News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-07-12
AN EVIL SPIRIT.
by GEORGE D. SPARKS.

j lrecelyed one morning, a year or Sc
ago, an invitation from an old school.
mate whom had not seen since leaving
college, to come and dine with him al
his residence on Staten Island.
Alfred Nacray and | had been good
though not intimate friends at college.
Macray was hardly the sort of maa
you could make chum OF; yet for all
that we enjoyed each others society.
After the gates of our beloved Alma
Mater had closed behil d US, our patbs
had diverged. At first wanted TO try
literature, but the desire did not last
long; gave it up and drifted into com
merclal life. In fact | was at present
holding seat in one of the Exchanges.
AS for Alfred Gacray his course had
been very different. After graduation
he had been elected to ell a fellowship
IN letters in his Alma Mater; after hold
ing the fellowship year he had gone
abroad to study and had remained ever
since. He had only published one vol
ume as yet. 1t was on some literary
topic, ''Studies in the Renaissance" /
THINK 1t was. | had bought the book,
LOT the authors name on the cover.
Whether my years spent in commercial
pursuits had dulied my sense of literary
perception do not know, but | remem-
Der yawnlng over the book, ALTHOUGH
made it point to tell all nv friends
that 1t was beautifully written. While
Macray was abroad | had been told that
he had come into q fortune, but that was
! all had heard of him for more than five
| years. took up the letter of invitation
and re-read it:
We have moved to Staten Island. do
not know whether you have heard of my
marriage or not. have been rnarr:eI nov
over a year. met her first in Heidelkerg
two years ago. she is a T8cstoniar ssbt, ,Tvass
a Miss Creighton. have chosen Staten Isl
and because 1T is quiet ami it is near New
York. have brought with me from abroad
a large amount of material which, when l
have time, am going to work into a book
etc, etc.
made up my mind to go, and sitting
down at once wrote a letter accepting
the invitation for the following evening.
AS | stepped out on the platform Of
the Staten Island Raj road the next
evening, | saw a tall figure, which | rec
ognIzed at once as Aacray. We were
soon shaking hands warmly; then he led
me 10 his carriage and we drove rapidly
/ to his house.
found my friend more fascinating
/ than ever. l had always admired him,
| but now fresh from years spent abroad,
] aAhSA nav WIN ali SUI u dlIIl
conditions of men, he was to me quite
irresistible.
Wewere COOL half hour in the car
riage before we entered the orive to
Burnver House.
We were warmly welcomed by Mrs.
| Macray. | confess | had been anxious
to meet her, for / knew Macrav was very
fastidious.
She was slightly above the medium
height with a very pretty figure, dark
hair and brown eyes. Her manners were
charming, but then no one could reside
long with Macray without insensibly ac-
euiring that characteristic.
After dinner, Macray and | fingered
over our cigars, talking over our old
college days. Finally at Macray's sug-
gestion we djourned to the library. 1t
had originally been, | was told, an artists
studio, the principal light coming from
above; but there were also windows on
two sides. There was an enormous fire
| place, with logs ready to be lighted, and
| easy chairs were scattered about; several
beautiful paintings hung on the walls,
with here and there a delicate etching;
and as for books, they were everywhere.
A true book lovers paradise. Macray
and | were so busy looking at his
"beauties, " as he called his books, that
we did not hear a slight step.
MAY / come inY'
''Ah. Madgc, is it you? 1t is too bad
to have neglected you; but you know
when get among my books l generally
forget everything else"
"Yes, l am getting decidedly Jealous
of them" said his wife.
"Well, Madge, We'll join you in Just
two minutes. | must show Jack that
Cruikshank I picked up in London"
"Only that one, remember" and she
left u.s.
Macray had taken down small port
folio and was showing me a sketch by
that inimtable caricaturist in his best
manner. 1t was that of parish beadle
he must have been the original of Mr..
Bumble-loOking at some small boys
who had unfortunately dropped a marble
during service in church. l remember
laughing heartily at the wonderful ex-
preston in the eyes of the beadle; the
artist had thrown into them a whole
world of comicality. Not hearing Mac
ray speak for a few moments | looked at
him and was surprised and shocked 10
see that his face was blanched and with
the hardest look of despair on it that /
| ever saw. lie nau WltnufaWD Il IOOC OF
so from me and had the appearance Of
listening. | was on the point of asking
him if he was i'll, when heard steps in
the outer hall and an odd Wheeling
sound as if somebody had the asthma.
The door was presently pushed open and
an old settler crawled into the room.
The noise was now explained-it was
the old dog. l again looked at Macray /;
the look of despair had faded out of his
countenance and he was once more him
self.
That is a capital illustration of
Cruikshank genius, IS it notI' he said,
coming hastily to me.
'it is So" | replied.
Just then we heard music, and stch
music
"It is Madge, playing. Come, - and
his face was aglow with emotion. 1--WE
will ioin her." We did so.
"If there is one thing, Mrs. Macray, l
shall insist upon, it is that my wife shalI
be able to play on the piano, " said,
when she had finished a piece by Rubin
stein.
''You are right, old boy" said Mac
ray. Il do not think | could exist
without music; one needs it almost as
much as meat and drink.
We talked late into the night; but all