The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1881-01-11
MY Mysterious LANDLORD
From an Engiish Magazine.

From an English Magazine.
A pause Of the heavy feet. and then
they went on upwards, and my mind
carried my body after them; for, with
u sudden resolution, l turned into the
black stairway, and followed my land
lord in my stocking feet. He stayed
moment at the next landing in the
darkness, and his wife came to her
bed room door. and entreated him to
rest. He answered her dogge,ily, or
dered her back To her bed, shut her
door after her and went on. l went
on. a slight twist in the landing
showed step-ladder, whitened by the
moon, that streamed through small
winduw. My landlord sped N? .his
rs agiIe'y rs il he were not stoat. /
watched hir, to the iopo it. He un-
closed his hand, aud put kew in the
door tina. frontei the ladder. The
lock turned uoise!essly, and he went
in, leaving the door ajar. Up the lad.
der crept carefully. l was not so
corpulent as the landlord, but my feet
Numbered ard were not certain.
reached the top without making u
sound. Then | pushed open the door
and stood within q room that / knew
was the top loft.
In one moment / saw its peculiari-
ties ; in another l saw its mystery.
he moonlight was radiantly cool
within Its compass; there was nothing
unrevealed. 1t showed ON attic with
lean-to roof, and the rafters above
were rough aud splintered. 1t lit up.
with the height Of contrast, black
hangings that were nailed against the
walls. 1t shone into the empty.
blackened, illshaped room and Law
upon the pile of red rug that COW
cred the centre Of the iloo:; and upon
box with silver handles raised kir.,
in the midst and upon an old man
groveliDg before in a posture that was
too undone for kneeling and too utter
ly debased for devotion.
Aud |, with scnses alert, and witt.
cold vein, moved heavy step further
into the room. My landlord spraue
to his feet, and stood before me. and
looked at me. and spoke no word. !
spoke.
"You are found out at last, Mr..
Fern" / said.
He locked at me. and waited for
the words to form sense with his brain.
Then, with sigh, and with unmoved
acquiescence
"Yes, at last"
scarcely knew what to saw next;
the man did not defy me, he only
looked nonplussed.
1.-THE law has reached you through
me, Mr.. Fern; you must submit to
it."
Eyes. yes" he said quietly; "but i
have duped it this three year COM
ing October.
''Great heaven!" I cried; Scan you
talk cooliy of your crime? Are you
hardened 10 the most awfu, form O.
murder"
''Eh. what Z said the man, dazed ut
the first word and indignant md furi-
Gus Mt the second. IL a murderer !?
Curse you! God judge YOU, sir, as
yen have foully Judged me.
He laid his great hand upon my
arm, and shook it. The tears were
running down his face. while the deep
curses of broken heart thronged to
his lips, and stayed there for power
iessness of utterance. / looked ut him
and at the silvared coffin and at the
desolate room, AMI wrenched my arm
FROM his grasp.
"Then, in the name of your judge
AMI mine, what is that p said, point
ing to the sepulchral box.
His anger died his passion was
quenched. he covered his face with his
hands and grooped his way to the lit
tie coffin and laid his head upon it
and cried with words uuintelligibls
some names of endearment that were
framed in sobs. / felt a movement
behind me and turned to see Mrs.
Fern. Her face was as white rs the
light that illuminated it; but the
strength Of her bearing was mistaken
by the funeral room of the stricken
husband. She had put on a long
gown, and beneath it her breath wen,
and came quickly; otherwise the form
of her mien was calm. =.
She looked at me and passed me,
and went to her husband and put her
arms around his neck. He moved to
her touch, and laid his great touseled
head upon her shoulder. The passion
of grief which shook him showed the
balance of that jovisl tempers ment.
She smonthed his face with her hands
IS if it had been q baby's; she bent
over his head her indomitsble one,
fearless, tender, powerful. And after
a time. with slight movemen: she