The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-08-18

not know what was 10 be eaten and what
was not TO be eaten but beneath the care
/ Of the count he became a hrst-rate ser
want. The ..untsman was very mad in
deed when he came here; he would, in
/ fact, bite anybody and scratch. but now
he is cured with the exception Of an insane
| pride which he preserves. The valet was
brought here as a hopeless maniac, but
now you would notice nothing peculiar
about him II he could give over laughing.
II was a queer fancy on the part OF the
count TO import all these people here;
but IL was a humane and noble piece OF
work which few would care to under
take. I am astonished that the lawyer
did not tell you all about it, seeing that by
a clause in the will these servants are to
remain here for the rest of their lives"
He did not say a word TO me about
their mental condition. II is true that
he did not advise me to come and live
here; but all he did was to tell me that
there were such and such servants whom
l must take over into my service. VIII
you." I added, give me the writing ma
terials? l should like to send letter
TO that lawyer giving him a slight drub-
bing.'
Yes. sir. Here is pen. ink and paper. 1
will go and fetch the lamp, for it Is too
dark to write"
he brought the lamp and placed it on
the table 1t was certainly a funny kind
of lamp-covered over entirely with wire
gauze, like the Davy lamps used in mines.
However, / was not in a mood to argue
about II, and taking the pen Iwrote, in
dry tone, to the lawyer, saying that ne
should not have left me in ignorance as
to what dOmestics he was putting on my
hands l added that 1 could easily bring
an action against him, but that in conse-
qucnce of there being such an eXcelleht
and intelligent steward on the estate
should endeavor TO settle down there.
FINISHED. Steward, would you klndly
give me the sealing wax?'
The steward clenched his teeth. Then
he replied: would you not prefer
wafer, sir2'
No l would rather have sealing wax
"a wafer is much stronger"
II don't care" / said, getting impatient;
II will have the sealing wax.
'Then would you please TO seal down
the letter in the next room. You Will ma
a candle there"
isn't it easier for you to bring the can
die in here than for me TO go in that
room?"
II beg your pardon" said the steward,
getting quite pale. Il think l ought 70
tell you that / am suffering from a very
peculiar ailment. The air which enters
nv lungs turns into hydrogen. Any room
In which / remain for an hour or so
becomes entirely filled with hydrogen
through my exhalations, and If candle
we're brought into the room or match
struck there. the whole castle would be
blown up"
1 fell back in my chair, mutterlng 10
myself Good heavens, this man is lu-
matte too. He is No. 8, and l myself am
No to have bought such property as
this What snail / do now II 1 remain
here / shall become thoroushpdceu lu-
matte myself; on the other hand, if l leave
the castle. with its lovely garden and es-
tate shall l not be a greater fool sun L
decided, however, to quit the place.
"Good-bye sir" / said to the steward.
mo, don't accompany me Che had pre-
pared 10 DO SOD, for perhaps some one
outside has been e1hallng oxygen anu II
these two gases met they VIII turn into
water, and l shall not be able 10 SWIM
out of It,.
was very angry, and on my way out
pushed aside this servant and that, ana
finally took the valet Louis by the throat
as he stood in the way. he roared win
| laughter, as l held him in my grip. said;
Laugh away, my friend Louis. Aou nave
| now good reason to do so. Let US both
lauCh-have a kind of a duet. Ha, ha, ha,
! no. Try il you can improve ON that. he'
| her
The valet Joined in, "Ha, ha, he, he"
can right that will do. Clear out,
and tell all the other fools that they
| must not dare to come near me, for am
| a mailman. who can dine on human flesh;
and l shall start with you"
The man hastily left me. but not with
| out explosions of laughter.
Having shut the door on him, L paced
up and down the room like a man who has
| got himself into a pretty pickle. Four
| rooms opening into each other constituted
nv private apartments, and they seemed
! to be too little as l walked restlessly 10
| and fro. The fire was blazing IN the
hearth; the supper was on the tapie. l
| would not eat-who knows what lunatlc
| has cooked the food? Perhaps some plague
| stricken fowl, which would produce
revolution on my stomach. My bed, more
| over. was made; and l thought of retiring
| forthwith to rest.
NV mind was wavering Should leave
the estate, and buy another? This would
| eat up the whole of my spare capltal, ana
| | should have nothing 70 work with.
| This was absurd Should I bring an ac-
ton against the lawyer? No; for any
| one who goes to law is a lunatlc. On,
how catching this complaint seemed TO
| be Then 1 said to myself: If l remain
| here, and take no notice OF the pecu-
narities of these servants when they play
| antics before me, but keep a switch Tor
! them. and give them a taste of 1t now and
! then | might be able to manage with
! them. But, after all, who could have the
| heart to beat such miserable objects!
| Next l thought of selling the properly
| but here my conscience stepped IN No
! N-'N
truth about the servants, ana this l
| could scarcely do, though L must confess
| that if anyone had at that moment put
| down $1,000 for the property l should prob
| ably have taken it.
| could come to no determination, ana
| 1 worked myself UP into an angry and
| impatient condition. l looked at the pic
| lures on the walls, and wished that those
venerable ancestors would step out OF
their frames, and come and have little
| supper with me at my table, talking a
| gibberish of which 1 did not understand a
| word What an abominable nuisance
/ that people should keep their ancestors
in frames, and infiict them upon the pur-
chaser of their property! Whenever he
| opens a door he thinks there is one Of
them standing before him. 1t would be
far better if they were old fashioned, re-
| spectacle ghosts, who come up through
the floor, or down from the ceiling, with a
| rustling of chains, or invisible spectres
who boot like the midnight owl.
How cold the bed was when put my
| hand between the sheets. Possibly there
was some ancestral ghost already asleep
| in it; but, If so, l was in such bad tenn
per that / should not have hesitated to
| lie upon and flatten him.
! ,,,,t ont the liqhts one hV and went