The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-08-07
would DO told him 90, and he thereupon

"young man" in question was likely to cal
shortly. At first refused, but on considera
ton decided to 70 out and have my hair cut
and then return to soc If the young man were
there.
When came back some twenty minutes
later the small Office was full Of people. As
| entered something in the look Of the place
and the attitude of the figures struck me as
familiar But dismissed the idea at once.
The shopman came TO meet mo.
"The young man is here, sir" he said, and
he turned with wave of his hand TO figure
behind him. The figure advanced. 1t was
the figure of good-looking boy rather than
of man, slight and fair, and with the head
n little Dropping As the boy raised his face
70 look at me | started back. Feature for
feature, as clear as it could DO, 1t was the face
! had seen in my dream!
don't know what followed; I don't know
whether my conduct appeared very strange
| don't know what the boy said TO me, or
what | said to him. have only vague idea
that generally assented to everything. And
/ know that when | went home 10 fully
bardano s, ,;ncy Loeb went with me as my
man.
n narrow gorge which runs down straight to
the shore The hill, slope up on either hand,
and end in tumblcl rocks or caycrns where
the sea foam breaks and the sea waves sing.
The old grange i, a rambling house, From
its windows you can look over the beach,
and only the falling garden, separate you
from it, On tho right hand is the library,
which faces down long avenue Of frs to the
SEA, aud beyond the library stretches the de-
serted part Of the house, which for five and
thirty year, have been meaning 10 repair.
The library was rather a gloomy room com
muuiru'.ug only by long passage with the
other inhabited parts Of the house. In
dcol the whole house was rather lonely.
For myself ! never minded that, but fancy
il ,tsuc my new servant rs "A bit solitary and
weird
Now, must tell you about the doings Of
this young fellow \ day or two after my
return, both my mother and | began to no
tico something strange about hum. 1t was
not that | did not like him, for | took
strong fancy to him at once, and here, five
and thirty years after, he lives 10 this day,
less, think, of a servant TO US than a faith
ful and trusted friend. But certainly his be-
hayior was odd and the first thing We OBJ
served was this.
One afternoon ] was sitting with my mother
in the drawing room Ny mother had or
lerrl tea Personally, am afraid of these
drinks and never have taken
10 that sureptitous fashion OF working in an
extra meal in the afternoon. But | was sit
ting with her and talking very disconsolately
= 81. IL.
sydney came in with the cups Of tea on
,ray-a detcstabIe plan Of taking tea If you
must take it, hut one 10 which my dear
mother was partial He handed the tray to
my mother, and he handed it 10 me. Then,
10 our surprise, he walked straight across
The room 10 a hig armchair that stood near
the window, and handed the tray to the
mpty chair, But the armchair, or It's in
visible Occupant, refused it, apparently, and
he man withdrew.
am endowed with large fund Of Scottish
lumor, ami burst out laughing, My mother
va, equally Pcrpexed
He must have thought there was some
,ne sitting there she said "ie must be
very shortsishtci, poor boy, It's very
strange
He must be MS blind rs a bat | an
4worei, "or else has been playing practical
joke on US. Incver saw anything 80 absurd
IN my life"
But IN the next few days was destined to
see stranger things. | asked Sydney If h.
were shortsiShted, but he denied the charge
with warmth. And yet the more | watched
him tho more obvious was it that he was al
ways meeting invisible people. Once, rs !
HANGED TO see him conf x down stairs, | dis
inctly saw him draw back, pressing himself
against the wall, as if to allow an invisible
person to pass Another time / saw him
walk to the front door, open it, and hold it, u
f for an invisible visitor TO pass out. After
hat could stand it no longer. | am the
worst possible hand at fault finding with ser.
wants, but was determined to have an tx.
jlnnation of this So that afternoon | spoke
o Sydney.
Sydney" said, bluntly, care you given to
ceiug ghosts"
~, sir!' he answered, with "A smile Of aston |
shment "No, sir, | never saw IA ghost in my |
ilen
"Then, what do you mean" | broke out,
by behaving III the way you have been
LONG"
The boy started Evidently he thought me
,lr my head. | determined TO speak more
gently.
"Then,n | said, "who was that person you
howed out of the house this morning" !
Knew had him there, for was sure nobody |
lud called.
80, you mean the old gentleman in gray, |
ir' He left no name. thought, sir, he |
cemcd to he at homo in the house; | had
zen him here SO often, SIR
Now it was my turn 10 stare. Twas dlmb-
ounded. literally stammered for want of
words Then showed what | have always
bought was remarkable presence Of mind. |
urned around and walked into the dining
DOM, telling the boy to follow. There
poured out glass of whisky and gave it to
,im
Drink that" said, "and you had better
vt down
Obviously he thought me as eccentric as
hought him. But he merely said, Thank |
you, SIR and drank the whisky.
$40 you feel quite welll' asked frigidly |
"Quito WELL thank you, sir"
Are you subject to decisions or hallucina-
tons"
"No, sir; never sir" he answered promptly, |
with lurking smile which ho vainly tried
10 conceal.
That smile annoyed Inc. l broke out
again:
"Thcn, what on earth do you mean,"
cried, by telling me this nonsense about
gentleman in grayr
Sydney rose. There was some dignity in