Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1845-07-10
R tHrrII
THE MYSTERIOUS GUESTS.

kl X
About sixty years ago, two English
men one day arrived at Calais 10 the Do.
yer packet. They did not take up their
quarters at the hotel of Mons. Dessein,
on whom the author OF the Sentimental
Journey bestowed such celebrity. but
went TO an obscure inn, kept by mar
Of the name of Du Long. They desired
TO have his best apartments, spent great
deal OF money, relisbed the produce OF
his wretched kitchen, and thought his a
dulterated unexpectedly genuine. From
day 10 day Du Long supposed they would
continue their journey, aud proceed to
the capital; that they had come merely To-
see Calais was an idea TOO absurd 10 enter
any hody's head. But so far from~con-
.tinuing their journey. and proceeding TO
The capital they did notinspect what was
worth seeing at.Calais; for, except going
out now and then to shoot Isnipes, they
KEEP! close at home. eating, drinking, and
doing nothing. They may be spies
thought the host, or runaways, or fools.
No matter: what is thatto me They
pay honestly When he was sitting 10
an evening over pin, with his neighbor
and relation. the grocer. they used 10 rack
their brains about the mysterious guests.
They are spies. said the grocer: one Of
them squints with bis left eye "A man
may squint wi,hou, being spy, Ereioined
the host: 1 should take .hem for runa-
ways. for they read all my newspapers.
probably for the sake of advertise nents
His kinsman then assured him that all
Euglishmen spend at least twelfth part
Of their lives in reading newspapers. The
conclusion 10 which they generally came
was, that as the said foreigners were ap.
parentlyl neither spies nor runaways. they
could not be any thing else than fools
Here the matter rested. 10 this opinion
Du Long was still more confirmed when,
atthe end Of few weeks. one of hisguesis,
an elderly man, thus addressed him =
Landlord, said. he, 'weiike your house /;
and if you will acquiesce in certain
within il is probable that we might con.
1inue for along time to spend our money
with you Your honors have only TO
give your commands an inkeeper is by
profession, the slave of all the whims
that throng TO him from ell the four quar-
tefs of The Globe. You have, to be sure. !
continued the Englishman. had prodi.
giously large beast painted on your sign
oui your house is only fy among inns
il scarcely contains three tolerable rooms
aud unfortunately they all look into the
street. We are fond Of fest; we want to
sleep. Your waichnan has very loud
voice, and the coaches roll the whole
night along the street, so as to make. all
the windows rattle. We awake every
quarter Of an hour to curse them. and fall
asleep again to be walked in another quar-
ter Of an hour. You must admit, my
dear fellow, that This is enough 10 destroy
our health and exhaust our patience.
The host shrugged bis shoulders. How
can itbe helped? Very easily replied
the stranger ii you are not afraid OF .
little expense. in which we will go halves,
without requiring al our departure the
smallest compensation Du Long. whose
barren Geld bad. since the arrival Of the
Englishmen. been iertilized with show
ers Of guineas, promised TO do what lay
in bis power 10 satisfy his worthy guests
but he could not help the rafting OF the
coaches and believing Of the Waterman.
Neither is il necessary. answered the
stranger. Behind your house you have !
little garden. though you are not lover
Of o. ~; for. except little pars-
soups. observe nothing 10
The old garden wall, too,
ID ,hickness, is just ready "a
Itul e you were to make use
Of 4 b . little building,
q ,Ie. even II il we're
"a 9 couple Of rooms