The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1880-11-04


malignant influence.
"When Garbery had been sold up, it
remained doubtful for time whether
the "Fried Sole" would find purchaser
for its good will was worth naught, and,
indeed, detracted from the value of the
property. There was some talk of the
place being letto the school board of
Jowberry to be converted into schools.
But suddenly an unexpected thing oc-
Cured. Reuben Dark, the son of Abel
Dark, who had committed suicide
thirty years before, turned up in Jow-
berry, and made bid for the hotel He
was 4 well-looking young man of thirty
two, and brought with him a young
wife, to whom he had lately been mar
ried. His antecedents were of the best.
At eighteen he had obtained a clerk
ship in Il big London hotel; thence he
had risen to the post of cashier: and
afterwards that of manager. Now, hav-
ing married, he wished to set up in
business for himself, and he quietly
laughed away the idea that the "Fried
Sole' was bewitched. The man who
had during five years managed the
Great Metropolitan of London so sue
cessfully that the directors had voted
him q purse of five hundred guineas on
his retirement. was not likely to be
daunted in his new enterprise by tales
of winds through keyholes. Reuben
Dark looked like man of firm pur-
pose, and the tone in which he an
nouced that he was resolved to make
the "Fried Sole" pay inspired many
with confidence.
Nor was the trust deceived Some
how it seemed as if the luck of the no.
tel had turned from the day when Abel
Dark's son came into it. Young Mrs.
Dark made an excellent hostess. and
she was so pretty that she attracted all
the officers of the garrison, which boast
ed two regiments, just as the former
Mrs. Dark had done. Then Dark him.
self WAS a marvellous billiard-player,
and soon drew all the fanciers of this
game by providing then, with fancy
tables, and the occasional chance Of
seeing him make four hundred off
break; besides, which he had great
taste for sport, and introduced the ap-
parently extravaganza novelty of causing
kilograms to be sent to him daily an
nouncing the results Of all the import
ant horse races, boat races, yachting
races, and cricket matches in the king
dom. These were posted up in the
smoking-room, which was stocked with
about fifty different newspapers and
magazines. All that cost the landlord
about e1O0 year, but it brought him
twenty tim tina; amount in the way
of custom, for the cofee-room soon
became sort of free exchange, with
er resorted all the classes of men who
had patronized the hotel of old. Squires,
farmers, barristers, Free Masons, bet
ting men, officers, idlers, once more
began to swear by the "Fried Sole,"
whose comforts and good cheer were
equaled, as they avowed, by no other
house in the kingdom.
One mightsuppose that Reuben Dark
waxed merry at seeing his hotel pros
per SO well, but it was not so. He had
been 4 ha::2y man enough when he
came to IT, hotel, but soon he was OBJ
served to grow thoughtful and silent.
A great change came over his pretty
wife, too. Her eyes were often red
from crying in secret; she wore a fright
ened expression, starting at the least
sound, shivering constantly as if from
cold, and so forth. At length she con-
fided to one of the officers who so fire.
quently dangled behind her bar, that
she heard strange noises at night in the
house groans, falling Of furni-
ture, shrieks, and sounds of voices
raised angrily in quarrel. She had be-
sought her husband to leave the place,
but he would not, though he was dis
turbed by these noises too. The officer
swarthy and gallant dragoon-
with the pretty hostess, and she, from
the time she had made a confident of
him, took heart of grace, and waved
more communicative every day. Her
manner became Tightly; she took ships
Of sherry to keep her spirits up, laugh
ed loud, chatted gaily and carelessly,
and was very affable towards the dra-
COON. Reuben. Dark, noting these
things, said nothing, but grew morose;
and there were times when his coun-
tenance was terrible to see, SO brooding
vas it, and fercely sullen.
His servants noticed the change in
him sooner than his customers did for
towards the latter he was invariably
civil, having sort of business manner
that he could put on and off as he
pleased. But towards his servants he
was short and gruff There was an
old gardener in the house who had re-
manned there through the reins of sue
cessive landlords, ever since the time
OF Reuben's father; and this old fellow,
who was nearly seventy now, used to
shake his head when he observed the
hypochondriacal looks of his master.
TITS just like his father" the old man
used to mutter, and his wife-she's just
the same sort as his mother was; and
no goodll come of it."