The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-04-12
CHAPTER V.
Continued.

! wonder what it was.
He walked slowly onward. some
. what uncertain of his footsteps-there
: wa certainly something wrong with
: the pavement: it seemed to be loose
when he experienced a repetition Of
his dizziness.
This time he sank to the ground. in
consequence Of there being nothing
substantial within reach for him to
lay hold of. and q crowd Immediately
gathered around him.
Their voices acted like a charm upon
him.
He. scrambled to his feet. and gazing
at the people in a daZed condition.
pushed through them unceremoniously,
and in the course of half an hour sue
ceeded in reaching his shop in safety
while one of the %f1aunting women in
the crowd he had left behind him, said
with a laugh:
""It's easy to see what's the matter
with him.
.DeXter'S movements. when he was
In his shop, were guided by a kind Of
wise instinct.
The first thing he did was to put
ND his shutters and lock his street
door.
The second thing. to place by his
bedside as much bread as he found in
his cupboard, and a jug Of water.
The third thing, to make a large pot
Of tea.
The fourth thing, to undress himself
and go to bed. ga.
I'll have a good long Sleep" said
Dexter, speaking contidentially to him
self; and l shall wake up in the
morning quite well"
Then he drank a cup of hot tea.
Then he said again:
81 wonder what it was? ! don't
think I've eaten anything to disagree
with me. 1t might be understandable
if it was summer and a hot sun was
blazing on my head. But it's winter,
and a precious dismal winter, too.
There was a frost setting in last night
when that Little Make-Believe was
running away with the pie. Rum idea.
not to eat it herself. Almost as rum
as finding myself here in bed in the
middle Of the day, instead OF the mid
die of the night. Shouldn't wonder if
it was a rush Of blood-yes, that's
what it was, a rush OF blood. Oh.
Lord! here's my head going round
Again.
Then he gave his head a great many
rt.1-, , - L,Snrr - +r n N-rnnr onnSn nf
Its duty-he was really angry with it
for its bad behayior-but it went round
more than ever.
Then he looked at his fathers night
cap. hanging sclidly down from the
~rafters. ard that was going round, too.
Then he looked at the little nest of
drawers in a corner of the room, and
that was going round, too.
Then he looked at the old armor,
odd brasses, old cravings, old lace, old
.enamels, old furniture, with which the
room was crammed. and they were
going round, too.
Then the ceiling went round. then
the floor went round. then his clothes
went round-how funny his muddy old
boots. with his socks stuffed in them,
looked, as they waltzed gravely il and
out the goods.
4 popularity of these proceedings
was that. although every article in the
small room was actually within his
reach. they all seemed to be going
round al q very long distance from
hipo i,,ct ne if no u-orn novinC nt Thorn
through the thin end Of. a pair of OPP
era glasses.
Upon my soul" lie said, Il feel like
q tcetotum.'
Suddenly. and evidently by some &C.
cult arrangement and understanding
between themselves. everything stood
stock still IL its proper place and dis
tance-boots, socks. nishtcap, ceiling,
floor, armor. brasses. carvings. enam-
e~ls-there they were all of them as
steady as q rock.
This said Dexter. with. a weak lit
lie laugh, reaching out his hand to the
80 teapot to pour himself out q cup Of hot
tea, us about the rummieSt thing that
ever happened to me. Nobody would
believe it of me. and I don't know-no,
upon my soul. l don't quite know if i
believe it Of myself"
He was surprised to find that the
tea had got ice cold all in a minute.
\ Here's another funny thing / don't
Quite believe he said; "a minute ago
the tea was boiling hot. and now it's
as cold as charity. But / mustn't for
get it's winter; that's what's making
my fingers tremble SC. Jolly cold
jolly cold. Yes. jolly cold as charity.
No; that can't be right. Jolly cold as
charity sounds t~opsy-turvy.
TIE cup ratified in the saucer, and
the spoon against both. as be held them
in his hands, and wondered why the
tea was so cold.
He did rot know that Il day and a
night and the best part of another Cay
had passed since he went to bed.
With difficulty he replaced the cup
land saucer on the table.
inst in time, for everything began to
go ,round again, and there he was ~
ing >cs, the fiat of his back. watching
the gyrationS in a kind of stupid, con-
1cnted stupor.
Among the carvings were some
queer old faces of men and women AID
animals, which giided occasionally
from the silent waltz to have a close
'oob - l<,>,. o,l -.Lo, - hie fhr,,Ol.c