The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1884-06-04
FOR SALE, OR TO LET.
ny LUCY RANDALL cOMFOnr.

A portly old gentleman, with n gold
headed cane, buff waistcoat, and
clean.shaved double chin, stood on the
Threshold.
''ls this Mr.. Philo Pratt's Officer"
said he.
The real estate agent scrambled to his
feet at once.
'Tm from New York." explained the
old gentleman. "My name il Drake.
I'm tired OF the city, and contemplate All
entire change Of location. ] wish to
rent desirable residence for one year,
with the privilege Of purchasing. Can
you recommend any such ?"
'Joyce," said Mr.. Pratt, to his clerk,
"harness the horse at once. Any such,
my dear Birp Scores of such. The
neighborhood Of Amman Water il, 40 TO
speak, alive with EN-"
But late III the afternoon the old horse
and his two passengers came back, weary
and dispirted. Not one Of the "desir.
able places" shown by Mr.. Pratt had
suited tho stout old gcntlcman's capri.
cious fancy.
"1'm sure, sir, ! don't know what
more yon can ask" said the real estate
agent, almost in despair.
81 can't make you comprehend INV
idea,' said the old gentleman, in pas.
sion. 81 don't want any of these new
tangled villas and modern band.boxes
want Antiquity. ! want Age. must
have something mysterious, secluded,
Out OF tho common channel. DO | sue
coed in making myself understood p
"Ihem amt the kind Of houses we
have on our list" said the real estate
ngent, in some disgust. But the clerk
looked up from tho slate on which he
had been conducting II private game of
fox and geese.
"How would Desperation Hall do,
srT said he, in n confidential under,
tone to his principal.
desperation Hall p repeated Mr..
Pratt, aghast
desperation Hall IA taking name,
that + said the old gentleman, eagerly,
Where il itp What il it ?"
ITS antique enough to suit any one"
said Mr.. Pratt, slowly chewing straw,
''and tumble down enough, and mys
terious enough; but don't s'poso any
one would want to 1.-Two in it,"
II should spoSc it was Just tho sort
OF place the gcnlcma would want, sir"
said Eben Joyce, plausbly
Lets go and look Mt Desperation
Hall, by all means said Mr.. Drake.
selzing his gold-headed cane aud re'
placing his hat on his bend.
Desperation Hall was three miles off
the high road-a long gray stone house,
big enough for barracks aud lonely
enough Tor prison. II stood on the
very brink OF II brawling stream, shut in
by moss.cnamcllcd rocks, AMI over.
shadowcd by dense growth of Norway
spruoes, ccdnrs, and dropping hcmlocks.
Most of the window.panrs were broken:
green mould covered tho door stone, and
rs you catered the porch n sort of chill
seemed to descend on you, as if You
wero passing under the arch OF vault.
In tho centre of tho wecdy garden mil |
hewed statue had tumbled down into the
box border, and broken its most promi.
nent features, n sun.dial was sunk in
one.siied imbccility in n wilderness of
rahh-g growing blue irises, and struggling
rose-trees had woven succession of
man'trnps across the path.
"De.llghIful T. said Mr.. Drake, OK.
ultantly, III ho looked ut the frowning
gray facaae of the house on ono side
the blood.red glimmer of tho twilight
on the other, and listened to the rest,
less roar and rush of the chatting stream,
and the sorrowful murmur OF the pines
overhead,
"Tastes differ" said the real estate
agent, with little shudder, as he but
toned his coat closer.
why didn't you bring mo here be.
fore ?" said Mr.. Drake.
Didn't suppose tho place would
suit, said tho agent.
ut suits exactly, declared Mr..
Drake. "Here | find everything that
! .reqnirc-the Mysterious, tho Unccr.
tain, the Possible, the"
IT'S very much out OF repair, SIR"
'uggested Mr.. Pratt, poking with his
tick at loose stone in the cellar wall.
"Ihat signifies nothing cheerfully
ttered the old gentleman. "Ruin sue. /
ests antiquities. What would Thebcs 3
o without its ruined columns, Rome b
1thout its Coliseum ?"
I'm sure ! don't know, sir" said tho ii
,al estate agent. G,
Lets go in, said Mr.. Drake. "You d.
ave, got the key, haven't you ?" CT
I'm afraid the house liz damp, air" 10
I'D his cicerone, with evident reluct a,
nee. "
"Well, we'll, we won't stay long" said b,
II; Drake, his joyous alacrity increasiug A,
nth every step. III shall have roaring n,
'ood fires upon every hearth before Nv, d
@ in possession twenty. -four hours ii,
'htirty acres Of woodland with the place nc
think you mentioned Dear mo wood he
i'll be no consideration at all. So this IL wi
cooperation Hall, liz It? But wbp Ii,
Desperation 2'-stopping short in n ..
eat empty room, whose Fireplace was =, ~
70 a cavern, and whose foliated plaste, y,
mice, once deliberately wrought, was a.
,mbled away. q
use on the top Of hill can look cheer m
but 1t takes rare combination Al a,
to make q place thorough cl
gloomy" HI
ne real estate agen. began to feel q