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

1t Is very remarkable, said nv
uncle, as Mr.. Gregory left the room.
1t Is very mysterious" said Lily,
with strong emphasis on the adverb.
To me, observed an elderly lady
boarder, it appears to be something
worse than mysterious /; and, without
making any assertions, / would at least
caution YOU, my dear, against any closer
intimacy with one who seems so often to
be possessed of information in manner
of which there Is no conceivable natural
explanation"
- 1t reminds me most, said the Rev.
Mr.. Briggs, ''of certain cases, un-
doubtedly well authenticated, in which
the existence of the so-called second
sight has been demonstrated in very
singular manner.
"And," ;" added my uncle, although
many of the professors of Spiritualism
have been proved impostors, it by no
means follows that all"
Eyes, yes, broke in our lady friend.
"but We all know that people once had
dealings with familiar spirits. and never
could find any proof that this kind of
thing has ever ceased, and therefore, as
said before, very strongly caution
you"
"Hush p cried several voices. Here
he comes"
My uncle, my Cousin Lily and were
staying at boarding-house at the sea-
side, and among a somewhat numerous
company was a certain Mr.. Gregory.
We had made his acquaintance on the
night of our arrival in rather coraical
manner. He was passing our room Just
as LILY was calling to me in tone of
woful despair that she had broken the
key in the lock and could not get out
Through the key-hole he had volunteered
his services as an amateur loek-picker.
and released us from our imprisonment.
This introduction had served quite as
well as much more formal one would
have done to inaugurate what promised
70 be pleasant seaside acquaintance.
NOW ON tlrst sight he certainly present
ed very little appearance of beng sus-
plcious or dangerous character. He was
young man of some 25 years of age.
with bright, frank expression and a
gleam OF mischief in his eyes. He was
exceedingly intelligent and well in
formed, and, though rather retiring in
the mixed company of our establish
ment, could, we discovered, sing well,
read well and talk well. Without in
truding himself upon us, he had made
himself very agreeable to US two girls
and we had surmIsed that ne was q
6slSIsassional man suffering from
i ----,lk, who had come down to re-
cr1iit his health. But we are often
warned against judging from appear
ances, and he had during the past few
days manifested a very remarkable
power of clairvoyance or second sight,
or whatever else you like to call it,
Which had created a great sensation
among us.
On the previous day, for instance, my
uncle had met gentleman at the sta
ton and had brought him home to din
ner. We saw them walking slowly up
the garden together in conversation, and
Lily had exclaimed:
"Who on earth is this ?"
Mr.. Gregory looked and said
"His name is Smith, and he is return
ing to town by the midnight train"
"You know him p
"Never saw him in my life before, Z"
was the answer.
Sure enough his name proved to be
Smith, and he returned to town that
night after long private interview with
my uncle; nor had he, ne told US in
answer to our inquiries, ever seen or
heard of Mr.. Gregory before.
On Saturday morning, also, the Rev.
Mr.. Briggs, taking a walk on the beach,
meditating on his Sunday text, had en-
countered Mr.. Gregory, who volunteered
information as to the said text, with
chapter and verse all correct, to the
petrifaction of the reverend gentleman.
On another occasion, when our elder
ly lady friend mentioned that she had
been out making small purchase, Mr.
Gregory informed us soto Uoce that a
bottle of hairwash constituted the pur-
chase in question. This communication
was very unfortunately overheard. Its
correctness was not at the time definite
ly established, but it was shortly after
this that she first propounded her own
particular theory on the subject, which