Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1874-02-21
A MYSTERIOUS LODGER.

The upper apartment of our boarding
house, that is to say, a portion of the
garret, was hired at an exceedingly low
price of the landlady, by young gen.
tleman, who gave his name as Barnabas
Stoller.
He was about twenty-five years of
age, dressed in rusty suit of black, and
the unfortunate possessor of counten-
ance which would have secured his sue
cess as the poor apothecary in " Romeo
pnd Juliet" He seldom had any COM
munications with the other boarders,
and there was certain air of mystery
about him that puzzled every body in
the house no one could tell the nature
of his business, nor give any informa-
tion 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
punctual, and which he devoured vora-
ciously. He remained, while within the
walls, secured in his apartment the
partitioned portion of the garret 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 a
clue to the mystery which enveloped
MIR. Stoller, but without satisfaction.
She had even propounded many circuit
GUS inquiries to the gentleman himself,
but received only vague replies, which
but increased her excitements. He
regularly paid his board every Saturday
night, and always in coins of the small
est description, which he drew from n
well-worn leather purse.
He had resided in the house but
single month, when the landlady discov-
cred the following astounding and in
comprehensive fact.
Every Saturday afternoon, about the
hour of four, Mr.. Barnabas Stoller en-
tered the house and proceeded directly
to his apartment, and, having audibly
turned the key in the lock-. would re-
main secluded for full three hours.
This proceeding occurred regularly every
Saturday, and by divers means did Mrs.
Jones, the landlady, endeavor to solve
the mystery of his temporary retirement.
Once or twice she had been detected by
one of the dodgers peering through Mr..
Stoller's key-hole, but, being obstructed
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
tor many minutes, the worthy dame had
overheard strange, indefinite sounds
rising from within, which although they
convinced her that something was pro-
crossing, cast but little light upon the
subject of her Investigations.
Betty, she remarked to her mai d.
ot-all-work, one day, after one of these
VISITS to the entry above, "what can he
be dong every Saturday at this particu-
lar time ?" i''' ''
I'm sure | can't imagine, ma'am,"
replied the girl, thus adjured, "unless
he's counterfeiter.
" A counterfeiter p exclaimed Mrs
Jones !" very likely, Betty. and most
probably counterfeiter of half dollars.
for he pays me every Saturday in small
change, for which he must have ex-
changed his spurious money. But then
bet5y, added the landlady, "he could
if he works at it only three hours in the
week." 40 'i'~
"No, ma'am, that's true" answered
'SooJ piu QUILL l. AIN SatlSted 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 conspira-
tor; he may have some horrible plot in
his head, and, L really don't feel safe in
the house with him, unless 1 can dis
cover what he dose so slyly evey Satur-
day, SO tonight I'll ask him boldly at
supper in what way he employs himself
regularly once week in his room"
The re solution was warmly applauded
biy Betty, who, being the only female in
tne house, excepting her mistress, was
OF course her principal supporter. They
both finally concluded that Mrs. Jones
plan was good one, and the conference
ended.
AT the first sound of the bell, the in.
mates of the house flocked to supper,
and among the foremost was the un.
conscious Stoller, dressed in his only
suit OF black. He seated himself and
commenced with his usual voraoity
upon the provisions before him the