Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 August 1884 — THE MYSTERIOUS STRANGERS. [ARTICLE]

THE MYSTERIOUS STRANGERS.

Miss Lydia Davidson was enjoying her cup of tea in her comfortable little house in Ravensbourne one Saturday* afternoon, when her friend, Miss Newman was announced. That lady was well-known for the fervor and energy which she infused into her conduct of what inferior minds may regard as the minor affairs of life; also for a severity in her may be described by one wishing to deal mildly with it- as gentlewoman-like.” She entered with even more than her wonted haste and dash, and cried: ~ “How do you do, Lydia ? lam most thankful to iind you at home. I have come with a definite purpose, as talking over a thing is better than writing a note, yery strange andstartling events are happening here, and I have arrived at the conclusion that it is my duty to lay them before you and other friends, in order to see what can be done.” “Dear! dear!” murmured Miss Davidsqp, in vague alarm; _“you don’t mean it! Tell me all about it, dear Jane!” “I will tell you as much as I at present know,” returned her friend. “Well, to begin with: When I was coming down-lrom London early last spring, a gentleman and a lady were in the same carriage with me. I took them for a honeymoon couple, and felt sorry to constrain their tete-a-tete. They made me most uncomfortable with all the private and confidential things they had to say; and they kept poring over a little book with their heads together —poetry, of some rubbish or other, I suppose. I’ve no patience with that sort of thing—have you?” Miss Davidson was, however, romantic, and could not get up a show of indignation in time to respond to her friend’s glance; so she only looked a little foolish and abashed, “And, for six months,” Miss Newman continued, “have they been coming, regularly twice a week—Monday and Thursday. And they may have done it for six years, for aught I know, because it is only since I have been at my new lodgings, opposite the Bull, that 1 have noticed them carefully. They arrive early—About 10 o’clock —have some refreshments, I fancy, lor they always stop in the hotel a while; then they drive or walk out, not always together —but often take different roads; stay out—oh ! till 4,5, or 6, and sometimes they have a quantity of luggage, those nice dress-baskets and things, lady-like luggage—and then, after their dinner, off they go toward the railway station." “Really!” cried Mrs. Davidson, in astonishment, “And their appearance? Do they look likei- ” “Gentlepeople?” put in Miss Newman. “les, decidedly. That is a point on which I am never deceived. The lady dressed exquisitely and most becomingly. They’re not young, nor, of course, very old. He is a handsome man with a military air. In fact, lam pretty sure he is an officer, for I saw so much of the military when I lived at Dover, and then” (loweringher voice) “I heard so many sad things about garrison doings that I began to feel anxious. The Bull is such a respectable hotel it would be quite a misfortune for the town if——if—anything unpleasant were to come out,” concluded Miss Newman, forced, by the vagueness of her subject, into, for once, being herself vague. “Dear me! What you say quite startles me,” said Miss Davidson. “If anything like that happens a hundred miles away, or even in London, it is not so bad; but here! It’s a shock to me! I must mention it to Eliza,” she added, as that functionary entered, but most unamiably on interrupting the conference. “I’llfinish my tea,” said Miss Newman, putting her fingers firmly on the saucer. “It is an excellent cup—most refreshing, Lydia.” *b Had it not been for the softening influence of the morsel of gossip, longbrewing hostilities might now have ripened into fierce strife between Eliza and her mistress'friend, but Miss Davidson’s questions about the mysterious strangers claimed the confidential maid’s attention. “No, she hadn’t heard nothing about them—leastwise, nothing but a stray word or two. But she’d soon Jathom it, she would. She bad no opinion of people as came and went, and no one knew whence nor whither.”

Dignity prevented Miss Newman’s joining in the conversation while her foe Eliza was taking part in it; but she was" glad in her heart jthat that forcible person should be set on the track. “I’ll tell you what I think about it,” exclaimed Miss Davidson, a little later. “I think, dear, that the gentlemen is some very distinguished person indeed, and that the lady—she may be a per- ’ feet lady, you know, all the time —is beneath him, and that there’s a morganatic marriage 1 There are such things nowadays, and always have been, you know." “But, if so, why shouldn't she have her own establishment? Why come to an hotel?" objected Miss Newman. “Still, we shall find out about it some

way or another. Jt’s a positive duty, however unpleasant to clear, it up. Perhaps you'll talk it over with your brother to-morrow. I knpw he sometimes spends Sundays with you, and please let me know what he thinks. But don’t send him fe talk about, it to me, for it’s not a subject I should go into with a young man, unless it was one of the clergy. lam off now to see the curate about it Our rector resents inquiry, Ido believe, for I can’t get anything out of him. Good-by, Lydia!” “Good-by, dear. I’ll not ring for Eliza. I’ll let you out.” Lydia had scarcely settled herself again after performing this little attention when Eliza appeared, cloaked and bonneted, at the sitting room door, remarking, “I’ve been out.a little while, ma’am. After what you said, just now, my duty was plain; and I went around to the Bull at once, knowing as you'd not be wanting me." “O, dear me, Eliza,” returned the docile mistress, “I quite forgot that your neice, Mary, is barmaid at the Bull. And did you see the landlady ? And can she explain about ths strangers?”

“Of course, ma’am, I saw Mrs. Weston,” returned Eliza, energetically. •It’s what I went for; but I couldn’t get nothink out of her. I said to her, as civil as possible: ‘Will you tell me, Mrs. Weston, the names of those parties as conies here twice a week, a Mondays and Thursdays.’ But she only said, very stiff and ’igh : ‘I never give the names of any of my parties, not even to the gentlemen from the Ravensbourne Record.’ And more than that she wouldn’t say, so a'. last I came away; but I’ll make some excuse to be there next Monday, and I’ll see them at all events,” and with that Eliza withdrew to 'her own domain, leaving her mistress to spend the rest of the evening trying to recall all the instances she had heard?of morganatic marriages and their results. Miss Davidson had just taken her seat in church the following morning when Miss Newman, very “taut” 'and trim, hurried into a vacant place next to her, and after burying her face for an instant in her hands, she turned as she knelt, to her neighbor and said, in an undertone: “Have you seen your brother to-day ? What does he think ?” dear, no; he’s not coming; but don’t talk about it in church, please don’t.” And the good lady tried with feeble hurry to find her place. Miss Newman forebore further remark tilt Mr. Miniver Weekly ascended the pulpit. Then she betrayed a longing to speak and an inability to sit still. But Lydia resolutely turned the crown of her bonnet toward her friend, fearful that a conversation might again be opened, to the outrage of the decorous feelings of the congregation. “ ‘Woe unto the world because of offenses, for itmustneeds be that offenses come; but woe to the man by whom the offense cometh.’ Or,” continued the thin voice'of the curate, “as a more, literal version, though one less purelyj English, has it, ‘Woe to the world because of scandals.’ ” “There!” whispered Miss Newman, no longer repressible, “I knew I had done some good with him. I never left him yesterday till his teeth literally chattered. I told him he must do something about the Bull people, and that he was responsible for all the evil that happens in the parish that he could prevent. Hell preach about them.” “Jane, dear Jane, don’t!” gasped poor Miss Davidson, and Mr. Weekly began his discourse, which, to Miss Newman’s unutterable disappointment, turned on a question of church discipline, the preacher maintaining that those of his clerical brethren who were opposing his own particular view of the matter were clearly of the number of the anathematized referred to in the text.

“Mrs. Farmer!” cried Miss Newman,, as the congregation streamed —outthrough the lych-gate. “One word, I beg.” “Good morning, Miss Newman; I’m so glad to see you,” responded pretty little Mrs. Farmer. “I’ve so many things to say. You know you asked me to think®of a solution for- the Mysterious Strangers’ visit to Bavensbourne. Well, I think,” and her pretty lace tie and necklet heaved with emotion, “that the couple have lost a Child —a dear little baby perhaps—and that it’s buried here, and they’ve, made a vow to visit it’s grave.” “AVhat !” said the matter-of-fact Miss Newman; “vow to visit a grave regularly twice a week, on Monday and Thursday! But, Mrs. Farmer, I stopped you specially just now to beg you would be with me to-morrow afternoon about 3. My windows command the Bull, and these people never fail to put in an appearance on Mondays; and mind you bring your sister-in-law too, won’t you ? lam going to ask Miss Brown, Miss Davidson, and Mrs. Barton, the new doctor’s wife. I want to catch her now. Good-by. lam glad you think with me that it is a matter to look into, as a point of duty. You'll promise to 'come? All right.” And the indefatigable Mish Newman started in pursuit of Mrs. Barton. * Miss Newman took care that the strangers should be the subject of many conversations that Sunday. At first, some of the good folk of Ravensbourne’ declared themselves wholly indifferent to the matter, but finding manifestly absurd explanations started as to the visits of this interesting couple, they criticised the explanations’ and in most cases found themselves in the end committed to a theory of their own. “I may congratulate myself,” said Miss Newman, that night, as she laid her bony cheek upon, her pillow—“I may congratulate myself on having raised the question in Ravensbourne to .the rank it merits—that of a ‘burning question,’ ” and she ran over the points she intended to dwell upon in the speech to be delivered on the morrow, when the ladies assembled in her sitting room. Three o’clock on Monday afternoon saw Eliza installed in the bar of the hotel with her niece; while Miss Brown, Miss Davidson, Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Barton, Mrs. Farmer, and four or five other ladies, Were assembled at Miss Newman’s. After the customary greetings, the hostess said: “Ladies, I have convened this meeting for a special pur-

pose —not, let me explain at onee, for the mqre gratification of idle curiosity. I have asked you to meet here to consider the auspicious conduct of the visto that hotel opposite, and to determine what steps should be taken in their regard. I have my own notion as to what should be done; but I will put that aside until I have received your suggestions. There mat/ be no disgraceful discoveries; butthat remains to be proved. My watch warns fee,” concluded Miss Newman in a different tone, compelled regretfully to excise some telling sentence, “that if they come back in a fly, and they sometimes do so, they should be here in six minutes ; later, if they walk. So we have no time to waste. I simply repeat, therefore, what is to be done?” “I must confess, I only came to look at them,” said Mrs. Farmer, after a pause. “Would it be of any use to speak to Mrs. Weston, of the hotel?” timidly asked Mrs. Smith. “None!” replied Miss Newman, with severity, “That has been tried. You might trust me to try all obvious plans like that.”

“And what is the suggestion, Miss Newman, that you said you had to make?” Miss Brown inquired. “That we should club together to employ a detective!” answered the hostess, with decision. “We must make sure of our facts. I find, on inquiry, that the cost of a regular detective would be heavy; but there is an ex-pd-liceman who has been employed on such missions, find his charge would not exceed 2 guineas a day. In about two days he thinks he could ascertain the residences, occupations (if any), and much of the past history of the parties.” “We must not get ourselves into any scrape by prying,” said Mrs. Barton. “If there is money wanted, we ought to have had some of our menkind here,” Miss Brown objected. “We women are such poor and needy creatures.” But the discussion was suddenly stopped by a cry from Miss Newman of, “There they come!” « “Well, she’s very elegant looking.” said one. “There’s nothing more aristocratic than a hooked nose ; but she must be 35 if she’s a day. What a lovely silk she has on!” “Bless me!” said Mrs. Barton. “He's not so military-looking after all. And he’s a good 55. But there’s an air about him; and as for her, she might be a duchess. Look at the magnificentmantle she has on.’

The couple who were causing so much excitement were met at the hotel door by the obsequious waiter, who handed them a telegram. “I’ll run across to the postoffice and ask what was in that dispatch,” cried Miss Newman, rushing out. Several pair of eyes were turned from the window to follow the hostess’ retreating figure. “Mrs. Farmer, is there anything the matter ?’’ exclaimed Miss Davidson, in ''alarm, catching sight of Mrs. Farmer’s pale and troubled face. “Yes—no,” stammered the little woman. “I—l—don’t feel quite well. I’m going home,” and she hurried from the room. Something like a shriek rose at the same instant from Miss Brown’s lips. She had been in the background, but had just taken Miss Newman’s vacant place at the window. “Why, Mrs. Farmer!” she exclaimed, brit Mrs. Farmer was gone. “Postoffice won’t tell!” gasped Miss Newman, coming back in a very excited state. “They say it’s contrary to rules.” “Mrs. Farmer has gone away,” said Mrs. Smith, “without saying good-bv, or leaving amessage for you, Miss Newman. ”

“I think I can explain,” Miss Brown began, but she was interrupted by a cry from two or three others. “0! look, look, they’re going!” And there, sure enough, at the hotel door, evidently in a flurry, were the landlady, a waiter, and the mysterious stranger. A fly then whisked round from the yard, and pull ed up with a jerk. The strangers took their places in it, and a housemaid came running down with so.me wraps, the lady’s umbrella, and other small things in her hands. “There’s an up-train to London in eight minutes,”, said Miss Newman, watch and time-table in hand. “They are going to catch that. The telegram was to give them the alarm. Some one is on their track, and a confederate has given them notice.” ' _ “Is Miss Davidson here?” crid Eliza, rushing in, the corner of her shawl filled with what seemed to be bundles of letters, and an open telegram in her hand. “Read that!” she exultantly exclaimed, at the same time giving her mistress the message. Obediently,,Miss Davidson took the telegram, and read: “From Miss Isaacs, Duke street, Paddington. To the lady and gentleman, No. 3 sitting room, Bull Hotel, Ravensbourne. Return immediately. Premises on fire.” “Heavens,” cried Miss Davidson piously. “Gracious!” exclaimed Miss Brown; and a chorus of voices, “Dear me!” “Oh!” and “Ah!” “And now read that,” reiterated Eliza, as she handed the following circular to Miss Davidson. “I said I’d fathom it, and I’ve done it, ma’am.”

“Bull Hotel, Ravensbourne, Monday.—Madam: Owing to the ladies and gentlemen having objections to be seen entering wardrobe establisments, Mr. and Mrs. Abrams have been induced by numerous customers to take the upper part of a private house in Duke street, Paddington; and therefore ladies of the highest rank need not hesitate -to honor this emporium with a visit. Mr. and Mrs. Abrams continue to givo the.highest price for all kinds of ladies and gentlemen’s wearing apparel, court dresses, regimentals, officers outfits, trinkets, gold and silver, diamonds, and all kinds of precious stones, antique plate, old china, and all sorts of miscellaneous property. Established twenty-seven years. Their numerous and aristocratic clients in the country may feel satisfied that the personal appearance of Mr. and Mrs. Abrams when calling a.t their houses will always be a guarantee that none of that unpleasant publicity will be given to their visits of which the nobility and gentry have so justly complained

with regard to those of less experience and considerate wardrobe purchasers. As a specimen of the letters they are continually recieving, Mr. and Mrs. Abrams subjoin the.following: “ ‘Lady B has, just had great pleasure in recommending her friend, the duchess of C to request Mr?. Abrams'to call upon her; Lady B having always found Mrs. Abrams’ dealings with her characterized by the utmost liberalitv and punctuality.’? may be made foi Thursday at the above address, or Mr. and Mrs. Abrams will wait upon clients in the neighborhood on that day or on Monday.”— London Truth.