The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-09-26
TEE BLACK BOX.

FERROUS at all, but at the same time am
yery anxious to explain how 1t was that l,
a humble and not altogether solitary Eng
lishman. found myself located in the Hotel
Drei Liebschen at AnnabeTg within a lew
hours of Christmas day.
was travelling alone one summer time
full of health and uneomm0nly full OF
spirlts. and / rasbly cot out of the Rhine
steamer at AunabeTg in order TO pay fly
ing visit to a miniature Paris, hedged round
with avenues and coaseerated to the mill
tary..ard delivered some letters Of intro
ductIon to an enthusiastic English engineer
who was doing his best to make the stolid
Germans energetic and make fortune dur
ing the uneviable process.
Strange to say, be took 20 me. There was
no beating about the bush. We were
friends at orce and a few hours after my
credentials were thrown aside found my
self walking with my arm III Ills toward mat
cOzv and h0SpItaDie mansion IN when he
lived. and where be had introduced that de-
Iightful home feeling and those pieaSant
family associations so dear 70 the English
so strange to the foreign mind.
Here was q miniature English home
planted in a strange laCd, and can tell you
that it was by no means Objectionable to
in the company Of men worth talking u ana
women decidedly worth RdmlrIng.
| am now gradually nearing the point
Before the next sun sank my pOrtmauteRu
was moved up from the hotel 20 my friends
house, and the first night slept under his
hospitable roof l was dreaming strange 10
say. Of his daughter.
There was DO help for IT, Ii was the very
place If all others to make love in. 1t was
The very weather Of all weathers for the
operation.
A home surrounded by wilderness OF
varied trees OyeTTeaching one another, and
making love in their quaint and fancltul
fashion; r lake at the end OF the garden
full OF desolRte weeds, and owning crazy
old boat; a soft croQuet lawn for he more
worldly. and bright flowers for the lovers Of
nature; sun which perpetuallv cleaned
upon the warm white house, and laughter
forever ringing out Of it-sureiy such a
place as this was the one of all others to
ID Ike love in.
They called her Aunabel, and I called her
so first on the brightest of all the moonlight
nights, when half a dozen Of Us had been
frightening the girls in the shrubbery, AID
we found ourselves al0ne-l deny that II
was accident-by the gloomy lake.
There We were. The one word, AnDabe',
came trembling from my lips, and the ole
look which her answering eyes gave me per
spaded me that ! had not made mistake.
We were engaged. and a few days after l
left for England with all the parental diff
eulties got Oyer-the husband that was 10 be
OF as true and sensible and as pure woman
as ever fell t. young fellows l0t
This was in the summer time, and at
Christmas | found myself, of course, at the
Ore Lieb>chen at ADnaberg.
Ii was bitterly cold winter, but needed
Il not. The thought OF seeing her again
almost warmed me- Ny excitement to get
fro y a
all know that pleasant time. these few days
before Christmas, When every cab dashes
past US with q pOTtmanteau on its roof tax
ing little hearts and happy faces to kindly
homes far away.
l was bound FOR Germany and my love.
NV holiday was short. but under the cir
cumstances. where IN the whole world could
Il better be eDt?
And what with sleeping and smoking.
and dreaming and thinking, and hdgeting
and longing, | arrived after midnight on
Christmas eve st the Drei Liebschen.
1t was too late to present myself at the
white house. Besides, l was not present
able ! was dirty, unshaven and woe
bpgOne with constant travelling. a quiet
night al the hotel l thought the best plan,
that | night present myself spick and span
the next morning.
Snch precautions as tEese should never
be forgotten. The female mind is generous
III frequently cODquers generosity. [ deter
mined to be IN the right side Of the edge,
and made up my mind for aTefreshing sleep
at the Drei Liebschen.
But | reckoIed without my host.
1t was after midnight when | drove ap 90
the hotel from the station. aud though as
luck would have ii mine host had not re-
tired for the night | found anything but
pleasant news awaiting me. l was absO-
lutey ihunderstuck. There was no room
in the hotel.
What at this time of the year?">
asked. with something like irritation.
A stupid and very positive ia" an
swered me incontestably.
but have you m corner in which you
can squeeze me for the nights" [ asked.
The landlord consulted the slate. He also
consulted a very sleepy and obstinate ser
vaut-the kind Of a man who seemed de-
termiUed not to smile or be genial, and ap-
peared to take a quiet and fendish delight
in my misery.
Yes; there was one ROOM"
There was one room; but should object?
There was not somebody but something
in 1t.
What is that?" asked curiously.
"a black box"
looked astouishei.
ION, there Is nothing to be alarmed at"
said my host, wondering at the curious ex-
preston my countenance had assumed.
THE fact OF the matter Is this. An officer,
who IS to be attached to the cavalry regi-
ment quartered in the town, telegrsphed TO
me only this morning for particular room.
which he always uses. He said that he
would send on his luggage beforehand, and
arrive by the last train tonight. The lug
gage, consisting Of this one black box, ar
rived. not beforehand, but by the last train,
and as the officer has not, up to this mo-
ment, made his appearance, and as | cannot
Is la ryif
any friends IN the town, there will surely
be no harm 10 yOUr occupying his room"
Accordingly | went very gratefully up to
the bed and too tired even to take the pre-
caution of locking my door, l surveyed the
black .boX for a few minutes, wondered
how officers could use such ridiculous and
unsight!y Golfers for conveying their impedi-
menta, and very shortly after turned into
bed.
i was dead tired, but. strange to say. ]
was restless and could not sleep; indeed, !
was, If anything, overtired. / was excited
with my rapid journey, excited with the
thought Of seeing Annabel. worried with the
prolixity of the landlord, and curious about
the black box.
! was gradually becoming excited about
this box. Ifancied al sorts OF horrors. My
mind wandered from Greenacre, the muir
qerer, TO the horrible Pantin tragedy, from
POrtis TO ueDeard. from the narrative of
the Mistletoe Bough" to the thrilling
tragedy Of the Iron Chest" which had
seen during Mr.. Charles Kean's manage
ment Of the Princess Theater.
And then, l suppose from sheer fatigue,
must have dozed. A sudden and sharp
click awoke mel | sat bolt up in bed and
listened. Not a sound. The box again
fascinated ME; so shrinking down between
the sheets again, | watched it. Slowly
very slowly-inch by inch, saw the lid of
the box move.
There was no use denying i'll was In 3
terrible fright l don't mind the natural
but have holy horror of the super.
natural. l WAS in a feveTed, nervous and
unfortunate state; and in that horrible con
dition between sleeping snd waking
hardly knew what | was about Still tht
lid OF the box rose gradually. There wa
no doubt about it, Then a head appeared
and 1t looked stealthiIy around the room.
instantly l pretended TO fall asleep, ant
gave very good imitation of snore. Tn,
FIFGhNT CThTI0NEpV