The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1883-05-26

play of the unholy phenomenon as she
called it. This was the occasion tbe %, sd9
MIR. Briggs had been seen coming nntbe
walk In great glee with a parcel under
| his arm. "A'N'oi
"What has he got there ?" said some
| one. 'i-i0
"All the works of Josepbus for ton
pence, replied Mr.. Gregory. 1mmedi-
ately afterward MIR. Briggs entered the
room and said to the company: "What
90 you think have just bought? ?" To
when the general response was: IAN
Josephus for ten-pence." 1t turned out
that he had just ferreted it out from a
secondhand book stall.
| When questioned about his nv sterious
powers, Mr.. Gregory always became
very serious, ard gave no information,
but changed the subject as soon as DOS,
sible. - fOe
IN consequence of all this, interest.
| curiosity, uneaslness, and even alarm,
were IN varying degrees excited in the
breasts of the several members of orr
company. Most of the ladies declared
that they were daily expecting something
serious to happen. That those expectaz
IONS were not altogether unfulflled will
now be made plain.
1here were two new arrivals on the
day on which cur story now opens, Our
company had hitherto been pleasant aud
select, but the lady and gentleman who
now came among us, and who were
named Mr.. and Mrs. Grice, were excep-
lions to this. Showily dressed. and loud
liz their conversation, they made great
efforts to mix with ease in our company.
and for some lnscrutable reason seemed
to make special endeavols to become ir-
innate 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 i'll hammered ard often
slve intrusion, but they seemed deter
mined to accept no rebuff Lily said that
we had met here the most pleasant and
unpleasant persons whom we had ever
seen IN our travels. The former class.
L presume, mainly embraced Mr.. Greg
| DRY.
Ever since Mr.. Smiths visit on the
previous day, my uncle he'd seemed to
DE unususlly worried ard anxious
something had happened at the office, it
| appeared, which caused him very great
uneasrness, aud he kept constant watch
for the post. Lily and / were troubled.
but were haidly pieparel for his sud
den announcement at lunch the next
day, upon receiving letter from town,
that We must pack up at once, and re-
turn by the fist morning rr3in.
We had no objection to escape from
the Glices, but III spite Cf Mr.. Greg
OrV q Ill rn1nta 70 he
we were very sorry TO leave him, to say
nothing OF the abrupt and unexpected
termination of our holiday.
The Grlces were sitting next to us
when my uLce made this announce
ment, and L saw a peculiar look of
significance pass between them. Mr..
Gregory was sitting at the other end of
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 depar-
ture of yours"
Mr.. Gregory" [ 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 90
Oh, Ill news travels fast, ;" he said,
laughing. "But it is very bot after
noon; what do you say to little read
ing?"
Lily here squeezed my arm vigorous
ly, but l answered: q 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 ere in such dangerous
company"
8. Never mind" he said; CT will read
to him as well.
We were now in the corner of the
drawing room, near a window looking
ont on a covered balcony which over
looked the garden. My uncle came up
and returned MIR. Gregory's courteous
greetings in a manner which was, fear,
not very gracious.
"May L trouble you for the paper,
after you, sir, he said.
Certainly" was the answer. 4" But
may we not all enjoy it together? With
your permission, 1 will read it aloud to
the company"
My uncle looked considerably aston
lshed 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
beng read to, gave dubious assent.
Miss Lily, with filial affection, made
him particularly comfortable in an arm
chair, and Mr. Gregory began reading a
long, prosy article on French politics.
He read with anything but his usual
spirit, in a soft, low, monotonous voice.
The consequence was Gas had possibly
been not wholly unforeseeD) that my
uncle was soon enioyi ing his accustomed
afternoon siesta. The reading, having
gradually become slower and slower,
now ceased, and the reader, looking up
suggested by a slight gesture an adj
journment to The garden. Lily and !
tried to smother or laughter, and look
ed shocked, but we adopted the sugges-
ton. A book of poetry was quickly
produced, and | found that there is a
difference between hearing French pol
tiles read in a stufy drae igg-Io1m to
middle-aged gentleman, aad heating
'Enoch Arden" real IN a cool, shady
| alcove, TO pretty, dark eyed lovable
maiden, with tender bosom, heaving in
| sympathy with poor Enoch's sorrows,
especially when the reader is a hand
some young bachelor, with an exquis-
itely modulated voice, ablo TO do full
| justice to the harmonious numbers of
the laureate.
At the end of half an hour I was
| startled by an exclamation from Lily.
Looking up, L saw in the garden below,
sitting on a seat under the trees, with
their faces toward us, our dear friends
Mr.. and Mrs. Grice. That gentleman
was keeping up apparently desultory
conversation with his wife. They waved
their hands on catching our eyes, and
beckoned to US to come and join them.
which we did not do.
Mr.. Gregory, instead of going on with