Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1895-05-09

ion, exceedingly we'll read, but shy,
l thought, Oh speaking of modern
writer's ui fiction. We parted at
longth with mutual regret
II shall not SEQ YOU for tho next |
day 0r two" WHnlCSS remarked,
graSping my hand heartily. as bust
moss calls mo away, but | shall bc
delighted if you will dino with mo
on Thursday BrllHmy will not DO
present, rs II" has u day of, and ! |
shall order dinner to bo sent in from
tho hotel And now good afternoon,
my dear Gibson.
AS n matter of fact, my namo is |
Osborne, bat il is ono of tho weak |
nCSScS of human nature Whenever q |
man is addressed by tho wrong pa
tronymic to allow the mistake to
pass. 1t would havC been far bottcr !
for mo had l corrected tho mistake |
instead of allowing it TO pass in my
haste to accept tho invitation to din
nor.
AT half past & on tho Thursday
night l entered WanlcSS' dining
room. Tho dinner was not all that
could DO desired, but then Bullamy
Was absent, and the food was brought
and served by n waiter from the no
tel. The wines, which wcro my hosts
OWN, left nothing to bc wanted. Tho
| peculiar sherry was there and some
wonderful champagne of 1874 vint-
age TO which we both did ample JUS
ticc BY tho timo VIC had completed
our rcpaSt Wanlcss' eyes wore shin
! ing, and his manner had grown n
! little moro bOiStCrOuS.
"And now no moro wine, " no said
n" hN dismissed the waitor. II shall
suffer terribly in the morning from
what l have had already, and Bella
my will bully mo in his polite way
| for week. Let us go into the libra
ry and smoke. We shall be quito
alOno and can have q cOZy chat 1t
is not often that have tho ncrvc to
face my books, much rs lovo them.
limo was whom things wero very
different, and -
WnnlCss broke off abruptly and
led tho way 10 tho library. A lamp
was on tho table. A little fire burn
cd in the crate, and yet in that cheer
full, book lined apartment felt sin
gularly depressed. l tried to shake
off tho feeling. tried TO ignore tho
CLEAN that flashed in the dark, rest
less eyes of my companion. With as
much caSo as l could assume i care
shelves. You appear to have good
selection hero" l remarked. In
SO select gathering l am hattcred
at sccing volume of my own. :"
Any writer will pardon tho innocent
vanity of the remark. l heard a
short, sharp exclamation break from
my host. l saw his eyes blazing as
he looked toward tho book on which
my hand lay lovingly.
"Oh, SO you are that Osborne" he
said i'll u manner most uncompli-
mrntary. Il had no idea that was
entertaining SO great n man. All,
ah!" The laugh was about tho most
unpleasant have over heard.
sit down. my host commanded.
"Oh, l know your work very we'll
indeed. In fact, l know tho work
of tho whole gang of you. But /
haven t read line of that volume of
short stories you have There. The
stories arc quito recent, 1 supposc?"
replied rs quietly as / could in the
ALTERNATIVES, ut least rs quietly as q
man can whom his host, with eyes
lin n tino irony rolling" locks the
door and puts tho key carefully
away in his pocket.
Then of course you remember all
the dcnoucmcnt-hatc word, ;"
Wanless said rs he opened my inno-
cent book and glanced at tho first
story. 1--WE will have n little mental
amusement, and you shall correct
me if i am wrong. l SEQ tho first
story is n ghost tale called Tho
White Mystery And here, looking
casually through, l find are two
characters. They arc brothers-ono
n bravo military man, tho other a
nervous, imaginative youth who is
scoffcd at by the brother because he
fears II ghost Let me forecast the
end of the story. The youngster
socs the spook and dies of terror on
the spot, while tho other fool can
never speak afterward without trem-
bling when he rccounts tho story.
Doesn't he say that no cannot speak
of the namclcss horror of that awful
face?'"
"Gou have guessed it," said,
with n stiflcd parody of a laugh.
But Wanlcss did not appear to DO
at all clatcd by his success. He
smiled with bitter, weary scorn and
tluttcrcd over tho leaves to tho next
story. II take no credit to myself for
that discovery, hoprocccdcd. Here
Is another little thing, entitled My
Uncle Dick. Heavens, what awful
memories does that hoary kind of
title COnjuro up! Let me prophesy
again. Uncle Dick is man of money.
Ho Is cruSty and curt. Tho hero of
the story, written in the autobio-
| graphical style, wants to marry q
cousin, and the old boy won t let him.
Said old boy dies of apoploxy after
/ tit of passion and leaves nothing to
the narrator but an old deed chest,
! in which are discovered securities of
! priceless value. go they get married
and 1.-Two happily ever after, ch?"
Your foresight is really wonder
fYnl I ,Al 4