New Orleans Republican., 1875-11-21
THE RED HOUSE.
CHAPTER I

CHAPTER l.
They were not nice lodgings, certainly;
but what could dol The place was full; no
others could be found. You see it was the
week of the assizes; about the dullest town
in England had therefore become lively all
on a sudden, putting from it for awhile the
cares usually depressing it touching the
wool.stapling trade, the state of the corn
market, and bucolic interests generally.
The Judges were hard at work in the courts
beside the town hall, trying cases and SEN
fencing convicts. Wigs and gowns had be-
come common objects of the High street and
the market place; the bar had secured pos
session of all the lodgings that could any
where be discovered. One eminent Queen g
counsel was TO be found on a confined first
floor over a barber's shop; distinguished
sergeant flaw had established himself at
the green grOcer's round the corner; risin g
juniors were dispersed all over the town.
Sc had to do the best could. wanted
a bedroom, and room that l could convert
into sort of office, with a spacious table in
it upon which could spread out my draw
ings and plans. ! was employed, / may
state, in constructing the new line of rail
way, which, passing within quarter of q
mile of the town. crossed the river, bored
through the hills beyond, and SO forced its
way into Wales.
In reply to repeated inquiries learned, at
ings at the Red House; but this was not
very confidently said. And my interloeu-
tors, as it seemed to me, dropped their
voices and looked askance when they made
mention of the Red House. Still they
averred it was the best they could do for
me. couldn't miss it, was told; asquare,
red brick house outside the town, close to
the gasworks; any one would point it out
to me,
found it readily enough. 1t looked some
thing like an old farmhouse unaccountably
transplanted from the open country to a
dingy suburb. In truth, its'situation was
as disagreeable as well could be. Towering
gasometers overshadowed it, poisoning the
air; il was half washed by Shiny green
stagnant pool; it was neighbOred by num-
berless little rows of shabby, stunted
dwelling places-suoh as are cheaply run
up tor artisan occupation. Nevertheless,
the house itself possessed certain pic
uresqueness in right of the pleasant
patches of moss and lichen, and the
ragged mask of ivy, screening it's weather
stained red face; its high roof, interrupted
ing chimney stacks of handsome design and
proportions. All was in deplorable state of
decay, however: the states were slipping one
by one down the steep incline of the roof; the
need of paint, whitewash and cleansing was
everywhere manifest; there was scarcely
whole window in the house, and the many
broken panes were either left broken or un-
tidily mended with paper, rags or odd frag-
ments of deal board. The garden was neg
lected-s wilderness of weeds, with rank
grass growing thickly over the uneven, i'll
kept path; of the palings that had once
inclOsed 1t, few remained. Altogether the
place were a woe begone aspect-it looked
blighted, poverty stricken, squalid, un-
canny.
There was neither bell nor knocker. 1
raped on the door with my walking stick.
A man opened it-a middle aged man,
shabbily and slovenly dressed, with his
ecowling, coarse-featured face half hidden
by q ragged iron.gray beard, and long,
thick, dusty hair tunbled over his forehead
to his eyebrows.
"Lodgingss" he repeated after me, when
l had mentioned to him the object Of my
visit. "We don't let lodgings. Not but
what we've deal more room here than we
want"
Then why no. let lodgingsw ventured
to observe.
"Why not, indeed" he said. gazing at me
rather stupidity and tngging at his beard.
"Who sent you herel" he inquired pre-.
sently.
told him had been busy all the morn
ing searching for lodgings, and that q
chance person / had met in the streets in
reply to my inquiries, had bid me try at the
Red HOuse.
"Was it the mastera"
,'Who's the masterp
'N0, it couldn't we'll be-" he NUT tered,
lost in thought, and tumbling his rough hair
into increased disorder by passing his dingy
fingers through it. "The masters at work.
here he permitted himself q curious sert of
chuckle; "it wasn't like him to send you
here. l3s about the last thing he'd think
"Welf, can l have the lodgingsP asked
again, bringing him back to the proper sub
ject of our discourse. n
you've been hOaxed, young man. This
amt lodging house-not to say regular
lodging house. Some ones been making
fool of you"
"Thsre's no great harm done, anyhow"
Isaid. "rm sorry to have troubled you"
moving away, but on his saying this
turned toward him again. iYou would pay
your
.0f course I'd pay"
Handsomely ~
.'Reasonably"
"And you wouldn't mind making shift
bit, seeing that we're not used to letting
lodgings-that we're quite new to the bust
nessf'
II could make anything do, almost. Shell
ter and room to turn round in; don't want
much more than that" Il
I'VE could manage that, I think. But
you'll find us rough-the master and mel
warn You Of that Do don't say I didn't,
Afterward. We're queer lot, On uncom.
mon queer lot, We are. You'll have to put
mp with . deal. IsuPpose you can contrive
10 do without . lady's maid for while I"
he said with grim kind Of sneer. 1--WE
can't pretend to do much waiting on you." |
"You don't keep servant r. - Il
ssWell, wo don't. An old body comes 10 |
ny up 1nA help now and then TO serub n |
ga6uI Xanh n irpn, or Whist not she'd DO
aay leFiel ting toy aslses Of gin, would
% look ct. Well get her to make your