Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1850-08-29
VOL. v.

ty through long corridor, OF which the floor
appeared to have been ripped open here and
there, in order to apply the boards to some 9TH
er purpose, came to steep and narrow stair
case without any balusters. Cautiously ascend
ing | found myself in large hall, which
opened on the hill side against which
the house was built 1t appeared to be light
ed by couple of windows only, which were
partially glazed in some places and closed up
in others by rough boards, nailed across in
lieu of shutters. 1t had evidently, however,
Judging from two or three ruinous pieces of
furniture, been inhabited A heavy door whose
oaken latch and hinges, being incapable Of rust
were still in good repair, admitted me into an
adjoining chamber This had evidently been
the dormitory of the establishment, where the
guests, after the gregarious and most disagree
able fashion of our country, were wont to be
huddled together in one large ROOM The wan
ing moon, whose bright autumnal crescent was
Just beginning to cast shadows above the hills,
shone through high circular window full into
this apartment, and indicated a comfortable
looking truckle bed at the farther end, before
the rays of my miserable lantern had shot be-
yond the threshold.
Upon approaching the pallet, l observed
some indication of that end of the apartment
being still occasionally occupied. The heavy
beams which traversed the ceiling appeared
to have been recently white washed. There
was a small piece of carpet on the floor beside
the bed, and a decrepit table, and an arm chair
whose burly body precariously supported
upon three legs, were holding an innocent tete-
a-tete in the corner.
I've had a rougher roosiing place than this,
thought |, as placed my lantern upon the ia
bic. and, depositing my saddle-bags beneath
it, began TO prepare myself for rest.
Ny light having now burnt low was COM
PEELED to expedite the operation of undress-
ing, which prevented me from examining the
apartment and indeed, had, when first well
coming with some pleasure the idea of sleep
ing in haunted house, determined fully TO ex-
plorc for my own satisfaction, before retiring
for the night, yet fatigue or caprice made me
now readily abandon the intention, Just when
my means for earring it into execution were
being withdrawn for the candle expired
while | was opening the door of the lantern,
to throw It's light more fully upon mass of
drapery which seemed to be suspended across
the further end of the chamber. The complete
darkness that momentarily ensued blinded me
I l
the shadows became more distinct, and gradu-
! ally by the light of the moon. | was able to
make out that the object opposite me was only
a large old fashioned bedstead, prodigally
hung with tattered curtains. gave no farther
heed to the subject, but turning over, compos-
ed myself TO rest.
Sleep, however, whom Shakespeare alone
has had the sense to personity as woman,
was coy in coming to my couch. The old
mansion wheesed and groaned, like a broken
winded buffalo hard pressed by the hunter
The wind, which had been high, bacame soon
more boisterous than ever, and the clouds hud-
died so rapidly over the face of the moon, that
her beams were as broken as the crevices of
the ruined building through which they fell.
A sudden gust would every now and then
sweep through the long corridor below, and
make the rickety staircase crack as if it Weld
ed to the feet of some portly passengers, again,
the blast would die away in sullen moan, as
if bafled on some wild night errand, while
anon ii would swell in monotonous surges,
which came booming upon the ear like the roar
! of distant ocean.
am not easily discomposed, and perhaps
none of these uncouth sounds would have Civ
en- annoyance, if the changing of window
shutter had not been added to the general cho-
rus, and effectually kept me from sleeping
My nerves were at last becoming sensibly af-
fected by its ceaseless din, and wishing TO cut
short the fit of restlessness which found steal
ing upon me, | determined to rise and descend
the stairs at the risk of my neck, to try and
secure the shutter so as to put an end to the
nuisance.
But now as | rose in my bed for this pur-
pose, | found myself subject to new source
of annoyance. The mocking wind, which had
appeared to me more than once to syllable hu-
man sounds, came at length upon my ear dis
tinctly charged with tones which could not be
J. mistaken. 1t was the hard suppressed breath
Ting of a man. listened, and it ceased with a
/ slight gasp, like that of one laboring under
suffocation. listened STILL and it came anew
stronger and more fully upou my ear. 1t
was like the thick suspirations of an apoplec-
tic. Whence it proceeded l knew not. But
that it was near me, was certain. A suspi-
cion of robbery-possibly, assassination flash
ed upon me, but We're instantly discarded, as
foreign to the character of the people among
whom was travelling.
The moonlight now fell full upon the cur
tained bed opposite me, and | saw the tattered
drapery move, as if the frame upon which it
was suspended, was agitated. | watched,
confess, with some peculiar feelings of inter-
est. was not alarmed, but an unaccountable
anxiety crept over me. At length the curtain
parted, and naked human leg was protruded
though Its folds-the foot came with numb,
aead-lke sound to the foor-resling, it seem
eo 10 me at least half minute before the BODY
10 winch 1t belonged was disclosed to my view
Slowly, then, pallid and unearthly looking
figure emerged from the couch. and stood with
Its stark llneaments clearly drawn against the