Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-04-15

parcel under his arm.
"What ha.., he got there?" said some
one.
"All che works of Josephus for ten
penc1," replied Mr. Gregory.
Immediately afterward Mr.. Briggs
entered the room and said to the COM
pany:
"What do you think I have just
bought" to which the general response
was:
"An Josephus for tenpence.
1t turned out that he had just fer
reted it out from a secondhand book
stall.
When questioned about his mysterious
powers, Mr.. Gregory always became
very serious, and gave no information,
but changed the subject as soon as pos
sible.
In consequence of all this, interest,
curiosity, uneasiness, and even alarm,
were in varying degrees excited in 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-
filled will 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. Grice, were excep-
tons to this. Slowly dressed, and loud
in their conversation, they made great
efforts to mix with ease in our company,
and for some inscrutable 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 to their il-mannered and often
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, 1 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 him very
great uneasiness, and he kept a constant
watch for the post. Lily and I were
troubled about it, but were hardly pre-
pared for 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, in spite of Mr.. Gregory's
ll-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 us
when my uncle made this announce
ment, and saw peculiar look of sig
nificance pass between them. Mr..
Gregory was sitting at the other end of
a long dining-table, and quite out of
ear-shot, but he came up Immediately
after we rose from the table, and said:
ga very sad thing, this sudden depart
ure of yours
Mr.. Gregory I replied, 'you are
perhaps aware that you are under grave
suspicious of being in league with the
powers of darkness, and this is another
proof. How could you possibly know?"
ooh, Ill news travels FAST" he said,
laughing. "But it is very hot after
noon, what do you say to little read
ing?"
Lily here squeezed my arm vigorously,
but answered, 81 fear my uncle viii
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
pany."
Never mind" he said, 81 Will read
to him as WELL"
We were now In the corner of the
draWlng-room, near a window looking
out on to covered balcony which over
looked the garden. Myunc1e came up and
returned MIR. Gregory's courteous greet
ing in q manner which was, fear, not
very gracious.
May [ 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 I Will read aloud to the
company"
My uncle looked considerably aston
1shed at this unusual proposal. Lily
looked up with open eyes and curious
expression, 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 dubious consent.
Miss Lily, with filial affection, made
him particularly comfortable in an arm
chair, and Mr.. Gregory commenced
reading long, prosy article on French
politics. He read with anything but his
usual spirit, and in a soft, low, monoto-
nous voice. The consequence wag-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
Ing up, suggested by slight gesture an
adjournment to the garden.
Lily and tried to smother our laugh
ter and look shocked, but we adopted
the suggestion. A book of poetry was
quickly produced, and I found that
there is a difference between hearing
French politics read in a stuffy drawing
room 70 piiddle-aged gentleman, and
herring " Enoch arden read in a cool,
shady oicove, SO pretty, dark-eyed,
IoYabla lpalleu, With tender bosom heav-
ing in syn pathy with poor Enoch's sor-
rows, especially when the reader is