The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1875-02-04

into one Of the Western States; out on
the Pacific slope, believe they call it
so [ heard-and what with crosses of
my own, and the tax that Congress was
going to lay upon furnished lodgings, I
had forgotten all about them. BY the
END Of the year things were dull
with me. The parlors were empty,
and the two pair back had gone off with
out paying his rent. The New Years
morning of that year was sitting alone,
for the girl was out, and thinking to my
self what was to be done, and what a
different New Years this was a-going to
| be from many that I could remember,
and longing for good, sociable, prompt
paying ledger, when all of a sudden
knock came at the door that made my
heart leap into my mouth. Not that it
was loud, long knock-clatter, clatter,
chatter; nor postman's knock-ra- tat;
it was three knocks; three moderate,
leisurely strokes of the knocker, with
precisely the same number of seconds
between them. and could have sworn
the knocks were knocked by the young
man, for many time and oft had I
heard them on the door on the other
side of the way"
81 hope to gracious you were right"
said I.
"Never was wrong in my life" said
my landlady, "when L felt any thing.
Black coat, white cravat, smooth hat,
glossy boots (French polished), brown
hair, all were unchanged. He looked
steadily at me for some seconds when [
opened the door, and I was just going
to ask him how he did, and wish him a
happy New Year, or something that way,
when he just said Lodgings2' Yes,
sir, said I, please to step in;' and I
showed him into the parlor. He looked
at every thing infinitely, but without
moving from where he stood at the
door; at the table, the chairs, the mantel-
piece, the Chimney glass; [ am sure he
noticed that the tail of that lion was
broken Obut the hussy as broke it tramp
ed for it, I can tell you !)-nothing es-
capped him; and at last he looked at the
window, and at the chair the young lady
used to sit in as she sewed; and then
turning quietly around he walked out.
"'What do you think of them?' I
asked rather anxiously, as I followed
him to the door.
Wouldn't suit, said he, and SO he
went away. was little put out, you
may be SURE
'1'l take my corporal oath Of that, :"
remarked [.
| "But not SO much as you think, eth
er, sir, said my landlady, 'for could
not help feeling sorry for him. But yet
I own. when at the very same hour the
first day of the next ye-"
"New Years mert year,
| ''On the very day, hour, minute,
second, the same knock, the same look
in my face, the same inspection of the
room, the same gaze at the young lady's
chair, and the next year
''My dear madam how long is that
ago2'
"Well-a matter of twenty years.
I was glad it was no worse, for a mis-
giving had come over me, and my i'm
agination was losing itself in the dis
lance of the past.
'"The next year, continued my land
lady, 'and the next, and the next, and
| the next, and the next, was as like as
could be. Sometimes the parlor was
lit; but it was always just the same: he
| would see il, 'as it might do for another
| time,' and the dodgers being out he did
see it, and still it wouldn't suit At
last, one New Years I happened to be
out myself, not thinking it was the
young mans hour, and my! as the
thought struck me when coming home,
| it gave me such turn I felt as if [
| hadn't done right. Buu ~ was OF no
! consequence to him; he only stared
twice as long when the door opened and
he saw a strange face. But he went in
all the same, looked at every thing, as
usual-swouldn't suit Al all these
visits of inspection his stay was always
of the same length of time to a minute,
and when he went away I found-for I
did watch him once-he went straight
to the railroad depot.
"Weu, sir, you may think, as years
rolled on, that I saw some difference in
the young mans appearance. But he
didn't grow bit older. His hair chang
ed, but his face was like granite stone.
His pace became slower; but for that,
he only came the sooner, so that he
..lI I. L 70 Il