Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1895-03-21

sion of the room. But when thi:
and several more months passed
without other sign or representa-.
tive of Mulford than the regular
letters inclosing the bills, the rem
tai of the upper chamber became a
sensation.
AT last, however, one early De-
cember afternoon a little old man
appeared, bringing from Mulforl
note which stated his wish that
Mrs. Prowitt would place in his
room the article which the bearer
would deliver, and to have the room
kept ready for occupancy. The
little old man was quite odd. He
was much bent and very gray. His
left eye was blind; but the right,
restless and twinkling, together
with his whole countenance, made
Mrs. Prowett think he could tell a
great deal, if so minded. He was
not so minded, however, and her
questions elected only amusement,
to which his blindness lent the ap-
pearance of continual winking.
The article he brought was large.
three-fold japanese screen, decora-
ted with birds, reptiles, and ami
mails disporting themselves on sa-
bic ground. After the old man
had gone, and Mrs. Prowitt had set
the screen in Mulford's room. she
went down to the tables to express
her opinion that japanese screen
was a queer article for a young man
to send, and the boarders agreed
with her so strongly as to repair to
the apartment to inspect it. The
screen was ordinary, yet extraord1-
nary. and curiosity played about
the bamboo frame as whimsically
as the golden decorations within it.
a satchel, or a trunk, or even a
chair would have aroused simple ex-
pectation; but japanese screen,
though not uncommon in a bed
room, suggested something so de-
cidedly out of the commonplace
that Mulford's advent was awaited
with lively interest. Aweek passed,
however, and though Mrs. Prowitt
kept gas burning in the evenings,
had fresh water put daily in the
pitcher, and hung clean towels upon
the rack, neither milford nor his
friend appeared.
For twelve days she had these
preparations made; but upon the
thirteenth Mulford's friend came.
1t was half-past eight when the
maid admitted him to the parlor.
At this hour all the dodgers we're
out pursuing their various pas
times, except John Baylor, who was
practicing upon his clarionet in his
room.
Mrs. Prowitt went to the parlor,
expecting to find young man of
Mulford's age, but she was surpris-
ed to see gentleman of probably
60. He was, however, well pre-
served and active, and was dressed
very much better than any one she
had ever lodged. There was an un-
mistakable air of the avenue about
him that set Mrs. Prowitt to think
ing she had seen him before, and to
wondering where it had been. lie
carried a bulging blue bag of heavy
material, and his whole bearing and
appearance were those of busy
lawyer.
Mrs. Prowitt made these obserya-
tions distinctly, as was her habit;
but later occurrences indented them
in her mind. In relating exactly
how the old lawyer entered the par
lor, how he talked, and in describ.
ing him, she always had difficulty
putting one fact into words.
Somehow" she always said, she
made me creep. lie sat right in
front of me, and he seemed to be
there like any other man, but there
was something or other about him
that made him seem unreal, q kind
of a strange shadow of rich old
man had seen upon the avenue.
His voice, too, sounded kind of un-
natural; something like an echo Of
a real voice speaking away off some
where. l thought az first he was
only absent minded, but the more
! looked at him, the more plainly |
saw that there was something about
him | could not explain, and can't
now"
He gave her a note in Mulford's
hand, merely introducing him as q