The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-08-29

"You will go / supposed" said Willis
Howard, to whom Mr.. Byron presently
showed his note.
''Of course; one cannot refuse such
summons. 1t is probably aquestion of
life and DEATH.
II am due at Uxmore tonight -rath-
er different errand from yours-a
masquerade party. I'm sorry we are
not travelling in the same direction"
Il am sorry also. Do you know any,
thing Of the people at NARROW Hall.
Howard?"
s.Never had heard of them before.
Are they strangers to you?"
Entirely So
''Now goodbye, old fellow; my traps
are all slowed away in the train, and l
had better follow them. Take care of
yourself among those mysterious
strangers. !"
In the hustle and confusion at the sta
ton Mr.. Byron's sachel was mislaid,
but he presently caught sight of the
familiar object on distant table, and
felt inwardly thankful for its ungainly
proportions and the huge brass dia-
mond which made it so easily recog-
nized.
At Portland respectfully dressed
man in charge of a wagonette came for
ward to meet Mr.. Byron, and, during
the drive to the Hall, the former dis
coursed freely upon the existing state
| Of affairs there. A son and heir to the
fine estate had arrived, and there had
been great rejoicing, but within the
past twenty-four hours their joy had
been turned to mourning by dispatch
summoning the newly-made father to
the death-bed of his only sister in Ger
many. The young mother seemed to
feel presentiment of misfortune, and
she insisted upon the young baby being
baptized before the departure of its
father. The clergyman of the parish
was temporarily absent, hence Mr.. By
ron's hasty summons. The ceremony
would be performed in the chapel con-
nected with the Hall. and would be
very quiet, being witnessed only by the
father and grandfather of the child,
with possibly one or two guests.
| After lunching in a somber, richly
decorated dining hall, Mr.. Byron was
shown to bedroom, with the intima-
ton that his services in the chapel
would be required in an hour if con-
venient to him.
There was something strange and in
terestiEg about the fine old mansion, so
lately scene of rejoicing, and now 81,
lent as an empty church. No members
OF the family were visible, and the great
house seemed deserted, save for a few
silent footed servants.
i AS the time for the baptism drew
near, Mr.. Byron asked to be conducted
to the vestry room. To make sure that
everything was in readiness he opened
his sachel, when, to his CONSERVATION,
instead of drawing forth a neatly folded
surplice, he held up before his aston
ished gaze doublet and hose of scarlet
and gray satin, such as might be seen
on the stage in Gas You Like It."
/ Alas for the veracity of Messrs. Piper
and Tipson and the credulity of the
worthy Mrs. Minis. The so-called
unique bag had many duplicates, and
Mr.. Willis Howard had bought one that
very morning in which to stow away
his fancy ball costume.
/ Here was q predicament indeed for
Rev. Julius Byron In desperation he
flew to the wardrobe ia the vestry-
room. Vain hope. Not shred of the
other clergyman's yestments hung
there. What was to be donep Even if
| in extreme cases the ckgych rules per-
mitted the clergy to oaiciate without
robes in the sacred ediGce-and for a
moment Mr.. Byron was too bewildered
to think whether this would be permits
sible or not-how could he explain the
annoying mistake to those strangersp
They, already SO troubled, would think
him an untrustworthy, careless trit1er.
In his perplexity be rang for the man
who had already waiSed on him.
Ills there a lady in the house with
whom I could speak for few mo-
mentsp" Mr.. Byron asked.
my mistress cousin is here; but she
does not leave the invalids rooms for
anything just at present"
Then | will write my message in
note"
He stated the case as clearly as he
could on paper, and dispatched the SER
want with it. In answer the lady sent her
maid to inquire If search had been made
everywhere in the vestry-room for a
Their search wSs useless.
After some moments of, to him, ter
rible suspension the time was almost
come for him 20 appear in the chapel
the maid returned, and, with deep
bushes and nervous twitching OF her
apron hem, began:
''My young lady told me to tell you,
Sir, that, if you would not think it any
harm, shs would send you her
Oh, no. don't mean that, sir! She
said | was not to say who it belonged
to, but she would cut the bands off the
sleeves and the lace from the neck, and
it would be long, and nobody would
notice that it was a night-gown, sir;
and, if you didn't mind, sir, would 60
and fetch it at once, for there is no
time 80 lose."
The girls concluding remarks were
only too true; and, however much he
might have hesitated at her suggestion
in cooler moments, he was thankful
now for any solution of the difficulty.
''Iell your mistress that / shall be
very grateful for the loan She proposes,
if she thinks the deception will not be
discovered"
The servant vanished, and was soon
ON the spot again with snowy linen
pight-gown. The neck at the back had
bsen torn down to admit broader
shoulders, and linen handkerchief had
Leen hastily stitched in to hide the rent.
Most of the ornamentation had been
cut away; but enough remained to
prove that the garment belonged to a
| lady of very dainty tastes.
Thankful for this semblance of sur
plice, and too hurried to feel amuse-
ment, Mr.. Byron arrayed himself, en-
tered the chaneel, and the service be-
gan at once. He observed with sigh
Of thankfulness that the chapel was
very dark; and this enabled him to read
without much nervousness. Two gen
tlemen came forward with the baby and
its nurse, and for brief time during
| he no 81