Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1881-03-12
BURG AIEGANY COUNTY, MARYLAND SATURDAY, MARCH

q
the park ?? he inquired.
"I have been out on business" Lord
Ioring answered "and I shoul like to
tell you about it. If you can spare me
few minutes come into the library.
Some time since, he resumed, when the
door was closed, CT think mentioned
that my friends had been speaking to
me ON a subject of some Importance
the subject of opening my picture-gal-
lery occasionally 10 the public"
al remember" said Father Benwell.
Has your lordship decided what to
do?"
"Yes. have decided las the phrase
isl to so with the times and follow
the example of other owners of picture
galleries. Don't suppose ever doubted
that il is my duty 20 extend, to the best
of my ability, the civilizing influences
Of art. Ny only hesitation in the mat
ter arose from dread of some accidclr
happening, or some injury being done
to the pictures Even now, can only
persuade myself to try the experiment.
under certain restrictions"
ga wise decision undoubtedly" said
Father Benwell "In such n city as
this you could scarcely open your gal
lery to everybody who happens to pass
the house-door."
"I am glad you agree with me,
Father. The gallery will be opened for
the first time on Monday. Any respect
ably dressed person presenting visiting
card at the Offices of the Librarians in
Bond street and Regent street, will re-
ceive q free ticket of adm ssion, the
number of the tickets, it is needless to
say, being limited, and the gallery be-
ing only opened to the public two days
in the week. You will be here, sup
pose, on Monday?"
"Certainly. My work in the library,
as your lo1dship can see, has only be-
gun"
"I am very anxious about the success
of the experiment." said Lord Loring.
edo look in at the gallery, once or
twice in tho course of the day, and tell
me what your own impression is."
Having expressed his readiness to
assist " the experiment p" in every possi-
bic way, Father Benwell still fingered
in the library. He was secretly con-
scious of hope that he might, at the
eleventh hour, be invited to join
Romayne at the dinner table. Lord
Loring only looked Mt the clock on the
mantelpiece; it was nearly time to dress
for dinner. The priest had no altena-
tive but TO take the hint, and leave the
house.
Five minutes after he had withdrawn
o messenger delivered q letter for Lord
Loring, in which Father Benwclfs in
tereats were directly involved. The let
ter was from EuHRvre. 1t contained
his excuses for breaking his engage
ment, literally at an hours notice.
"Only yesterday" he wrote, 81 had
a return of what you, my dear friend,
call the delusion of the voice The
nearer the hour of your dinner ap-
proaches, the more l feel the dread that
the same thing may happen in your
house. Pity me and forgive me-"
Even good,natured Lord Loring felt
some difficulty in plying and forgiving
when he read these lines. "This sort
of caprice might be excusable in a
woman," he thought. ga man ought
really to be capable of exercising some
self-control. Poor Stella! And what
will my wife say?"
He walked up and down the library,
with Stella's disappointment and Lady
LoIing's Indignation prophetically pre-
sent in his mind. There was, however,
no help for it-he must accept his re-
sponsibility, and be the bearer of the
bad news.
He was on the point OF leaving the
library when visitor appeared. The
visitor was no less q person than
Romayne himself.
"Have arrived before my letter ?"
he asked, eagerly.
Lord Loring showed him the letter.
"Throw it into the fire." he said /;
"and let me try to excuse myself for
having written it. You remember the
happier days when you used to call me
the creature Of impulse? An impulse
produced that letter. Another impulse
brings me here to disown it. can
only explain my strange conduct by
asking you to help me at the outset.
Will you carry your memory back
to the day when the physicians
consulted on my case? L want
you to correct me if L inadvertently
misrepresent their opinions. Two of
them were physicians. The third and
last was q surgeon, n personal friend OF
yours and he, as well as L recollect,
told you how the consultation ended !"
"Quite right Romayne-so far"
"The first of the two physicians
Romayne proceeded, "declared my case
to be entirely attributable to nervous
arrangement, and to be curable by
purely medical means. He proposed,