Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1871-04-27

first he seemed to make no inquiries
after my situation, or to visit his
friends at all but after he had been
with me about fortnight, he went
out nearly every day, and all day long
I was glad to see that he did SO, for
really he mewcd himself up in his
room SO constantly that | began to
fear he would iniure his health.
What puzzled me MOI a little was
the finding that he spent a great deal
of his time on he ishnd-no that
Portland is really an isl and, only
every body calls i,-so. Iu the winter
time there cannot be a more dreary
place IN the world than Portland the
storms seem to rage tisarc - ener and
iercer than they do anywhere else !;
the roads are bad, the houses are small
and mean, and, except for the wild,
romantic sea view which lies all
around YOU, and the awful Race of
Portland, which no vessel can cross,
there is nothing to bc seen. My niece
bald me a visit about this time, and
nothing would'do but that | must 20
with her to the island | did so, and to
my surprise, | saw Mr.. Lewiston
such was my lodger's namc-leanng
agains, one of the huge blocks OF stone
which lie about the quarries, and ga
zing so thoughttully out to sea, that he
never noticed US driving by. Then
my niece's husband came to fetch
her home, aud as he had never been
to Weymouth before, he, too, must
see the island, aud | must 90 with
hlm and his wife. So, second time
| went, and second time, to my sur,
prise, | saw Mr.. Lewis. To-day he
was talking to man in plain clothes,
who had inst the look of warder ont
of his mitorm they wcr in the middle
of the road, so Mr.. Lewis might have
been asking his way but | was con
tidcnt from their eager hurried manner
that he was not, Yet, when he rec
ognigcd me, he raised his cap, and the
warder--l am sure he was warder
pointed along a palh, as though he
was giving SOME direction, and then
we lost sight Of them; bat | did not
forget the incident.
\ few nights after this was sur.
prised, on answering knock at tn"
Ioor, to find some one InqnIring for
Mr. Lewis, for he had never had a Wis
itor before. The stranger gave the
name of Brown, and was at once in
yiled mp stairs. After a visit OF half
m hour, he left, and then my lod-er,
who had seemed, / fancled, to avoid
me oflatr, came into nay little kitch
en-, aud began, in - chatty manner,
to talk about the gentleman who had
inst left H. said he was connected
with one Of the chief hotels, and had
called to speak about IN appointment.
Now, | had lived i'll Weymouth,
maid, wife, and widow, for thirty two
years, and knew by sight every gen
ticman connected with every hotel
there, and this was none Of them.
And, if my Judgment was worth
anything, this man was i wardor
from Portland, aud what was more.
was the very @arder ] had seen Mr..
Lewis speaking with on the island.
| was quite sure OF this, aud knew,
therefore, for some purpose my lodgcr
was deceiying me, but / rejected
tn at every family has It's secrets, SO
supposed he had his reasons for try,
ing to misIead me,
Just Eow a complete change took
place in my dodgers habits, for where
as he had previously been the most
retiring Of creatures, keeping him
self SO totally within doors that
scarcely soul in the street knew him
he now seemed To be never tired Of
hanging arosna the front door. He
cleaned my windows twice as often
as | had ever cleaned them he pain
ted my tlower-boxes, and was ire-
qnently trimming them: while he
actually went two or three times to
the White Lion, the public house at
the corner of'our street, and drank
his ale at the bar, Instead Of allowing
the poslman tcbring it for him, as had
hitherto been the case. | took the
liberty OF saying | was qplte old
enough 10 be his mythet-that ]
hoped this last would not grow into
habit which might lead to harm,
when to my surprise, he bnrst out
CRYING, and cried 80 bitterly that |
thought he would 20 into mysteries.
| tried to sooth him and took his
band in mine he had a soft and del.
lcate hand, too, but he arose and
mastering himself by great effort,
went up 20 his room In the morning
he apoIogixed for disturbing me by
his absurd ways he had had bad
news from home, he said OF cotirse
] told him not to think any more Of
such trlile but in my own mind |
wondered where he got the letters
from which bad so upset him, as |
was quite certain the rostman had not
been near my house all day. All this
time | had heard no more ot the stu
atlon be cxpeced bat soon after the
same stranger called again Mr..
Brown, / mean He called very late
one night, and went up stairs 10
Lewis room, came down IN very
short time, ani left without word,
as before. As | rad admitted him, !
had a fair chance Of confirming my