The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1874-08-21
M is c eIIaaa g GU s .
A MYSTERIOUS LODGER.

The upper apartment of our boarding
house, that is to say, a portion of the gar
ret, was hired at an exceedingly low price
of the lanulady, by a young gentleman,
who gave his name as Barnabas Stollcr.
He was about twenty-five years of age,
dressed in rusty suit of black, and the
unfortunate possessor of q countenance
which would have secured his success as
the poor apothecary in "Romeo and Juliet"
He seldom had any communication with
the other boarders, and there was certain
air of mystery about him that puzzled ev-
erybody in the house no one could tell
the nature of his business, nor give any in
formation of the slightest circumstance
touching his general course of life. No
one ever inquired for him at the house,
excepting at meals, at which he was pune
tual, and which he devoured voraciously.
He remained, while within the walls, Sc
cluded in his apartment-the partitioncd
portion of the garnet above mentioned.
The landlady, who certainly possessed
as much curiosity as any member of the
fair sex whom it has ever been my good
fortune to have any dealings with, had
sounded everybody, in order to gain q clue
to the mystery which enveloped Mr.. Stoler,
but without satisfaction. She had pro-
pounded many circuitous inquiries to the
gentleman himself, but received only vague
replies, which but increased her excite
ments He regularly paid his board every
Saturday night, and always in coins of the
smallest description, which he drew from
well-worn lcathern purse.
lie had resided in the house but sin
gle month, when the landladv discovered
the following astounding and incompre-
hcnsible fact.
Every Saturday afternoon, about the
hour of four, Mr.. Barnabas Stoller entered
the house and proceeded directly to his
apartment, and, having audibly turned the
key in the lock, would remain secluded for
full three hours. This proceeding occurred
regularly every Saturday, and divers means
did Mrs. Jones, the laudlady, endeavor to
solve the mystery of his temporary retire
ment Once or twice she had been detect
ed by one of the dodgers peering through
Mr.. Stoler's key. hole, but, being INSTRUCTED
on the inner side by the key it was some
of the premises. Nevertheless, by dint of
waiting with her ear to the door for many
minutes, the worthy dame had overheard
strange, indefinite sounds rising from with
in, which, which although they convinced
her that something was progressing, cast
but little light upon the subject of her in
vcstigations.
"Betty," she remarked to her maid-of-
all-work, one day, after one of these visits
to the entry above, "what can he be doing
every Saturday at this particular time :"
"I'm sure can't imagine, man," replied
the girl, thus adiured, "unless he's coun-
terfeiter."
"a counterieiter m exclaimed Mrs. Jones;
"very likely, Betty, and most probably a
counter(eiter of half dollars, for he pays me
every Saturday in small Change, for which
he must have exchanged his spurious money.
But then, Betty" added the landlady, she
could hardly make living at counterfeit
ing, if he works at it only three hours in
| the week."
mo, MAIN, that's true,' answered Betty;
shut still am satisfied he must be doing
something horrible, though"
The landlady cogitated some time deep.
ly, and then shaking her head slowly from
side to side, spoke again:
swell, Betty, he may be conspirator
he may have horrible plots in his head,
and really don't feel safe in the house
with him, unless can discover what he
does so slyly every Saturday so tonight
I'll ask him boldly at supper in what way
he employs himself regularly once week
in his ROOM"
The resolution was warmly applauded
by Betty, who, being the only female in
the house, excepting her mistress, was OF
course her principal supporter. They both
finally concluded that Mrs. Jones's plan
was good one, and the conference ended
AT the first sound of the bell, the in.
mates of the house fiocked to supper, and
among the former was the unconscious
Stollcr, dressed in his only suit o.
black. He seated himself, and commenced
with his usual voracity upon the pro
visions before him the boarders were al
seated and well engaged Betty was stand
ing behind her mistress's chair, with face
upon which anxiety and curiosity were
deeply blended no sound was heard save