The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-03-05

Ingly low price of the landlady, by a
young gentleman, who gave hts name |
rs Barnabas Stoller.
He was about twenty-five years of
age, dressed In rusty suit OF black,
and the unfortunate pOssessOr of a
which would have Sc
cured his success as the poor apothe-
cary in "ROmeo and Juliet" He
seldom had any communications
with the other bOarders, and there
was a certain air of mystery about
him that puzzled everybody I'm the
house; no one could tell the nature
of his business, nor give any infor-
nation of the slightest circumstance
touching his general course OF life.
No one ever inquired for him ut the
house, excepting at meals, at which
he was punctual, and which he de-
vOured vOraciOusly. He remained,
while within the walls, secured In his
apartment-the partitiOned portion
OF the garnet above mentioned.
The landlady, who certainly pos
sessed as much curiosity as any men,
Der of the fair sex whom 1t has ever
been my good fortune to have any
dealings with, had sounded every
body, In order to gain clue to the
mystery which envel0pod Mr.. Stol-
Ter, but without satisfaction. She
had even prOpounded many circuit
Gus inquiries to the gentleman him
self, but received only vague replies,
which but increased her eXcitement5.
He regularly paid his board every
Saturday night, and always i'm coins
of the smallest description, which he
drew from well-wOrn leather
purse.
He had resided in the house but a
single month, when the landlady dis.
covered the following astounding and
incomprehensible fact;
Every Saturday afternoon, about
the hour of four, Mr.. Barnabas StOl-
Ter entered the house and proceeded
directly to his apartment, and, hav-
ing audibly turned the key in the
lock, would remain secluded for full
three hours. This proceeding oc-
Cured regularly every Saturday, and
by divers means did Mrs. Jones, the
landlady, endeavor to solve the mys-
terry of .his temporary retirement.
Once or twice she had been detected
by Oneo of the dodgers peering through
Mr.. StOller's key-hole, but being OBJ
structed on the inner side by the key,
it was somewhat difficult to obtain
an accurate view of the premises.
Nevertheless, by dint of waiting with
her ear to the door for many min
utes, the worthy dame had over
heard strange, indefinite sounds ris-
ing from within, which although
they convinced her that something
was progressing, cast no light upon
the subject of her Investigations.
Betty" she remarked TO heI
maid-of-all-wOrk, one day, after one
of these visits to the entry above,
"what can he he doing every Satur-
day ut this particular hour?"
"I'm sure can't imagine, ma'am''
replied the girl, thus adjured, sunless
he's a counterfeiter."
"a c0lnterfeiter! exclaimed Mrs
Jones "very likely, Betty, and most
probably q counterfeiter of half dol.
lars, for he pays me every Saturday
in small change, for which he must
have exchanged his spurious money
But then, Betty" added the land
lady, che could hardly make living
at counterfeiting, il he works at /,
only three hours in the week."
"NO, ma'am, that's truc," an
swered Betty, "but still I am satified
he must be doing something horrible
though"
The landlady cogitated some time
deeply, and then, shaking her head
slowly from side to side, spoke again
"Well, Betty, he may be conspir
ator; he may have sope horrible
plot In his head, and, I don't fee
safe in the house with him, nnlesS
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 8
week in hisrOom."
The resolution was warmly ap
plauded by Betty, who, being the
only female in the house, excepting
her mistress, was OF course her prin.
cipal supporter. They both finally
| concluded that Mrs. Jones' plan was
a good one, and>the conference end
At the first sound of the bell, the
inmates of the house fiOcked to sup
per, and among the foremost was the
unconscious StOller, dressed i'm his
only suit of black. He seated him
self and commenced with his usual
voracity upon the provisions before
him; Betty was standing behind hel
mistress chair, with a face upon
which anxiety and curiosity were
deeply blended; no sound was heard
save the Gathering of knives and
forks, with now and then the rattle
of teaspoon i'm the cup.
The landlady, feeling that this was
her time, made strong effort, and
exclaimed:
"Mr. Stoller I" y
Now the mere mention of Mr.
StOller's name by Mrs. Jones at the
tea-table could not certainly attract
extraordinary attention, but the man.
ner and tone of the lady startled
many of the bOarders sitting around
many dropped their knives and
forks, and cast their eyes rapidly
from Mrs. Jones to Mr.. StOller; the
latter gentleman suspended his at.
1sSho vi eue supper, anu SdIeu Will
an agitated cOuntenance at the head
parsonage of the house.
"Mr. Stoller," said Mrs. Jones,
speaking slowly, in order to give ev.
cry word its due emphasis, "yOu are
probably aware that / endeavOr to
carry OH the affairs of my house as
honest and circumspectly as pos
sible"-here was q pause; several
dodgers nodded, and one, who was
noted for being remiss in paying his
board-bill when due, intimated, In an
audible voice, that the domestic econ
omy Of Mrs. Jones was not excelled
by that Of any similar establishment
in the city.
Mr.. Stoller," continued Mrs.
Jones, "will you be kind enough to
inform me, II you can, what business
detains you In your room every Sat
urday between the hours of four and
seven in the afternoon ?''
Allgazcd ut Mr.. Stoller, anxious to
have the all-important question set
tied; his agitation had been increas-