The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-01-23
The MYSTERY In PAL
ACE GARDENS.
BY MRS. }. H. nIDDEIL.
CHAPTER. II.
70 LOOK OVER THE HOUSE.

miserable and fOrlarn than it had ever
locked even when the SNOW was upon the
ground, or q rapid thaw rotting the
paths Of ;ts once trim garden. The
{ leaves Of the elm-,rees dropping to the
earth and making in the silence noise
as though they. were matters of impor.
tance. The evening shadows beginning
to3draw in, the oaks and yews in Ken
sirgt0n Gardens darker than usual under
the lowering sky, and seeming to have
grouped themselves closer together 40 as
to stand more aloaf from the untenanted
mansion, a solitary horse grazing in the
paddock-like piece Of ground behind the
garden of Holyrood House, the board
which stated "This desirable" &C.,
creaking a little, as if 1t had rheuma-
tistn ard were complaining Of such long
and useless exposure to the weather.
Not living soul to be seen either up or
down the avenue leading from Noting
Hill-road to Kensington High-street; if
any one had wanted to see a residence at
its worst and wretchedest then that per-
!sen should have asked to view MIR. Sea-
ton's former abode in Palace Gardens on
the day and at the hour in question.
Mrs Hemans, the caretaker, who had
nothing in common with another Mrs
Hemans known to the lovers of senti-
mental and melancholy poetry, stexcept
the name," as she herself would have
said, had Just "wet her tea" and set it
to brew on the falling bars of the kitchen
range, and commenced toasting herring
for a "relish," when there came rap at
the front door, rap loud and long, which
echoed through the empty house, and
woke echoes in the deserted rooms
"There now" soliloquized the prosaic
lady, putting her bloater into the oven
and so removing one temptation out Of
her cats path. 'Isn't that always the
way? Can I ever sit down to meal
comfortable? Who'd ha' thought any
body who could stop indoors a day like
this would come out house-hunting
Drat 'enl, say; drat 'em, whoever they
.pay be-"
And thus socially conversing with the
only person who never disagreed with her
opinions, Mrs. Hemans dragged her
rheumatic limbs-she, like the board,
being afflicted with that complaint-up
into the hall and opened the front door.
On the step there stood two persons,
an elderly gentleman and a middle-aged
lady. He spare, upright, gray-haired,
hard-featnred; she inclined to embon-
point, dressed plainly ("dowdily, call
it." criticised Mrs Hemans inaudibly, }
and with face SO concealed by veil
tightly drawn over it and tied behind
her bonnet that no one could have told
whether she was handsome or plain, q
whilom beauty or present fright.
It.was the gentleman who spoke.
Can we see the h0usew he asked; 1--WE
nave not an order, but you perhaps know
the name Of this gentleman" And he
handed her visiting card belonging to
one Of the partners in the firm of solici.
tors who had pocketed many six-and-
eight-pences in the matter Of Valentine
Seaton, bankrupt.
Mrs. Hemans took the card and
courtesied. She laid il, without glanc-
ing at the name or address, upon the
table in the hall where there stood a
basket quite full Of orders to view, visit
ing-cards, notes requesting caretaker to
admit bearer, and old envelopes and
leaves torn out of pocket-books, whereon
the house-hunter or the curious idler had
written down his own signature or any
other signature which at the moment oc-
Cured to him.
In good truth Mrs. Hemans was more
ghan willing to admit any one-provid-
ing he did not come at mealtimes-
whose appearance suggested the donation
Of a, shilling. 1t was not so much trou-
bic opening the windows, and "a shilling
is a shilling" said the old crone oracu-
larly. .,
At first there had been hard-and-fast
line laid down that no one should be per-
mitted TO view who did not bring an Or
der from the auctioneers; but that rule
had been gradually relaxed, and now any
"likely" person could wander at will
over the house where Mr.. Seaton once
lived royalty. s b.. ,.s
HThat is quite enough, sir" said Mrs.
Hemans, closing the door behind the
latest c6mers ut is getting rather dark,
sif, but perhaps you will be able to see
the best Of the rooms" .o-s.
The gentleman answered eourteously
enough that he had no doubt but they
would, and then turning to the lady re-
marked in that stage tone which almost
ali persons who are locking over strange
house unconsciously assume: "
."Goodhall."
The lady did not answer him either in
Astage tone or in any other; instead she
walked straight across to the glass doors
through which a pleasant view Of Ken
sington Gardens was to be obtained, and
locked out. 75ict tt- rr
The gentleman followed her.
,ss.It is allowed to be beautiful ter
race, ma'am," said Mrs. Hemans, waxing
genial. She had quite decided these
people were not intending to take the
house, and she grew eloquent concerning
its beauties accordingly.
IL she had been deaf and dumb the
lady could not have taken less notice OF
Mrs. Hemans remark than was the case;
indeed, as the caretaker afterward said,
0Jf he had not talked there would scarce