Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1859-12-15
the VISITOR AND TIE HOSTESS.

II have brought up, Men, SHE said
producing well polished poker from un-
der her blnck apron, before she took the
chair set for her at the table, 1T have
brought up q relic for you to see, that no
money would buy from me-" She turned
it over in my hand, ,hnd l read on one of the
nat sides on the bottom, "Geoffrey Cray
on's sceptre." "Do you remember Mr..
lrving?" asked my friend, "or have YOU
supposed, since reading his sketch of
Strat-on-lAvon that the gentleman in No.
3, might be the person?" The hostess
drew up her thin figure, and the expression
oil person about to compliment herself
stole into the corners of her mouth
why you see, Mem, am very much in
the habit of observing my guests, aud 1
think may say knows superior gentle
man when sees him. If you remember,
Men," (and she took down from the man
tel-piece much worn copy of the Sketch
Book, "Gcoffrey Crayon tells the circum-
stance of my stepping in when it was get
ting late, and asking if he had rung. 7
know it by that, and then the gentlGman,I
mean was an American, aud think, Mem,
besides" and she hcsitated a little as if
she was about to advance an original and
somewhat v'nturesome opinion, 81 think
can see that gcntleman's likeness all
through this bool5.''--A -trues remark, or a
more just criticism, was, perhaps, never
made on the Sketch Book We smiled,
and Mrs. G. proceeded: "I was in and out
of the coffee room the night he arrived,
mem, and sees directly, by his modest
ways and timid look, that he was a gen.
tlemen, and not fit company for the other
travellers. They were all young men, sir,
and business travellers, and you know,
mem, ignorance takes the advantages afnnodcst
merit, and after their dinner they were
very noisy and rude. So l says to Sarah,
the chambermaid, says l, shat nice gentle
man can't get near the fire, and you go
and light fire in number three, and he
shall sit alone, and it tshan't cost him moth
ing, for l like the look on him. We'll,
mem, he seemed pleased to be alone, and
after his tea he puts his legs up over tho
CRATE, and there sits with the poker in his
hand till ten o'clock. The other travellers
went to bed, and at last the house was as
still as midnight, all but apoke in thegrate
now and then, in number three, and every
time heard it jumped up and lit bed
candle, for was getting very. sleepy, and
hoped he was getting up to ring for a
light Well, mem, nodded and nodded,
and still no ring at the bell. At last
SNys to Sarah, says I, Go into number
three and upset something, for am sure
that gentleman must have fallen aslecp.'-
La, ma'am.' says Sarah, Il don't dare
We'll, them says l, IFll co. So "opens
the door, and says, 1fyou please, sir, did
you Iring?' little thinking that theqpestion
would ever be written down in such
beautiful book, mem. He sat with his feet
on the fender, poking the fire, and 10 smile
on his face, as if some pleasant thought was
IN his mind. No, ma'rm,' says he, Il did
not l. shuts the dooor and sits down
agaiu, for L hadn't the heart to tell him
that it was late, for he lrds a gentleman not
10 speak TWleLy to. Well, it was past twelve
O'Clock when the bell did ring. There,
says to Sarah, thank Heaven, he is done
thinking, and we can go to bcd.' So he
walked up stairs with his light and the
next morning he was up early, and off to
the Shakspeare House, and he brings me
home q box of the mulberry tree, and asks
me if l thought it was genuine, and said it
was for his mother in America. And l
loved him still more forithat; and I'm sure
prayed she might live to see him RETURN
u DelleTe she did, Mrs. Gardiner ;but how
soon after did you set aside the poker?'-
why, sir, you see there's Mr.. Vincent
that comes here sometimes, and he says to
me one day'-'So, Mrs. Gardner, you're
fully immortalized. Read that So the
minute rendit, remembered who it was,
ana all about it, and ] runs and gets the
number three poker, and locks it up safe
and soundi and by-Ond-by sends it to
Brammagem, and has his name engraved
OMIT, and here you see it, sir-and /
wouldn't take no money for it.'E - sI''-SS ~,
SOME one having written to Mrs. Swiss
hclm about Minnesota, she recounts some