Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1891-10-29
MY GH0STLY COMPANION

Come at once. Mr.. Thomas Warning
ton is dangerously i'll and wishes to see
you"
This was telegraphic message which
received one cold January morning
about six years ago. Surprise was my
chief feeling at the moment, for Mr.
Thomas Warrington had never been
more than name to me, although he
was my uncle. | had never seen him,
and had never felt any particular desire
to do SO, not from any dislike or grudge
bore the old man, but simply because
had forgotten all about him.
Certainly he was my uncle, my ia
theirs elder brother, but for years before
my fathers death there had been feud
between them relating to small estate
which my father claimed and which
my uncle, though rich man with much
property, also claimed. A court of law
settled the matter after much delay and
anger on either side My uncle was able
to pay for expert counsel, my father was
not, for, except this small estate which
caused the quarrel. he had nothing but
the precarious income of an author. My
uncle fought hard, grasping old man
that he was, and won his case But this
had all happened SO long ago, in the days
OF my extreme youth, that | had never
given second thought, certainly never
serious one to the story Hard words
had passed between the brothers, he,
lieve, very hard words, and my uncle
had sworn loudly and deeply that he de.
tested the sight of my father, and hoped
never to set eyes on him or his again ia
long as he lived
Perhaps you think it was unusual foI
young man OF no means never to give
q second thought to an uncle who was
the possessor of money and lands but ii
really is fact, and although my uncle
was rich and childless, knew that be
detested me and my connections, and
his estate was unentailed myself was
a very young barrister, with enough tC
think about, and, up to the present, as
much as could do to get through my
| EXAMINATIONS.
Some friends of mine were talking the
other day about strange things which
had happened to them, and it set me
thinking about the only really strange
thing that ever happened to me, and
record the circumstances, hoping that
some reader may be able to afford me al
explanation.
Well. to go back to the telegram.
was certainly very much surprised, an(
for minute or two stood staring at the
slip of pink paper in an absent minded
sort of way Then it occurred to m'
that was wasting time. The telegram
demanded my presence, and had NJ
time to waste. | looked at my Brad
shaw, found that had an hour before
the next train started, so ate my break
fast calmly, and packed portmanteau
feeling glad for the first time since ha(
become full blown barrister that NJ
pressure of work detained me in town.
soon found corner seat in smok
ing carriage, and resigned myself to 1
fairly long journey on this cold January
day. had taken my place in very goot
time, SO amused myself by watching thu
people hurrying to and fro, and was ;
good deal attracted by white haired
old gentleman who slowly passed back
ward and forward at short intervals be
fore the carriage in which sat, an(
who, every time he passed, seemed tx
look at me with far away expression il
his eyes. | was beginning to feel inter
ested in the old fellow, when the trair
started, and soon forgot all about him
By bad luck the train which hat
managed to catch was terribly SLOW
one, which stopped at almost every sta
ton big and small and was surprised
always to see the same white haired ole
gentleman passing to and fro on thu
platform every time we stopped Eli
never passed without looking at me will
the same faraway expression in his eyes
At the first few stations | scarcely no
ticed him, but after a bit | began tx
wonder who he was and why he paradeC
about in that manner, and took sort O.
lazy interest in him, pitying the poor ole
fellow for having to travel on such 4
bleak day.
The journey was certainly tediou
one, but found good deal to occup.
my thoughts-my uncle, whom ! haC
! meyer seen; the old quarrel; the chance