Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-01-02
THE GREWSNE Wafer.
He Tells of His Relations With the
Angel of Death.

b1NCtcu u hbbcutAOut aibuOuku WIN "
came the uncomfortable sensation that
! had been stolen upon unawares.
Some one came and stood behind my
chair, and said: i think, sir, you
will find seat over there by the win
dow preferable to this i-rf r.
~ At all times given to be slightly
nervous, | positively jumped on being
thus spoken to, First, say, because
OF the quality of the voice. 1t was
heavy and deep, like one of the bour-
don pipes of an organ, and was of
such volumn and vibrstory power that
it sounded painfully in my ears, as
though this same organ-pipe had been
leveled at them. Then, too, there was
the suddenness Of the thing. TO be
sure, the speaker might have worn
soft slippers, as is the custom of many
walters, but even then there would be
a Shutting sound rs he moved over
The polished wood floor of the great
dining-room.
turned quickly, and then 1t was
his appearance that effaced all pre-
ceding sensations. He was unusually
tall, Of massive though angular frame,
but it was his face that was the point
of attraction. Upon shoulders OF that
peculiar breadth and squareness which
often mark the consumptive, was set a
head of such disproportionate small
ness that it looked like a little apple
on big limb. The face was even
small for the small head, but, as
though nature had been seized with a
ct of whimsical compensation, the
features were grotesquely large. The
eyes, of SO pale blue as to be almost
colorless, occupied such wide space
that they seemed actually to intrude
upon the root of the nose, which jutted
forward like an eagles beak. The
mouth was extensive and ragged in
outline, while the ears stuck out like
the handles of an antique vase. Of
hair he had scarcely any, the few re-
naming wisps being the color of we'll
dried hay. f... "a .onH f'
see | have used the word gro
tesque' in attempting to describe the
mans appearance. This is wrong, for
l should rather have said appalling;
and, as l looked at him, l found my.
self wondering how the shrewd mana
ger of the San Juan Caplstrano Hotel
could have engaged SO repulsive a
creature. Before many days had
passed, however, / found that there
was good reason for the employment,
His service was about as near perfect
as I ever experienced, and l found,
too, that behind this distressing mask
lay an intelligence of a peculiar high
order. aa'.'
4 am the son of an English clergy
man, he told me, one day. I had
spilled the salt, and, as l did SO, I
said: Dear me, that means bad luck,
! suppose
Never mind, sir, he said, throw a
little over yonr left shoulder and say
tAb,acadabra,'
Where in the world did you hear
that form of conjuration? | asked.
In the 'lngoldsby Legends as we'll
as remember he answered, and then
came short conversation on reading
for am not of the exclusive order
out of which grew the remark about
his being the son of an English clergy
man. Es..a
Il know, of course, he said. in that
great below of his, that there is a |
fine chestnuty flavor about this state
ment-still it is strictly true. 1t is al
so true, sir, that you will find my
name on the books of Brazenose Col |
lege, at Oxford
We'll. then, my good fellow I said,
what in the name of all that's un-
pleasant brings you here as waiter at
q California seaside hotel in the dead |
season. s.e.
Drink, was the laconic reply.
.Ah, the old story I said.
NO. he replied, in quite a spirited
manner; 'by no means the Old story
'What Is it, then7' / persisted,
Don't ask me, please, he pleaded,
and in the mirror, which was at the
foot of the taole, | saw that his eyes
were drawn down as if in pain, and
that his huge mouth was all of atrem-
BILE. |
/ was interested, must confess. but,
at the same time, I was also little
chagrlned to think that I might pos.
sibly be allowing a smart imposter to
play upon my feelings. l therefore
shrugged my shoulders with gesture
that meant that something near dis
gust. He was quick to read the sign.
Don't think am attempting to ex-
cuse myself or impose on you, sir,' he
said; let me come to your room this
evening" shall not make the privi-
lege an excuse for the least attempt at
intimacy, sir-and l shall be able to
explain myself fully.
l hesitated moment and then con-
sented.
l was sitting out on the balcony
cigar, listening to the slop-
slop of the Pacific on the sands and
the fog.bank slowly settling
n r