The Most Strange Amusement

It was late in the August month's heat and fog when Lord Nikolus summoned us to his country manor, when we arrived he was seen in his usual colonnade gazebo swinging on his lawn chair with a rum drink in his hand, we all stepped inside the grand hall, and sat down at the table to what was to be the most strange and bizarre amusement that was to be seen by us in a long while. There were laid about, on that table, several figures, and ramekins, and a bowl of cards marked with exotic lettering, and also to the side were some tomes and written papers upon which were inscribed with great caution the rules of the game, of which Mr. Kessler had no interest, being a man of the world, and thus prone to action, and not the idleness of the farm life, nevertheless, he sat with us, under the directive of several drinks of whiskey, and we commenced. Not less than 2 minutes had passed before Mr. Kessler stormed out of the room in a great and terrible rage, for he had grown quite weary of the demeanour of the gentlemen seated at that table, rolling their dice and smoking cigars, and he longed for the excitement of the urban jungles. Thusly, in accord with the wishes of Mr. Kessler, we retired to the sitting room, and we played music on the harpsichord, and he was placated, and we laid him to rest, in the large bed, and then we all parted in the spirit of brotherhood.