The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-01-06

coming up the walk IN great glee with a
parcel under his arm.
''What has he got there ?" SAID some
one.
''All the works of Josephus for ten
pence, replied Mr.. Gregory.
Immediately afterward Mr.. Briggs
entered the room and said to the COM
pany:
bought?" TO which the general response
was
"Au Josephus for tenpence."
1t turned out that he had Just fer
reted it out from secondhand book
stall.
When questiQrsed ehout his nlys te-ious
sp0Ners. III. GreSory. -ss,'vssys' became
very serious, and gave no information,
but changed the subject as soGn as pos
sible
In consequence of all this. interest,
curiosity, uneasiness, and even alarm,
We're IN varying degrees excited Ia the
breasts Of the several members OF our
company. Most of the ladies declared
that they were daily expecting some
thing serious TO happen. That those
expectations were not altogether unful-
filed viii now be made plain.
There were two new arrivals on the
day on which our story opens. Our
company had hitherto been pleasant and
select, but the lady and gentleman who
now came among US, and who were
named Mr.. and Mrs. Griee, were excep-
tions to this. Slowly dressed, and loud
IN their conversation, they made great
efforts TO mix with ease in our company,
and for some inscTutable reason seemed
to make special endeavors to become
intimate with our own party; Mr., Grice
attacking my uncle, and his wife devot-
ing herself to us.
We were at no pains to conceal our
aversion 10 their iR-mannered and offen-
sive intrusion, but they seemed deter
mined to accept no rebuff. Lily said that
we had met here the most pleasant and
the most unpleasant persons whom we
had ever seen IN our travels. The
former class, L presume, mainly
embraced Mr.. Gregory.
Ever since Mr.. Smiths visit on the
previous day, my uncle had seemed to
be unusually worried and anxious.
Something had happened AT the office,
It appeared, which caused hm very
great uneasiness, and he kept q constant
watch for the post. Idly and I were
troubled about It, but were hardly pre-
pared Tor -his sudden announcement at
lunch next day, upon receiving letter
from town, that we must pack up at
once and return by the first morning
train.
We had no objection to escape from
the Grices, but, inspite of Mr.. Gregory's
ul-repute for his mysterious arts, we
were very sorry to leave him, to say
nothing of the abrupt and unexpected
termination of our holiday.
The Grices were sitting next TO rs
when my uncle made this anuOunce--
ment, and 1 saw peculiar took of sig
niticance pass between them. Mr.
Gregory was sitting ut the other end of
a long dining table, and quite out of
ear shot, but he came up immediately
rose from the table, and said:
Avery sad thing, this sudden depart
ure of yours
"Mr. Gregory I replied, e.you are
perhaps awarethat you are under grave
suspicious of being IN league with the
powers of darkness, and this Is another
proof. How could you possibly know"
'"0h, i'll news travels fast" he said,
laughing. "Bub IL. Is very hot after
noon. what do you say to a little read
ing?"
Lily here squeezed my arm vigorously,
but 1 answered. - I fear my uncle Will
not let Us go out of his sight. He feels
it his duty to keep special guard over us
while We are in such dangerous com
Dany." ee
"Never fnind, " he said, 81 VIII read
to him as weA.'i
We were nov in the corner of the
near a window looking
out on to q covered balcony winch over
looked the garden. Mymcle cameup and
Mr.. Gregory S courteous greet
ing m a manner which was, fear, not
very gracious.
May l trouble you for the paper
after you, sir ?" he said.
Certainly" was the answer But
may we not enjoy it all together? With
your permission / VIII read aloud TO the
+"
My uncle looked considerably aston.
ished at this unusual proposal Lily
looked up with open eyes and curious
this being not exactly the
kind of reading she had intended. But
the offer was seriously made and re-
peated, and my uncle, who dearly liked
being read to, gave a dubious consent.
Miss Lily, with filfal affection, made
him particularly comfortable IN an arm
chair, and Mr.. Gregory commenced
reading q long, prOsy article on French
politics. He read with anything but hls
usual spirit, and in a soft, low, monoto-
nous voice. The consequence was-as
had possibly been not wholly unforeseen
that my uncle was soon enjoying his
accustomed afternoon siesta. The read
ing, having become gradually slower and
softer, now ceased, and the reader, look
a ulfr9af
adjournment to the garden
Lily and L tried to smother our laugh
ter and look shocked, but we adopted
the suggestion. A book of poetry was
quickly produced. and 1 found that
there is differences between hearing
French politics read in a stuffy drawing
room to a middle-aged gentleman, and
hearing " Enoch Arden read In cool,
shady alcoye, to a pretty, dsrk-eyed,
lovable maiden, with tender bosom heav-
ing in sympathy with poor .Enoch's sor-
rows. especially when the reader is a
handsome young bachelor, with an ex-
quisitely-modulated voice, able to do
full justice to the harmonious numbers of
the Laureate.
At the end of half an hour 1 was
startled by an exclamation from Iilv
L
sitting on a seat under the. trees with
their faces toward us, our dear friends
Mr.. and Mrs. Grice tN4
The gentleman was keeping up, ap-
parently, desultory conversation with
his wife, They waved their hands on
catching our eye, and beckoned to us
to come and join them, which we did not
do.
Mr.. Gregory, instead of going onwith
his reading, continued 10 regard them
intently, and asked us whether we knew
them.
We said, "No."
''Buts they seem to know YOU" he
said.
We explained how they had favored
us with their attentions. To our disan-
pointment, he could not be induced To
VO on with his faadipcr b,7f no oop ts,,,s-I