ways or FOOLS No matter-what is that
to me? They pay honestly When he was
sitting ON an evening over pint. with his
neighbor and relation the grocer, they used
to rack their brains about the mysterious
guests They are SPIES said the grocer,
one of them squints with his left eye;' "A
man may squint without being spy re-
Joined the host. i should take them for
runaways, for they read all my newspapers,
probably for the sake of advertisements
His kinsman then assured him that English
men spend at least twelfth part of their
time in reading newspapers The conclu-
sion to which they generally came, was,
that as the said foreigners were apparently
neither spies nor runaways, they could not
possibly be any thing else than fools. Here
| the matter rested In this opinion Du Long
vas still more confirmed, when, at the end
of few weeks, one of his guests, an elderly
man, thus addressed him Landlord We like
yonr house, and if your will acquiesce in
certain whim, it is probable that we might
continue for a long time to spend our money
with you.' sYour honors have only to give
your commands; an inkeeper is, by profess
ion, the slave of all the whims that throng
to him from all the four quarters of the
globe .You have, to be sure, continued the
guest, had prodigiously large beast paint
ed on your sign, but your house is only fly
among inns, it scarcely contains three toler-
able rooms. and unfortunately they all look
| into the street. We are fond Of rest; we
want TO sleep. Your watchman has very
| loud voice, and the coaches roll the whole
night along the street, SO as to make the
windows rattle. We wake every quarter OF
an hour to curse them, and then fall to sleep
again, to be again awaked in another quar-
ter Of an hour. You must admit, my dear
|
health and exhaust our patience The host
shrugged his shoullres-'How can it be
hcpedf Very easily replied the stranger:
if YOU are not afraid of a little expense, in
which we will 60 halves without requiring
lit our departure the smallest compensation
! Du Long, whose barron field had, since the
arrival of the Englishmen, been daily fertil-
lied with shower of guineas, promised to
do all in his power to satisfy his guests, but
he could not help the rafting of the coach
es or the believing of the watchman.
Neither is it necessary answered the
stranger. Behind your house you have lit
lc garden, though you are no lover of gar
denng, for, except a little parsley for your
soups, | observe nothing in it but nettles.
| The old garden wall too, in spite of its thick
ness, is just ready to tumble. Suppose you
were to make use OF this space to run up
little building. sort of pleasure house, even
if it was to contain no more than couple Of
rooms. 1t might be supported by the old
wall, by which means considerable part of
the expense would be saved, and the wall,
itself would be propped up. AS just now
mentioned, for the sake of quiet lodging, we
would willingly defray one half Of the costs,
and when we are gone the building will be
yours; you will then have couple of con-
venicnt rooms to let. If on the other hand,
you object to our proposals, we must leave
you. The host, however, had not the least
objection. though he thought within himself
My kinsman and l were right enough in
concluding that these people were FOOLS
He Immediately sent for bricklayer; the
place was examined, and the Englishmen
described what they should like to have done.
Joists and bricks were quickly brought,
three light walls we're run up, and the old
garden wall formed the fourth, from which
sloped a half roof SO that the whole looked
more like wood-house, than habitation;
but the strangers were satisfied, and Do
E Long laughed in his sleeve.
Two months thus passed in mutual con-
tent, the golden spring flowed abupdantly,
though the vine grew worse and worse ev-
ery day The two Englishmen very seldom
Quilted their lodging, where they ate,
drank, and read the newspapers.-The only
thing that surprised the landlord of the Col
den Elephant was. chat for the sake of noe
turnal repose they had built house for
, themselves, aud that he very often saw a
+, light the whole night through in their apart
ments. He once conjectured they might be
coiners, bnt as all the money spent passed
| through his hands. and their guineas, after
a careful examination, were always found to
, be good, his kinsman and he had no other
a. r~-l