Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-12-11

toner if he was an intruder.
Como to be shaved ?" said the individual
in foggy voice.
For the first time, probably, in his life, Sam
son Brown shuddered. The idea of trusting a
precious chin to the foul compound of dullness
and malignity that stood before him,
There was an awkward pause. Samson
Brown turned his eye to the shop window. "a
the only SLOPPY thing about the place, hoping
TO md some small article of which he might
make purchase Vain endeavor. Rapidly
passing In review miserable assortment of
gass cases and pasteboard boxes, evidently
containing the fragments of a business ruined
years ago, he plainly saw that there was liter
ally nothing to buy. His only course, there
fore, was to jump at once into the middle of
his subject.
What was the name of your paternal grand
father? ?" asked Samson Brown.
"You re another :" growled the barber.
quite perceive the force of your observation l
asked you what was the name of your grand
father, on the father side.''
Very we'll what was the name of yours2''
was the respondent growl.
through this uncouth question Samson
Brown could almost fancy he heard the voice
OF tempting demon, urging him to walk off
with the money, and leave the surly barber
encountered with his wrongs, as a punishment
for bis bad manners. However, he resolutely
conquered the fiend; and with every show of
good temper, resumed the conversation.
Wasyour grandfather name ohm Jones?"
I" II you guess again, you'll guess wrong"
was the periphrastic answer.
" n pecuniary respect your grandfather
was better off than yourseIf?''
The besotted individual did not know about
that. He knowed that he himself paid his
way, and that, if other people, who wore fine
coats, always did the same, things would 90
on much better than they did.
After a few moments pause, Samson Brown
abruptly exclaimed:
Mr.. Jones, would you like nine hundred
pounds ?"
As this was question that only admitted of
one answer, Jonathan Jones made no answer
at all.
Would you like to have nine hundred
pounds repeated Samson Brown Be
cause. if you would, will give it to you
now"
"Give me nine hundred pounds-now ,
Come, come, jokes all very we'll"
@ There is no joke in the matter. The dis
cOyery has been made that thousand pounds
is due to you from the estate of certain party
deceased, and the discoverer claims ono hum
dred pounds as the reward of his zeal and in.
tegrity: 30 you have only to sign the receipt
and take the money" ard he presented a
small document duly stamped.
passed into state of logged shrewdness. He
seemed more ready for information than for
ready cash. "Who's this here Mrs. Stubbs
that this here thing talks about" he growled
forth.
Sign. my dear sir, without trou bling your-
self to ask questions, said Samson Brown, im-
ploringly.
Well, but one likes to know what ons Is
about; and then it seems L m to have only nine
hundred pounds, and I'm to sign for a thou
sand. The other hundred is for the hagest.
you say! Are you the hagent? Because. if
you are, think you have taken care of your
self, anyhow"
No matter who is the agent, and who is
not The hundred pounds in question is agreed
That Mother Stubs seems very free with
other people money" growled Jones "And
L say he continued, with increasing acumen.
II Mother Stubs is dead, how can she agree
to anything"
For the infnitesimal fraction Of a second
Samson Brown felt embarrassed; but immedi
ately recovering himself he said:
:" Mr.. Jonathan Jones, my time is valuable
Sign that paper without asking any questions
and put nine hundred pounds in hard money
ON that table. Ask one single question more
walk out of the shop, and you'll never hear
of the nine hundred pounds as lorg as YOU
live "
ihele. cTieu oalnsOn Brown alter count
ing out the money, which he placed on the
table
There, you grufly replied Jones, as be
flung the signed receipt across the table 10
Samson Brown.
Samson Brown retired, and betook bimselft IN
his troubled house. Jonathan Jones. having
secured his newly acquired fortune under lock
and key, sauBtered to the nearest tap, where
he expended penny in the purchase of half.
A. fhax hnIo
observed to repeat this process at intervals
much shorter than usual \
AT ten minutes before midnight, Mr. Samson
Brown, who was sitting alone in the room
where he had first made acquaintance with the
late Mrs Stubs, heard the now familiar rustic
OF stif silk, and Immediately afterwards the
ghos. was visible, with something like amino.
slty expressed in its countenance
Ha. exclaimed Samson Brown in cheer
ful tone 81 knew This business CONCERNED
you more than me for her you are ten minutes
before your time. Will this be Sufficient ~
he continued, presenting the receipt.
The ghost extended its hand, apparently
closed Its thumb and finger on the document,
and then Samson Brown was alone. The re-
ceipt was gone; the ghost was gone Whether
II had departed by chimney, chink or key
hole; whether it had assembled or descended 6e
could not tell. He only knew that be was
alone, and that his hundred pounds were still
saie In Dis pocket. lie had slapped the pocket
by sort OF instinct, at the moment when the
spectre vanished. \
On the following morning, Samson Brown
was aroused from a refreshing slumber by
loud knocking at his door. OF course he opened
il himself, and perceived the agent of whom he
had taken the house. His safe egress from the
terrible domicile on the previous day, and his
bold return to it in the evening, had been OBJ |
served by several Of bis neighbors, and had be- |
come the talk of the village, The terrors Of |
the house had consequently fallen ninety Der
cent, and its value had risen in the same pro-
portion. Feeling, under these altered cir,um-
stances, that be had let the house far too cheap.
the agent called on Samson Brown. with bis
'heque- book in his pocket, to induce him to |
rescind the contract ="
on the afternoon of that day, Samson Brown /
returned to London in a second-class carriage.
bearing In his pocket the hundred mounds
found IN the cellar, and an additional fiftv re-
seived from the house agent as a consideration
tor canceling the agreement How he spent
his wonderful holiday is only known to his
most confidential friends; but it Is generally
remarked that his opinions on two Particular
SUBJECTS are not the same as they were a few