The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1874-09-03
OUT!
A Summer Adventure.

/
really didn't know where to spend
my summer, but certainly felt that l
couldn't stay in town. In the midst
of my doubt came q delicious little
note from cousin Tilly whom I hadn't
seen since her marriage. She was
living in a charming cottage near the
railroad station called H-Ville, and
her note was a pressing invitation to
visit her. at is really Paradise hereD
she said. "We are IN the middle of
wood, and there isn't a neighbor near
er than two miles. This will suit
your taste for solitude to a degree.
And my husband. dear old Marina
duke, is SO anxious to meet yonLHe
is talking about you from morning till
night. asking me the most ridiculous
questions, aud am positively weary
of them, so you must come and an
swer them, for yourself"
There was a good deal more of Til
ly's letter in the same strain. [ re-
solved to accept her invitation, and
instantly proceeded to make ready.
Cousin Tilly and her Marmaduke
met me at the station. She looked, l
thought, rather prettier than ever--a
trifle sunburnt, perhaps; bnf no great
harm done by that. Her Marmaduke
took to be about forty-fve, though
he seemed younger. [ suspect now
that Marmy dyed his hair and NOUS
tache, and wore false, teeth. However
he was a good fellow, in spite of his
teeth, and | liked him the moment
put my eyes on him. So we all drove
over to the cottage together, and by
eight O'Clock in the evening we were
as intimate and comfortable, and / as
much at home as if had been living
there for year.
1t was not till next morning that
noticed how very odd Marmadukc's
manner was. He was thoughtful and
absent minded-he was abruptly vi
vacious, and then abruptly sunk in
gloom-in fact he was everything by &
the suddenest of starts, and nothing
long. Certainly, said ! to myself,
cousin Tilly has married very eccen-
trio man.
We went out into the garden to
ruthlessly massacre all the snails we
could fiud, and you may imagine my
surprise to see Marmy, instead of kill
ing the little reptiles, put them care
fully into his pockets. You may also
perhaps, conceive my astonishment at
finding Marmadnke catching bees,
under the impression that they were
butterflies, and throwing all the coin
he had about him to the chickens.
fancying it was their customary food,
and offering me obese tomatoes, under
the delusion that they were apples.
To confess the truth, at length began
to suspect that Marmy was a little
disordered in the head-and almost
wished hadn't come.
s. 7
if you were in any sort of danger you
might scream till you were hoarse and
nobody would answer. Suppose this
extraordinary man should determine
to murder one some night Really / !
felt quite nervous.
But that evening after cousin Tilly
had retired, Marmy made himself and |
me some mint juleps. They were
very pleasant, and we sat on the little
terrace. slipping them far into the |
night. The tree frogs and crickets |
aud whip-poor-will were going it at |
a great rate, and the stars were shin
ing brightly, and the whole scene was
romantic. Suddenly Marmaduke seized |
me by the arm, and fastening his eyes
upon me, said in whisper:
"Are you man to be troubled |
with a secret ?"
l don't deny that 1 experienced a
curious creeping sensation over me as
if somebody were leisurely emptying |!
water pot of cold water down my |
back-but managed to gasp out
ell suppose So, #
Well, sir, have horrible secret |
to disclose-something truly frightful. |
Don't shudder now-but wait till YOU
hear me out; You viii shudder in
deed, then !"
Pleasant, this! Perhaps he has killed |
somebody and buried the body in
a cellar, or hidden it in the ice house,
and was about to cali upon me to help |
disinter it and carry it elsewhere. / |
nearly tainted.
"Sir," he continued, 81 am crimi-
nall" st
knew itl saw it all. He would
make a confident of me, the crime |
must inevitably be discovered. L
should be tried as an accomplice, and |
the pair of us be hung But | would |
avoid hearing the secret now, under !
the pretext that would listen patient
ly on the morrow. In the mean time, |
after he had gone to bed, would get |
out of the window of my room and
fly.
" l feel so sleepy tonight" 1 said, !