Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1875-11-26

set the polished hoor, whinscot, ceiling and
beams rejecting and sparkling In the deepen
ing shadows OF the afternoon like so many
fireworks. This was the ancient part Of the
building, and was comparatively untouched;
and could have fingered in the chimney
corner here willingly had not my cousin,
after meeting me at the porch as I dis
mounted, and whistling to the stable-boy TO
take my horse, urged me onward with few
brief remarks to look at his pet staircase the
position of which he had described.
IL was handsome piece Of work, no
doubt, but IL appeared to offer no remarkable
features to my unprofessional eyes. 1t was
In thorough keeping with the rest of the ad.
ditions, which we then proceeded 10 examine
in detail; and the air Of approaching finish.
comfort and convenience within doors com
p3nsated for the backward state Of the build.
ing outside.
A simple dinner, prepared and fairly well
served by the old housekeeper was laid In
the oak parlor opening from the hall, and
under the influence Of it and a bottle Of gen
erous Burgundy, large store Of which our
mfserly predecessor had boarded untouched
for years, my spirits revived. thanked my
cousin (who promised that his share Of the
work should be entirely completed in less
than week) for what he had been doing,
complmented him on the display Of his pro
/ iessiOnal skill, and over our pipes consulted
upon various family and domestic arrange
ments, such as supplies, furnishing, etc
Now, OF course, at intervals, since my friend
ly oXertures toward my cousin began, we had
had many combinations, but never had we
| been thrown together under quite such social
| circumstances as these. At no time very
genial, it seemed to cost him an effort to be
as much so now as the occasion Of this little
| house-warming demanded. He fdgeted in
and out Of the room after dinner once or
twice; he took hardly any wine; and
thought l observed an air OF preoccupation
and restraint about him which had not struck
me before. He looked paler and thinner, his
always-restless, colorless eyes were more rest
less th1 usual, his thin liUs were drawn
down at the corners and his dark, unkempt
hair gave more than ever cadaverous tone
TO his complexion. | could not help re-
marking to him that he did not look we'll.
No, am not trst-rate,n said he. 81
can't sleep, and nothing pulls fellow down
more than that; but | weigh as much as you
| do, l expect, even now; we are much about
the same height and build"
Are We? l should bave guessed you to be
the taller"
81 think not" he answered. "stand up a
momentn
We measured our heights against the wall.
He was right.
Yes" he went on, land we are about the
same size round the chest Let us see"
| He tried with his professional tape-meas-
ure, which he took from his pocket He was
| right again within an inch-f was rather the
broader.
Your coats would fit me better than my
own" he continued; "tailors never give me
room enough. I'll be bound that pea jacket
of yours which you hung in the hall would
go on like glove"
He stepped out and returned in it. 1t did
! fit as If it had been made for him. "And
what comfortable cap this is" he added,
dandling mine, which had been hanging with
/ the coat, in his hand. It was a half naval
looking affair, with broad, horizontal peak
THAT fits me, too" he said, as he placed
it on his head. Its very comfortable.
notice you always wear it,"
Yes" replied, 81 can't stand your chin.
ney-pot hats; my old sea habits are too free
and easy for that"
Then, after a few more comments, cap and
coat being restored to their peg in the hall
we chatted on over another pipe and then
agreed it was time to turn in.
Don't be alarmed said Makerace, as We
rose, " if you hear me moving in the night
Sometimes, when don't sleep, am obliged
to get up and walk about a bit; it's the only
thing that quiets my restlessness. It's hor
rible nuisance to lie awake in bed for hours
Then in the morning | am often dead asleeT
when l ought to be getting up, so you viii
not mind if I am not down to breakfast.
have ordered it at $3.50. l know you are al
early riser, so don't wait for me. | must ge
sleep when can. And, by the way, if yor
hear the porch bell ring in the front abou
|
come over to light the fires and boil the ket
tle." Then he went on after slight pause
during which he seemed to be revolving
something in his mind, And would you OBJ
ject, if you don't think I am stirring, to goinl
down and letting her in? Because you know
we are alone in the house; we've got the onl,
two beds that are usable; and until we coul(
furnish the house was Obliged to let the bo,
and the old woman go on sleeping in wha
was the gardeners cottage, where we pu
them during the alterations
Right you are, sir,n / answered.; I'll lie
her in. Don't disturb yourself; go on sleep
ing as long as you can; am used 20 takini
things in the rough"
1t is unnecessary to describe the variOu
rooms. Most of them we're entirely empty
J but our two, especially that set apart for me
, had been fitted up with the best of the furni
] tnre found in the house. My chamber, whic
! was not new, lay at the rear, and could fol
! merly only be approached by the old staircase
which now, however, since the erection of til
new flight, was to be kept merely for tn
) servants use. OF course, when my cousi
and took our candles, we went up by tn
t new stairs, bidding each other goodnight {
my door. His room lay on the farther side {
the landing at the head of the old stairs; anC
as he opened a red baize swing door whic
shut it off from the passage along which "
had passed, he said, with a feeble laugh, &c
shall have a bolt put on to this, for | mu.
quality and no other. Mind you don't max
a mistake in the morning, and go down III
. wrong way. You will remember, when u
! old woman rings, that the new flight of stat
I will take you down exactly opposite to IL
: porch door, just across the hall. Don't con
this way; for though you can get into Il
n hall from H., it properly leads to the baC
+ premises and kitchen. Goodnight"
Thus we parted the best of friends; an
c thinking over the strangeness ofeur relation
o of my QuXotic notion of reforming an
c softeningthe character Of this man, Of its on
J. partial success, unlSnowingly distrusting hir
e perhaps, all the while, | put out my cand
and fell into a restless sleep, from which a
y most Immediately awoke.
d At that moment flash Of light crossed II
e window facing the foot of the bed. Indee
/ it was this which probably awakened me
r first | thought | was dreaming, but in
h instant there came another dancing, ticke
10 ing reflection OF light through the curtai
o Strange, surely, at this time of night, und
If the circumstances What could it be? TT
It natural prompting was TO get up and loo
g out Pulling aside the blind l found Il
t, window frosted with the cold, and upC
r, rubbing the glass I could see there had be-
y a fall Of snow, aud that l was gazing d0v
into a corner Of the stable yard. The lad, o
" "help," was moving about with a lantern, al
l. presently entered one OF the stables, left d
Is door aiar, and remained some time With
a- during which there were sOC nds as II he we
E. Harvesting a horse. Then he came OF
gl locked the door, hung the key up clio
,s against it, and disappeared.
4, "Nothing in that" said !, returning to be
le 81 don't suppose he really was Harvesting
il horse; he had only neglected some bitof wo
lie which had TO be done overnight"
Q But the episode had thoroughly arous
Of me, and, do what | would, could not 90
Of sleep again, and lay staring at the darkne
Sc for hours. IL is said that the test Of a MAJ
p moral courage should be made about ty
le o'clock in the morning; If be be lying bro
y, awake then, and has no qualms or though
ii Of gloom and dread, he must be truly BRAY
W and this hour, / discovered by striking q
ID repeater, had Just passed 1t did not find l
a. entirely free from a certain sense of vag
ID apprehension and depression, the same XII
n OF depression which was so new to me, and
er which had a slight foretaste as l rode up
c. the house.
ul Nearly three hours later, just as / was
yh last on the point Of dropping OFF to sleep
es was again set broad awake by the ereald
1t. of door, followed by the sound Of a footst
49, L Al.