The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-12-29

| ''InaJ nlgHE BrBab SIOTiu VI WIN anu
rain broke over the Towers; my window
| was burst OPEN my light eXtingulshed, and
| the ma-ches always kept to my hand were
wet and useless. For the second time in my
| life the luminous haze rolled out before me,
and through il there appeared very small
room with one narrow window, the lower
sash of which was thrown up-a lumber
room apparently, with one pare table in the
center, few broken chairs piled up in the
| corners, some dirty looking prints in black
! frames on the walls, and great glass case
| full of stuffed birds, some tumbling and
some tumbled from their perches, and all
| 10 the last stage of dilapidation and decay.
| When all this was clearly developed the
| shadowy forms of a man and a woman ap
| deared dimly, and could see that their out
| lines agreed with those of two of the family
portraits Sir George had pointed out to me-
| But, happening at that moment to turn my
| head, | saw thin stream of light shining
| through chink in the door. / reached it at
a bound, and, catching up lamp some one
| had left burning on the stairs, returned to
my room to find every thing as usual. | told
| Sir George and we thoroughly explored the
deserted wing of the Towers, but could find
no room in the least resembling the one Of
my vision"
AS 1 concluded, pageboy brought in
coffee, and when had drunk mine the cur
ious feeling of constraint under which l had
been speaking passed off, and l said quite
cheerfully: There, Mr.. Pallatti, 1 have
made a clean breast of it, and now. what do
| you prescriber"
"a dog" said Mr. Pallatti.
"What! to eat2" laughed.
''No TO sleep with. There is no cure but
death for the wonderful giftof second sight,
and it is gift, if too much used, full of
danger to brain and nerves. But proven
ton is better than cure; so buy a little dog
and let him lie at the foot of your bed, and
you viii not be troubled by visions again.
even fyour light does go out"
We parted with mutual promises to meet
soon, but was ordered away on duty, and
it was six months before l saw him again.
l had just returned to London and was
intending to look him up, when l received
letter from Sir George Gillingham, begging
! me to so at once to the Towers on a matter
of the deepest Importance. lost not
minute in obeying the summons. and full
of anxiety and misgiving that something
was very wrong, arrived at the Towers as
the dressing gong for dinner was sounding
Sir George met me as | drove under the
great portico He looked so worn and
harras5ed that could not hep whispering.
'Good Heavens, Sir George, what is it?
Has that question to the title-deeds cropped
up again, after all?'
Yes, it has, with a vengeance" said Sir
George, "but so dress now, and meet us in
the diningroom. There are no ladies-only
Pallatti, who sayshe has met you before"
| entered the diningroom with the soup,
and shook hands cordially with Pallatti He
and were in ordinary evening dress, but
Sir George was arrayed as for some great
state function. He wore black knee brooches
and silk 81 - ings and great diamond buck
les in his y IS, the broad ribbon of the
Bath crossed his white waistcoat, ami he
wore half dozen orders as well. He had
brought his chef down with him, and we sat
down to a dinner fit for the gods. The wine
he gave US was scarcely ever brought out
except when some royal prince accepted
the hospitality Of the Towers for night,
and was almost priceless. l knew it and
Mr., Pallatti soon found it out, and our eyes
twinkled. Sir George saw it and was glad.
He drank to each of US in the old-fashioued
way and said Il am making little feast
tonight, my young friends, for reasons of
| my own. It is the old story let US eat drink
and be merry for to-morrow-we to-mor-
row We'll do the same, let us hope" he said,
! turning it off with a laugh.
Mr. Pallatti was certainly well worth
good dinner. Without seeming to monopo-
lie the conversation, he always had some
thing original to say upon every topic that
was started, and his fun and wit were so
keen and spontaneous that our solemn little
dinner party became quite a rollicIing at
fair Amongst the subjects we discussed
was the last new tricl, Of the last new con
jurer, which was pulling all London and
giving learned judges and doctors aud par
sons seepless nights in the endeavOr to find
it out
| "Why, don't you know how that is done?r
said Mr.. Palatti, and he proceeded to solve
the riddle in dozen words.
"Most extraordinary! exclaimed Sir
George. DO you mean to say you found it
out yourselGf'
eyes" returned Pallatti; "the very first
time | went. There never has been and
never viii be a trick OF any kind that am
unable to unravel. l suppose it is a kind of
gift, but l have never made any use Of it
except sometimes to have little fun" And
he gave me peculiar look out of his black
eyes.
Exposing al rascally fortune-telling and
rapping and table turning and such knaver.
| les, suppose" | observed, composedy.
"Quite so,' replied Pa'latti, dryly.
"And now, gentlemen" said Sir George
as the last bottle Of claret was emptied, and
we were ashamed even to lock as if we
! should like some more, IF you please we
will take our coffee in the dining-room, a;
there are no ladies' there" and he rose from
the table and walked toward the door AS
we followed Pallatti whispered in my ear:
''Mr. Houghton, I should like to be modern
| Clarence and be drowned in hundred
dozen Of that claretn
TO my surprise Sir George led the way to
| the great state drawiug-room, and as we
entered perfect blaze Of splendor was be-
| fore us. The huge saloon, with its frescoed
ceilings and profuse gliding, was lighted up
| by hundreds Of wax cand es in great chande-
liers in sconccs, brackets, and lusters; the
walls were entirely covered by full-length
portraits of old Gillinghams over each
| portrait powerful lamp and reflector threw
so strong light that every gallant knight
| and gentle dame seemed to have come to
life and be gazing at the black-coated
intruders into their gay assembly. Two
enormous Eres were burning, one at each
end OF the room, and before one of these
! Sir George stood and motoned US to be
seated. He looked so grand and so stately,
and the brillidnce of the scene was so over
powering, that Pallatti and listened for his
! Nypr1g wit N - blvd of