Bridgeton pioneer., 1884-10-16

set his mind on number twenty-seven
and he must come. If he wanted a
suite of rooms in Buckingham Palace
| should have to get them for him. He
is a man who will not be contradicted.
/ would as soOr put my head in a lions
mouth as 60 and tell him he cannot
come"
But if had let the rooms"
Il really must have turned the peo-
pie out Two of my clerks, and the one
who serves writs on awkward people
he won the amateur champion fighting
belt at eleven stone ten. You will soon
get used to Mr.. Barker and his black
man, my dear, and you will thank me
some day for your lodger."
II should like to consult Mr.. HYDE"
pleaded Mary.
'Mr. Hyde, ah, the doctor, oh, ah,
yes, plenty Of time to consult him, Mrs.
Arthur | daresay he will want you to
take his advice some day, and you will;
oh yes, you will; how is the young man
in the parlors?"
''Mr Parker very quiet indeed, poor
fellow, since they brought him home in
that dreadful state, and painted his
face. He never speaks to them now."
''IIe had better be very quiet, for my
client, John Barker, has Il rooted OBJ
lection to people who are not. He
walks with two sticks, and one of them
is a supple Jack; and if Mr.. Parker
makes noise, he will most likely have
to try a surgical experiment upon him
self"
Mary would have done very much to
oblige her friend, the solicitor; but she
did look forward with some nervousness
and much misgiving to the advent of
the baggage-van and the black man.
Mr. Joyce, with all his oddities, had
been true and thoughtful friend to
Arthur and herself. She tried to think
of that, as six o'clock drew near, and
was ready to open the door herself. The
servant was shut away with little Ar
thur upstairs, so that he should not be-
come too suddenly acquainted with the
man of unfamiliar color
AT six they came-the van, the bag
gage, and the man. 1t was relief to
find that he was not black; he was
powerful, handsome mulatto, very little
darker than an ordinary native of south
ern Africa.
"You are the lady of the house?" he
said, with cllrtesy that would have
set as gracefully on an English gentle
man as it did on him. IF you will
show me my masters rooms, will give
you no further trouble"
You cannot put all that luggage
there" said Mary-"there's not room;
but there is a boX-room at the top of
the house."
eff you will show me my masters
rooms," he said, with smile, II will
see to the luggage. l know exactly
where to place it in each room, and 1
must obey him.
And he went to the van, and began to
unload. Heavy cases, that the carman
and his assistant took from the van
with laboring breath, he swung to his
shoulders easily and carried upstairs
with light footstep. The boxes and
cases were numbered, and he put some
in the front drawing-room, some in the
back. made stack of some more against
the bedroom wall, and built pyramid
on the landing; one huge case like
crate he took down stairs and placed in
the pantry.
''Soup and Chickens" he said to the
wondering cook, curry and chutney,
guava-mangos, chilies, preserves, and
pickles, all for master and cook"
He took out some tins, opened them
with knife made for that purpose, Sc
lected the saucepans, steWpans, and
utensils he required, stirred up the fire,
lighted the gas stove, then went up
stairs, and came down five minutes later
in his shirt-sleeves and snowy linen
apron that reached from his neck to his
feet. The servant, so unceremoniously
turned out OF her own domain, would
have retired full of indignation, but he
stopped her.
You must stay" he said, with an IT.
resistible smile; II shall want you"
And what for, pray, Mr.. Darkey?"
asked the cook, who was ready to resign
her situation on the spot.
''You watch the dishes while pre-
pare the table for my master" he said,
with a roll of the negro in his eyes chat
almost made her shrink. And my
name is Cincinnatus, not Mr.. Darkey.
So you help mel help you, and we
shall be good friends. l have some
pretty things in my trunks, which 1
show you by-and-by."
Half-frightened, half-fascinated, the
cook-a young and very comely woman
of thirty or so-obeyed him, and from
that moment all resistance was at an
end. She was under the spell, as help
less as a bird before a serpent, but he
was harmless kind of serpent.
ITO be COntinnedl