Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1846-07-31
From the N. Y. spi-. ofthe Times.
\ Alpstcriolls loSorr.
BY TIMOTHY BAGGS.

BY TIMOTHY BAGGs.
The upper apartment Of our boarding
house, that is to say a portion of the
garnet. was hired at an exceedingly low
price Of the landlady, by a young gentle
man who gave his name as Barnabas Stol.
Ter.
H was about twenty five years Of age,
dressed in a rusty suit of black, and the un-
fortunate posscssor of a countcnancc which
would have secured his success as the poor
apothccary in "Romco and Juliet He
seldom had any communication with the
other board RS, and there was certain air
Of mystery about him, that puzzled every
body in the hous no one could tell the ma
turc of his busincs; nor give information Of
the slight, st circumstance touching his gen.
eral course OF life. NJ one ever inquired
FIR him at the house, excepting at meals, at
which he was punctual, and which he de-
voured voarc,usly; he remained while
within the walls, secluded in his apartment
the plrtitioned portion Of the garnet above
mentioned.
The landady, who certainly possessed as
much curiosity as any member Of the fair
sex with whom it has ever been my good
fortune to have dealin IS with had sounded
every holy in order to gain some clue to
the mystery which enveloped Mr.. Stollcr,
but without satisfaction. She had even pro-
pounded many circuitous inquiries TO the
gentleman himself. but received only vague
replies which but increased her excitement.
He regularly paid his board every Satur-
Ia MI nd oil ntt ,n
est description. which he drew from w"ll
worn leather purse.
He had resided in the house but single
following astounding and incomprchcnsble
fact:
Every Saturday afternoon about the hour
Of four, Mr.. Barnabas Stollcr entered the
house and proceeded directly to his apart
ment, and having audibly turned the key
in the lock, would remain secluded for full
three hours! This proceeding occurred reg
ularlv " nv Saturday. and by divers means
did Mr.. jones', the landody, cndcavor to
s,lv the mystery Of his temporary retire
m,n.. Olc' or twice she had been detect
ed by On" o the dodgers, pcering through
Mr.. S'ollcr's kcy.hole, but it being OBJ
sructrd on the inner sill by the key,t was
somewhat difficult to obtain an accurat
view of the prcms S. Nevertheless, by
dint Of waiting with her car TO the door tol
many minutes, the worthy dame had heard
strange indefinite sounds arising i,om with
in, which, although they convinced her that
something was progressing, cast but little
light upon the subject other investigations.
Betty she remarked to her maid of all
work one day, after one ofthose visits to the
entry above, what can he be doing every
Saturday afternoon at this particular time?
'Fm sure cant imagine, ma am, replied
the girl thus addressed, unless he's coun
teri, itr.
"A counterEtcr, exclaimed Mrs. Jones
very likely Betty, and most probably
countcrf tier of half dollars, for he pays m
every Saturday in small change, for whicl
he must have exchanged his spurious mon
ey-but, then, Betty added the landlady
he could hardly make living at connrer
iiting if he works at it only three hours il
the week
No ma am, that S true, answered Betty
but still am satisfied he must be doom,
something horrible, though.
Tie landlady cogtated sometime deeply
and I en- shaking her head slowly from sid
to side, spoke again:
'Wcll, Betty, he may be conspirator-
he may have some horrible plot in his head
L. reallyd n'tf ell safe in the Eous with hin
unless lean discovcrwh the does 50 silly oy
try Saturday, to night III ask him bold
L. at super in VII way he en- plo Is him
l!'regularly once week in | is room.
AT the first sound of the bell the inmate
of the house hDcked to supper and anon
the foremost was the unconscious Stole
dressed in his only suit of black. He sea
ed himself and commenced with his usui
voracity upon the provisions before him
the boarders were all seated and well a
gagged Betty was standing behind her mi
tress' chair, with face upon which anNi
" and curiosity were deeply blended
sound was heard save the Gathering (
knives and forks, with now and then Il
rattle Of teaspoon in the cup. The Ian
lady feeling that this was her time, made
strong effort, and exclaimed
Mr.. Stoller'
Now the mere mention Of Mr. Stollel
name BY Mrs. Jones at the tea table, cou
not certainly attract extraordinary attentio
but the manner and the tone of the Lac
started many of the boarders sitting: MAJ
dropp d their knives and forks and cast the
eyes rapidly from Mrs. Jones to Mr.. Stoll
the latter gentleman supended his attac
on the supper and gazed with an agitat
countenance ut the head parsonage Of i
house.