The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-11-13

less easy to NIX the impression IN tne
man at the left end of the fable, who, |
to say truth, was as commonplace a
person as could be seen anywhere
with a round, brown-haired head and
round snub nose, but also clad in
clerical black, of stricter cut 1t was
only when saw hiS>broad curved hat
| lying on the table beside him that |
realized why connected him with any
ole priest Perhaps the third man. at
the other end of the table. had really
more to do with it than the rest. though
he was both slighter in physical pres
ence and more inconsiderate in his
dress. His 1ank limbs were clad-I
might almost say clutched-in very
tight gray sleeves and pantsloons; he
had long, sallow. aquiline face. which
seemed somehow ali the more saturni1e
because his lantern jaws were impris-
oned in his collar and neckcloth more
in the style of-the old stock; and his
hair (Which ought to have been dark
brown) was of an odd dim russell COLI
or which, in conjunction with his yell
low face, looked rather purple than red
The unobtrusive yet unusual color was
all the more notable because his hair
was almost unnatura1ly healthy and
curling, and he wore it full. But, after
all analysis, incline to think that what
gave me my first oh-fashioned impress
sion was simply set of tall. old-fash-
toned wine glasses, one or two lemons,
and two church@warden pipes. And
also, perhaps, the old-world GRAND on
which l had come.
Being a hardened reporter, and it
being apparently a public inn. l did not
need to summon much of my imp1-
dence to sit down at the long table and
order some cider. The big man in
black seemed very learned, especially
about local antiquities. The small man
in black, though he talked much less.
surprised me with yet wider culture.
So we got on very well together. But
}, the third man, the old gentleman in the
tight pantaloons, seemed rather distant
and naughty, until I slid into the SUBJ
Jet of the Duke of Exeter and his an
cestry. I thought the subject seemed
to. embarrass the other two little; but
it broke the spell of the third mans
silence most successfully.
Speaking with restraint and with the
accent of highiy-educated gentleman.
and putting at intervals at his long
churchwarden pipe, he proceeded to
tell me some of the most horrible
stories l have ever heard in my life;
how one of the Eyres in former ages
. had hanged his own father; and an
other had his wife scourged at the cart
. tail through the village; and another
: had set FIRE to a church full of chill
, dren; and so on. And all this red roll
, of impieties came from his thin. gen.
. teel lips rather primly than otherwise,
as he sat slipping the wine out of his
} tall. thin glass.
I could see that the big man oppo-
q site me was trying. if anything, to stop
: him; but he evidently held the old
gentleman in considerable respect, and
could not venture to do so at all
, abruptly. And the little priest at the
other end of the table, though free
I from any such air of fear or embar-
. rassment, looked steadily at the table.
. and seemed to listen to the recital with
great pain-as well he might.
1 you don't SEEM" said. ~to be very
fond of the Exeter pedigree"
VI He looked at me a moment, his lips
still prim. but whitening and tightening
/ then he deliberately broke his long pipe
a and glass on the table, and stood up.
S the very picture of a perfect gentle
{ man with the flaming temper Of fend.
s These gentlemen he said. will tell
4 you whether have cause to like it
e The Curse of the Eyres of old has
a lain heavy on this country. and many
have suffered from it They know
there is none who have suffered from
: it as have"
" And With thai he crushed 4 piece d