Year: 1879

Continued from Yesterday


The old man made no answer in many
minutes in words, only laying one of his
hands on mine with womans gentle
ness


The paroxysm of grief for its intensity
made il that, passed off presently, and he
took his hands from his face. He made no
apology for it. nor attempted any, but
turned his tears. aimed face toward mine.


"Yes, built 1his house, he said, in an
unsteady voice, land as | have already
said, it was my ruin, and it will kill me
yet. l cannot get away from it. Go
where l may, | can see it beckoning me
back, and drawing me to it with an infu
ence that cannot resist


Crash!


There was a sudden report from the
house, sharp, quick and energetic.


1t startled me almost to my feet, but the
old man sat perfectly still. For an instant
the sad expression vanished from his
countenance, and quizzical one came in
to its place. He looked up at me.


"You are more imaginative than you
think" he said. "Did the house hear
what said and affirm it with unmistaka-
ble emphasisP l often get answers Just
like that. There are such things happen
ing to me continually. You might call
them condolences. It was nothing but a
door that forgot te close and the wind
closed il for me.


''Tfirty-five years ago. Is it so long
30 long?' he presently went on, resuming
his old manner. 81 am an architect. I
was born and bred in England, and, with
my family, my wife and three boys"-his
lips quivcring again; but choking down
his emotions with an effort--"I came to
this country in 35. This place was then
growing with great rapidity. A COM
pleted canal, and more than possible
railroad, gave it an impetus in my eyes,
accustomed as had been to the staid old
English towns. Here is my fortune,
said, and a speedy one, too, thought.
had money that brought from the old
country. There was no architect here
then. The master builder was his own
architect. There was no art at all in the
work. twas a mere trade, and the houses
they built looked it. There was no soul.
no heart in them. You could tell in what
year, almost what month, house was put
up, by glancing at it. They ran in grooves
or molds. One style predominated at one
time, and all the houses were built after
that pattern. Then a new idea struck the
builder. and that had its run. They all
reminded me of children in an asylum for
orphans. uniformed precisely alike, with
no attempt at ornamentation or beauty or
variety. l am told that the same thing
prevailed or prevails to great extent in
every other growing village in the United
States. / had been settled in my office
only two days, when Colonel Jared Ouse-
ley entered it. He was an active, prompt,
quick-spoken gentleman, prominently con-
necfed with the proposed railroad His
wife and family had been exceedingly
pleased with Bellepoint during a visit
here, and he had selected it as the place
of his permanent residence. He had al
ready bought this large lot, where we sit,
and you can see and know that it is one of
the sightliest spots in the valley. He
wanted plans drawn for the house in har-
mony with the locality, that should be a
combination of comfort, elegance and con-
yenience. He wanted something out of
the common rut. Although greatly pleased
With the place, he disliked the fat uni
flrmity Of the houses. He preferred
u resident architect, one who would be on
/. the ground constantly, and see that moth
ing but the best materials of every kind
entered into the construction. He had as
certained that was an Englishman: had
heard my abilities in the profession high
~ spoken Of, and would leave the work in
my hands, after my plans had been ap-
proved by himself and his wife. He was
reputed wealthy, and the opportunity
seemed golden one to me-"


The bell from the tower at that instant
announced to me the hour that was due
Ct the Office. interrupted the old man.
telling him 50, and adding my regrets that
must go.


could not tell whether he was offended
or not. or whether he had a notion that I
thought his talking was the babbling of
garr1lous old age, but it seemed to me that
there was something Of a sneer in his
words as he said:


..Oh. well. another time when you wish