The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-01-02

l
stiffness Of the air intensified the silence
which - eVailCd.
inside, however, matters frightened; n
blazing wood fire on the dogs In the old
hail set the polished floor, wainscOt, cell
ing and brains rejecting and sparkling IN
/ the deepening shadows OF the afternoon
/ like 80 many fireworks This was the AN
! cicnt part OF the building, and was COM
plrativrlv untouched; aud | could have
! fingered in the chimney corn here will
/ hugly had not my cousin. after meeting
me u the Dorch rs ! di~mountcd, and
/ whistlna to the stable boy b. take my
! horse, urged ne onward, with "a low brief
remarks, to look al his pet staircase, the
position of which no had described.
II WIS n handsome pece OF work, no
d uDt, but 1t appeared to offer no remark
! able features to my uuprofessioual eyes.
1t was in thorough Keeping with the rest
| of the additions, which we then proceeded
to examine IN detail; and the air OF np-
preaching nlsh, comfort, and conveu-
| nee within doors compensated for the
| backward state OF the building outside.
simple dinner, prepared and fairly
| well vel we'd by the old housekceper, was
/ LAID III the oak phrlor opening from the
| hail, and under the influence OF it and
! bottle OF generous Burgundy. n large store
| OF which our misery predecessor had
| boarded untouched for years. my spirits
/ revived. thnnkedmy cousin lwho prom
/ spd that his share OF the work should he
1 entirely completed In less than week.
| for what he had been doing, comph-
mcutcd him on the display of his pro-
! fcssiOnal skill, and over our pipes con-
/ suited upon various family aud domestic
| arrangements, such rs supplies furnishing,
! &c. Now. of course, nj intervals, since my
. friendly OYcrturCs toward my cousin be-
/ gan, we had had many contradictions, but
| never had we been brown together under
quito such social circumstances as these.
/ At no time very genial, IL seemed to cost
| HIM an effort to be "a much so now rs the
occasion of this lttle houscwarming de-
| maudcd. lilo hdgCted IN and out of the
/ room after dinner once or twice; he took
/ hardly any wine; ana thought observed
/ anair of prcOrcupatiOn and restraint about
| HIM which hiVi not struck me before. He
looked palcr ANA thinner, his always rest
less, cuiOricss eyes were more restless than
/ usual, ms tnn npS were drawn down ut
the corners, and his dark unkempt hair
gave more than ever cadaverOus tone to
uIs complexion. | could not help remark
ing 20 INN that he did not look well.
" No, am not iIst rate, said he. al
can sleep. and nothing pulls "A fellow
down more than thai; but weigh rs much
as YOU do, expect, even now; we are
much about the same height and build"
Are we? | should have guessed you to
be tn taller"
81 think not, lac answered. Island up
a nom mt"
We measured our heights against the
wall he wa, right.
"Ncs," he went on. land we are about
the same ~ round the cAcs; let us sce."
lie tried with his professional tape meas
IRE, which he took from his pocket; ne
was right again within an inch-l was
rather the broader.
Your coats would At me better than
my own,' he continued; "taiioIs never
give me- room enough. I'll 10 bound TINT
pca-iackrt Of yours which You hung IN the
hail would 90 on Ike n glove"
lie Stepped out and returned in IL. 1t
dld ~ rs il IT had been made for him.
And hat "a comfortable cap this Is" ne
added. ulIlifuW 1nlnp. winch huH haan
hanging with the coat, in his hand. 1t was
Il half naval looking affair, with broud
horizontal peak.
THAT MS me, too. he said. ms he placed
it on his head; MS very comfortable; |
notice you always wear it.
YES | replied; Il can't stand your
chimney-pot hats; my old sea habits are
too tree and easy Tor that.
Then, after IA few more comments cap
and coat beng restored to their peg in the
nall, We chatted on over another PIPE and
then agreed 1t was time 10 turn III.
Don't be alarmed" sad Mnkernce as
we arose. "lf you hear me moving in the
night. sometimes, when | don't sleep. |
am Obliged to yet upa and walk about n blt
is the only thing that qliets nv Restless
ness. It's "A horrible nuisance to lie awake
in bed Tor hours. Then IN the morning
am often dead asleep when 1 ought to be-
getting up, 50 you will not mind II | am
not down to breakfast. have ordered IT
NJ $50; | know YOU are m early riser, so
| can. And, by the way, If you hear the
porch bell ring in the front about seven
O'Clock, you'll know it's the Old woman
! come over to light the fires and boil the
kettle Then he went on after "a slight
pause, during which he seemed to be re-
volVlng something i'll his mind, "And
would You object, II you don't think am
SHINING, TO gong down and letting her IN
Because, you know, we are alone in the
house; we've got the only two beds that
are usAble; and until we could furnish the
house was obliged TO let the boy and the
Old woman go on sleeping III what was the
ga dcnci's cottage, where We put them
during the alteratlons.'.
RI ght you are sir," answered "Tl
let ner IN. Don't disturb yourself; 90 on
sleeping H. long rs You can; l am used tC
taking things ~ the rough.
1t Is unnecessary 10 describe the variOu,
rooms. Most OF them were entirely empty
, but our two, especially that set apart Ton
me, had been itted up with the best of tn,
furniture found in the house. My cham
Der. which WAS not new, lay at the rear
aud could formerly only be approached
by the Old staircase, which now, however
since the erection OF the new flight was Il
be kept merely for the servants use. o.
, course when my cousin and | took oul
candles, we went up by the new stairs
bidding each other good night mt my
. door. Ills room lay ON the further
, side OF the landing AT the head OF the ole
stars, and as he opened u red baize swing
door which shut 1t of from the passag,
, along which we had passed, he said, with
r feeble laugh, " | shall have bolt put OF
to this for | must have the grand staircas,
used now by the quality, and no other
Mind You don't make "A mistake in The
morning and go down tho wrong way
You Will remember that, when the ole
woman rings, the new hight of stars viii
, take you down exactly opposite TO TIT
porch door, just across the hall. Don
come this way; for though you can ge
, INTO the hall from II, ii properly leads 4
the back premises aud kitchen. Coco
! night
? Thus we parted the best OF friends; an,
J thnhing over the strangeness Of our rela
4 | tons, OF my quiXOtic notion of reformn.
: | and sOftcnIug the character of this man, O
Z | It's only partial success uuknOwingly dis
= trusting him, perhaps, all the while, | pu
out my candle and fell into n restless sleep
| from which almost Immediately awoke
! At that moment fash OF light Gro SCI
= the window facing the foot OF the bed
/ Indeed it was this which probably awalI
/ ened me at first l thought | was dream
. ing, but in an Instant there came anothe
; dancing ilickeriug ret 'ution Of high
70 through the curtain. Strange, surely, a
Y this time of night, under the crcum