Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-11-16
TIE EVENT OF OUR LIVES.

We were also rich, and when one has love
and wealth, not counterbalanced by bad
health or bad temper, one has pretty nearly
everything that can render life delightful.
We had, indeed, only one subject of COM
plant: sometimes we found existence a
trife monotonous.
81 think" my wife would say, yawning
81 really do think life is too uneventful.
1t is quite stupidity fiat. Why doesn't
something interesting happen?"
''Well, what should you like?" 1 would
reioin. "Shall 1 hire an assassin to stab
me at Inc opera? or a gypsy to steal the
children? Or"
'Nonsense" cried she, laying her pref
ty hand on my lips. '''Of course [ don't
mean anything fearful and hideous like
murder and kidnapping l don't know
what l mean anything would do, so long
as it was exciting and unusual"
This, however, was the one thing in
which l couldn't crafty her, for one can't
buy unusual events by the ounce, or keep
them bottled in ones cellar. So l tried to
assuage her longing with philosophy.
1--WE are both young" l said. "Who
knows what may happen before we keep
our golden wedding? We must wait"
"Waitl" exclaimed my wife eyes, the
end of the world is coming, but we shan't
see it."
Time, however, proved that l was right.
One day she received the following letter
from her only brother, in Australia:
Ny Dear Lucy: have just nursed back to
life, after long and dangerous brain fever, my
great friend, &c srge stormont, and as the doc
tors concur in saying a sea voyage is the best
thing for him, mean to put him on board the
Mount Vermont on the 2Sth and ship him off to
England His only relation a married sister, lives
in Scotland, so l am desiring HIM to go straight
to you, as | am sure you Will be willing to put
him up for short time, till he Is equal TO long
railway journey, and feel confident you and
Frank viii pay him all the attention you can
for my sake.
Ifhe RECEIVERS on the voyage, you will find
him sociabe and agreeable and up to every
thing; but the doctors tell me that he may not
be quite himself Tor some months, and if so, you
Will find him as he is nova silent individual,
rather eccentric, preierring solitude, aud al
ways incoming about the place and wandering
into rooms where he has no business. But one
must excuse the vagaries of an invalid and
trust that you and Frank will bear with him,
as said before, for my sake.
No more now, as 1 am busy with my usual
avocarons, and extra busy looking after Stor-
mont. With much love to you ALL ever your
P. S.-stomont viii arrive fortnight after
this letter.
He came, however, that evening. We
were astonished, but we FASTENED to wei
come him, and found him in the study-a
small, spare man, with a short dark beard,
and cropped black hair. He rose slowly
from the easy chair in which he was seated,
and looked at us foolishly.
"IVe ara very Glad IN sop vou Mr. Stor-
mont" said l, taking his hand. "How are
you? Better, l hope"
'Not much" said he in a wearied tone,
and putting his hand on his head.
Country air will soon set you up" said
I. GLOW did you leave Edgar ?"
Edgar wrote you were coming by fhe
Mount Vermont but surely she isn't in
yet% remarked Lucy.
81 got off earlier than | had dared to
hope" said Stormont. "In the Monte Rosa
there was berth, and it was thought bet
ter that should not delay"
THAT was the mail which brought Ed
CARS letter?' said Lucy.
EYES," said Stormont.
After that he relapsed into silence, and
we could only extract monosyll3bic answers
from him We saw that he was fatlgued,
and presently showed him to his rooms
two apartments on the ground floor,
WHICH Lucy's thoughtfulness had provided.
"My wife faneied you might like to be
saved the stairs" l said.
He thanked me warmly.
at was very kind of Lady Dennis" he
said. 81 sleep badly, and often take walk
in the early morning, so this will suit me
exactly, as 1 shall be able to leave the
house without disturbing any one"
"Take care none of my servants mistake
you for burglar" said, laughing.
ooh, they won't do that" he returned,
with a smile
Sc | left him, and as he was very quiet
and taclturn, and his brain evidently still
extremely weak, Lucy and found that his
presence made very little difference TO us.
"Don't mind me" he said the next day.
az feel exhausted, and conversation tires
me. But / am not ILL., and you will please
me best and serve me most if you will let
me go my own way and not concern your
selves about me"
So we left him to follow his own devices,
and as he preferred to have his meals in
his own room we saw very little Of him.
"Its too bad" Lucy said to me. 81 did
think Mr. Stormont would have been an
exciting element. hoped we should have
had the house crowded with nurses and
brain specialists, and that perhaps he
would have gone suddenly mad, and you
would have restrained him in some heroic
manner. Instead of which he is as hum
- drum as possible. AT least he might have
gone little crazy"
swell, he may yet" said l. Gle has
only been here a week to-day"
That evening johnson demanded all in
terview of me.
'sWell, johnson ?" ! said to this old and
faithful domestic.
ppm not easy about Mr.. Stormont, Sir
Francis" said johnson, carefully looking
over his shoulder, though he had as care
fully closed the door behind him when he
entered.
"What about Mr.. Stormont ?" I in
quired.
"Hes an uncommonly queer gentleman,
Sir Francis" replied johnson. Several
nights I've found him wandering about
my pantry, and yesterday he frightened
Mrs. Rowe out of her wits by coming in
when she and me was holding cOnfden-
tial communication in the housekeeper's
room. Mrs. Rowe's heart is weak, Sir
Francis
| couldn't help smiling, for it was no
secret where the weakness in Mrs. Rowes
heart tended.
"What explanation did Mr.. stormoat
offer ?" | asked.
'None. Sir Francis" said johnson. "He
put his hand to his head and looked be-
wildered, and then went of He's been
caught up stairs by the girls Just the same,
and Jane met him at your dressing-room
door. And it makes it worse because he
walks so soft. We amt none of US angry
with the poor gentleman, Sir Francis, but
we think he's stark mad and we think
there'll be murder if he amt looked sharp
affar .