The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1869-09-16
WHAT THE PAPERS
REVEALED.

"Sir, the gentlemen are coming
down."
"Indeed! I suppose then it's all
over. Poor old Nancy {! she will be a
dreadful loss to me-" And the speak
or looked up with sigh from volume
Of Greek plays, which he had bosn read
ing With evident relish. ::'~. 49,,
The room in which this brief colo.
guy took place VA. handsome and
lofty, but not very spacious apartment,
panelled in oak and lined with book
cases !; a massive oak table, quantity
carved, was dawn near the large old
fashioned CRATE, where a fire OF mixed
coal and wood burned brightly. Every
thing in the room bespoke comfort and
luxury, but of the ornamental element
there was not = single vestige. The
original oak chair had been discarded
to make way for deep-cushioned lounges,
and in one Of these sat the master Of
the house, Sir Edward Ashly, bis book
now closed, plunged in what is COM
monty called "a brown study"
The servant-girl, with the uncer-
tainty that betrayed q novice to the
ways Of the house, moved and replaced
a tray containing wine-glasses, decan-
ters, and biscuits, that she, "a minute
before, deposited on the centre-table ;
she then busted herself in rearranging
the folds Of the window-curtains, glanc-
ed iuquisitively from one side of the
room to the other, from the huge lamp
burning on the centre-table, to the
smaller pair on the chimney-piece, and,
apparently gaining no inspiration by
the inspection, inquired hesitatiugly,-
"Anything more, sir ?"
'No," said the master, shortly "you
may Co."
As he spoke, the heavy curtains
hung before the door were raised, and
two gentlemen entered the room. The
foremost of them looked very grave ;
he was a tall man with silvery hair,
and his white cravat pronunced him a
clergyman.
81 am glad you sent for me-" he
said : "tho poor woman, SO DR.. Nichol
tells me, grew calm directly she heard I
was coming, and although greatly agi-
tated at first, her end was peace"
"She is dead, then ~
"Dead and no mistake," observed the
gentleman who had not yet spoken,
rubbing his hands cheerfally, and ap'
preaching the blaze. 81 never allow
the psrson to be summoned till all hope
is over ; the sight Of ooe is too sugges.
tive to a nervous patient. But" he
added more seriously, "wheu I feel N,
efforts to be hopeless, I make way fo1
the disciple Of better Physician"
"Poor old Nancy r. said Sir Edward
rcgretlally. "Well, if skill could hav'
saved her, I am sure yours would
And now draw nearer the fire 20,
will require . glass Of wine betor
ven turing into the frosty air."
"You see did not wait for an invi
taiion," remarked the clergyman, VII
was slread7 seated I "cousider myse]
ono Of the privileged few who ma
venture with impunity into the lion
den." :
ut would be strange if you coul'
not, Nugent," answered Sir Edwart
"for, Of course, by the lion you mea
me. "A chat over old college-daJ
sometimes does good even to u hermit.
''And what hermit you have b.
come r was Mr.. Nugcnt's reply; "
seems impossible to understand why
man, who has lived all his life in col
tinental courts, should return bom
merely to shut himself up" >
"For, that very reason You ought
understand it," answered his trien'
"When l first left England, many yea
ago, I required the whirl Of action an
continual. change OF scene but I v
ambassador. in Span lcng enough. ]
wish heartily I bad never accepted Il
post, independent Of my earlier dipl
matte experience, in Turkey aud Ru
sia. Such responsibilities give surft
If society, I assure you, and render ,
. pose inexpressibly desirable and graf
full" ~ IL s5' 7'f''~- S..' &'''.....'
s'Wsll," here interposed the doctt
II candidly confess that your perie
seclusion is . mystery to me no d
i wish could worship solitude with mo
pertinacity. OF course, personally,
q makaa the exceptinn in mn &lsa. 7