The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1908-09-30

TO the live Goals of the altar Don't YOU see?
Yes" faltered Mr.. Pratt who did not see
at an But-but now, if YOUR quite ready per
haps we'd better be thinking OF going.
Going" repeated the old gentleman, whose
race grew more satisfied as the room waXed darker
and the rushing stream outside seemed to make
a louder and sadder moan. But | am not gong
At all
what" shouted the real estate agent Why,
there's in the house
That exactly what peases me, SAID the ola
gentleman.
Nor stick of furniture.
There's where YOU are mistaken, my TREND
smiled the old gentleman. i've seen chair with
out a back and pair of andirons in the chimney
place There's plenty of decayed tree boughs out
side, and I've got the daily paper and a box of
matches in my pocket besides packet of sand
wches and flask of double-eXtra sherry. lll
kindle fire, and sleep on my travelling shawl in
front of the blaze just exactly as If were camping
out-ha! ha! ha! And tomorrow III go to the
village and buy furniture, and engage car
penter and gardener And in the mean time, my
good friend, you can go home and draw up a 1--WE
years lease of Desperation Hall to Gervase Drake
five hundred year think you said was the
price-for it suits me-eXactly
Suits you, eh?" said Mr. Pratt.
Il don't know how my family will like it, said
Mr.. Drake They don't want me to move; they
are partial to the city They don't care for the
Mysterious, and they have foolish dislike of
Ghosts"
''Most folks have observed the agent.
But if they don't like it, they must lump it,
said Mr.. Gervaise Drake, joyfully rubbing his
hands. Il aoiN be master in my own house. But
perhaps it may be as we'll to have the place
patched up little before they see it,
You'd better back to the hotel for the
night said Mr.. Pratt.
Not L." said Mr.. Drake Good-evening, my
worthy friend Be you call for me early in
the morning.
The real estate agent drove away, carrying in
his minds eye last picture of Mr.. Drake stand
ing cheerfully in the doorway under semcircu
lar fan-lieht of bottlegreen glass. He went home.
his face one prodigious smile.
I've let Desperation Hall, Eben' he said to
his clerk, as he jumped out at his door. sit
down and make out five years lease at once at
five hundred dollars year, to Gervaise Drake
Eben Joyce whisted long low whistle. We'll,
WE'LL" said he, wonders will never cease"
In the mean while, Mr.. Drake, left alone with
the Antique and the Mysterious, and all the rest
of the capitaettered adjectives which dear
the soul of his Muse set himself to work in
the dusk gathering dry sticks and lighting fire
in the great room, where the dark wooden vain
scoting was in sort of perspiraton of damp and
a persistent rat gnawed behind the carved door
lintels: and when the fire blazed merrly up, its
myriad sparks fleeing in fantastic procession up
the chimney casting urid reflections the shad
owy angles and the grim satyrs faces in the cor
ner OF the ceiling, he chucied aloud in the full
ness of his satisfaction.
Never did tongue sandwiches and dry Amontil-
lado taste good did Mr.. brakes lunch that
night he ate it sitting the floor in front of
the blaze
1--WE thought of the framew OF half a dozen
thrilling sketches since the fire began blaze
said he; and know | could write capital poem
If only had remembered TO put my memorandum
book and my fountain-pen in my pocket But it
viii come back to met will come back TO me. No
man can lack Inspiration in place like this
sha'nt sleep tonight: shall sit up and think
But the glow of the reddening embers was