The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1880-07-30


c the proprietor of the establishment, Th;
G great man, it seemed, did not general
: put in an appearance in connection wit
i any matter under 4 stall for the seasor
: but, nevertheless, / gained admission /
5 his august presence.
ssPray. SIR said /, hive you eve
< heard any complaints of your Guine
[ Box?"
t Complains he said. Ear from it
! it is one ofthe bestan by far the cheap
est | have to let.
Though his voice was firm, it struck NJ
Il that his manner was. II little embarrassed.
ssWhen good things :tre cheap said /
there is generally a reason for it. / have
twice had reason to be very much dissatis
fed with that box. A lady in white saith
| is in the habit of intrudling herself there,
l. l saw sudden change ilhis face, WhicF
zconyinced me he was not hearing the III
formation for the first time, but he ans.
wered coolly enough, IF that is 50, The
box, keeper is the proper person to apply
] to; and if she annoys you, the police.
/ have not the honor of knowing your name
by-the-by," he added.
gave him my card, and he looked at it
attentively.
s'ln a matter of this kind cannot advise
you," he continued; ttit is not my affair al
all. You must complain to the people at
the theatre
II have reason to believe" replied /,
'that that would be useless | intend to
write to the papers to warn folks against
| the Guinea Box
| s'Thcn you'll have an action for libel
brought against you, young gentleman, as
sure as youzliYe. The box belongs to a
gentleman ofthc highest responsibility and
position, and has been placed i'll myhands
for these twenty years"
SAnd I am tounderstana from you def
initeiy that no such complaint has ever
been made to you such as | make to-day 2"
II decline to answer any such question.
sir," replied thelibrariall.
every good. Do you also decline to
give me the name of the proprietor of rhe
t b0x?''
swell, you could find thatont for your
self by application at Covent Garden, but
/ have no objection to saye=you that troub-
lc. The box belongs to Mr.. Ralph 1rcssil-
lian'
"What! OF Windbarrow Hall?" cx-
claimed |, iilastonishment. s.AvLy, that's
my unclcH'
The librarians face exhibited increduli-
ty, not unniSed, as it seemed to me, with
positive alarm.
II had a letter from him this very MORN
ing said |, producing the envelope.
"You recognize, I suppose, that handwrit-
ing? Now, since yo,l.know who am,
perhaps you will bea little more connlu-
nicativc?"
"No, Mr.. GarrarCl,' he returned, after
apause; TT must consider my duty tony
employer. | decline to admit ANYTHING
that may tend to depreciate his property.
If you have anything to SAY against Box
IS, say it TO Ilins. :.
As my 1ulclc.s letter i.al contained an
invitation to NindbarroW foI that very
week, l Was not much discontinued with
this reply. The Librarian WAS evidently
only doing his duty, so we parted on good
terms. | noticed that he looked at me
with great curiosity, and even came 70 the
door of his establishment and watched me
down the street.
Hitherto 4 visit To my llseiess.5 Ts'''s,''''I
,=z@{zs-sttsc 70 me, but
looked forward to it now with great inter
est and excitement. Ii was Il huge man
sion, on the skirts Of Yorkshire moor. with
moat around it without fish, and was
half dozen miles from everywhere. lhc
place wanted at least a dozen guests III
Residence to make it checrI, and my uncle
seldom saw any company at dinner.
[ found him on this occasion quite alone,
and after we had dined, and i bottle Of port
of fabulous antiquity had baen placed be
tween us, he began talking of the family
property.
y on are of age row, Frank, and should
know something about it, foi. what is mine
will be yours" and then he gave me some
hereditary Information. which ought to
have been more attractive to me than it
was. The amount of rental was interest
ing enough, but l always hated what d
@ m ,,a,, anIIc slrlic
gusting details of business matters.
When he had quite done, / said, in my off
hand way, "And then there's that box at
C0vent Garden
My uncle pushed his glass half off the
table as he replied, GLOW on earth came
you to know I possessed such a thing2
What box ~
BOX lG-the Guinea Box, as they call
it. I've been in there=more than once, to
my sorrow;'' and told him III the sim
plest manner what had seen there.
"Your experience is very curious"
said. my uncle, tlyly. ';but, ofcourses not
ine1plicab!c Il is=eyitleIt tslats theatrical
performances affect yoHr nerves. | never
approved Of them myself, tor other 1c,ts-
ons."
II am quite ecI.t:it. uncle, that actual
ly saw in Box i5 What i::sv;. just tlescrb-
ed to YOU Nothing vii. ever Shake my
conviction olt=tIttt point.
.'1'heu we wont fiisctlss ii, Frank, was
the qtlier reply. s,Hagey yoa has! enough
vine? Very good. have some letters
to write, so will leave You to Fonr cigar,
which remark with regret has become a
necessity to most young men.
Uncle Ralph was not a person to be
subjected to cross-exan4ination by any
body, orto be induced 10 talk on any sub
iect that was displeasing to him, and after
the disclosure CT his benevolent intentions
toward myself il would have ben the
height Of ingratittde and inprntlence to
offend him ii any way. 50 said nothing
more about the matter.
After breakfast the next morning. much
t to my surprise. my uncle asked me to come
with him into the picture gallery. Some
t of your ancestors. am told, want clean
ing, lis said, ..al1si ! want e have your
opinionas toWhether il Is worth while to
/ 90 to tilt@exl,ensa.
For rly part, It straeS me- that little
washing suouIti. DO thetn al u world Of
good, but vas very esFeful to express
myself lespeetftiIi1. Y hen we had settled
which were % Be sent the picture clean-
Eers, be operlefi tie oak doof. OF 4 little clos
let. aud produced three ol fafl other pof-
traits.
Il have lcsel.pss.I .loEEe q 1itltlfoolsl fol
these he s;liil, sett them oIlf l,gz91le
l against lii. s=ett sli;lfas aFld