The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1895-09-24
SKEPTIC BROWN.


his one hobby, this warfare with the
believers in signs and portents. There
was no mercy in him for the credulous.
He laughed at broken mirrors Nothing
pleased him better than to see the new
moon over his left shoulder. The ever
recurring terror of ID at table he had
reduced to a mathematical problem to
be solved through the law of chances
and the statistics of life insurance actu-
aries. Three mornings in the week he
put on his right shoe first On the other
four the left preceded the right. Last,
but not least, he had taken lodgings in
a rather poor neighborhood because it
abounded in white cats, and the hkeli-
hood of one of the unlucky animals
crossing his path was thereby greatly
increased.
These things did not add to his popu
larity. Most men Stunned him. So did
some women, though their aversion to
him interested no one but themselves,
for Brown would have been a misogy-
mist had he been able to cherish two great
hatreds simultaneously. Sometimes,
though, he longed for more friends of
his own sex. He had but two or three,
and he could not preach to them always.
There was a point at which they re-
belled, and when that point was reached
Brown felt alone in the world.
So at last, through growing dread Of
isolation, he came to spare these two or
three, which proves that the man Of
one idea may learn in the school Of Bit
ter experience. Even when, out of the
goodness of their hearts, they now and
then cleared the lists for him to break a
lance in his favorite cause he declined
the challenge And then
the others began to fear for his health.
"Your trouble, Brown, is that you
lack an actual test, " observed Ferguson,
on one of these occasions of combat de-
clined "Yon re theoretical You've
never faced ghost nor heard a super
natural voice. Now, if you only could
have something uncanny happen"
Ferguson paused, partly because he
thought he had said enough in the way of
encouragement, but more because his ci-
gar demanded attention Randall nod
ded approval of the curtailed sentiment.
The three had been dining together and
were lingering over the coffee.
'tNo, I've escaped so far" Brown
answered slowly. AT least-weA,
| nothing has occurred to shake my com
mon sense. Truth is, though, may be
able to tell you something convincing
in few days. Last night I had what
some fools would call warning
"What?" cried Randall.
"You had?" asked Ferguson incredu-
lousy.
81 had Dream" Brown continued.
II don't know where the scene was laid
or whether there was any. But | held a
bit Of newspaper with edges jagged, as
if it had been torn from the sheet. On
one side was what seemed to be an ac-
count of curious accident to a sound
steamer which was run into by a
schooner whose jib boom pierced the
wall of stateroom and impaled the
occupant. The name of the steamer was
missing"
'And the passengers manner" que
ried Randall
1t was not to be found in the part
of the article before me.
"Sure it was sound steamer" Fer
guson asked.
eyes. Something in the context
made that clear There was no hint of
the date. | turned the paper over, but
found ON the other side nothing but
part Of table of stock quotations.
Great Eastern common had closed at 20
that all / remember to have noticed. :"
"I'd like to see the stuff there even
in DREAM" said Ferguson feelingly.
He ventured into Wall street occasion
ally.
"No doubt you would, said Ran
dali. "But, Brown, where's the warn
ing? Are you going down east?'
Eyes. I'm due in Boston next Satur-
day morning. And always go by boat. I"
''This time too?''
Certainly, responded Brown with
dignity. "This time of all times. !"
"Well, I'd stay ashore if were You, :"
Randall counseled. GAS a boy l had
my fill of trying to see if things were
loaded
The skeptic smiled superior smile.
II have already arranged for the
trip" he announced. 'This morning /
reserved stateroom on the Yankee
land-she's next Fridays boat. In
short, propose to prove so conclusively
the''-
Precisely" said Ferguson, rising
from the table in some haste, 1--WE real
ize what you expect to prove, old man.
l know you think it too good chance
to be wasted; but, just as a friend of
yours, I'd get out an injunction to keep
you from going-I would indeed-if it
were not for that quotation of Great
Eastern at 90 In view Of such freak
Of midnight phantasy ! guess won't
have you dragged into court But you
ought to be fined for dreaming such a
thing and unduly exciting the magma
ton of the honest poor. who've put good
money into that stock. :"
Browns friends babe him good night
at the door of the restaurant.
"Well, what do you think?' said Fer
guson to Randall, as they walked up
town together.
ooh, if anybody else had had such a
dream I'd be worried, said Randall to
Ferguson. "But Brown won't be even
rightened-more's the pity. By the
way, he has loaned me one of his scien-
tific antighost books. I'm going to read
it as personal favor to him-that is,
if can. It's heavy enough, though, to
make me doubt my ability to finish it. !"
And he took a tighter grip on the neatly
wrapped Volume he had tucked under
one arm.
To Randall, at work in his office the
following Saturday afternoon, appeared
Ferguson, who thrust a newspaper into
his hand and dropped into chair beside
his desk.
"Look at the stock tablet gasped the
caller.
"Uml What of it?' Randall asked.
"Great Eastern at 20. )"
$50 observe. Insiders have boosted
the stuff, that's all. "
Now read an item ON the first page
third column, about half way down.
"All right, said the other. "HelloP'
he added moment later, ''that's odd,
isn't it?''
"Oddl It's terrible. Poor Brownr'
"It's odd. worry odd," Randall re-
peated. $50 the Yankeeland was in col
lision, ehP Nothing said about anybody
being injured"
"Theyve suppressed that part, F"
, groaned Ferguson. Poor old Brown
Can't we do something? Let's go to his
: rooms. They may have had word there. "
Every WE'LL" said Randall, rising
and putting on his hat. 'I'm with you.
But if were you I wouldn't give up
hope by any manner of means"
AS the pair approached the house in
which Brown had lodgings that gentle
man opened the door and came down
the steps. Ferguson gave cry of relief
at sight of him. Randall laughed
softly "You didn't take the boat
then?' he asked.