The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1851-09-27

Tapping thelr vingHAnd ntieFng dismal cries
AZ the nnwonlef inyason ~ their pnsniises. 49,
A chill ran lirongh Mr y. How he wished
ior essa tie iisieiiortoe''i of his horse, or any
! thing that had lfa the company Of a das
would have been invaluable iAin would he
have stretched himself in the stable, bot
dreading 20 awaken the sarrasm of hs grim
host, hc gaid nothing, 1hoY Toaehed the
grand entrance, On opening, the door graf
Ell hafshly aud eOmIAainingly On its rusty
hiuges, and rush OF night winds InOaned bo-
dinglyi "a they entered While Asoen'iing
the stair case, din shadows seemed " gather
and troop around them, with 1lntastie. Ges,
lures beekoninR them onward thousand
apirit-cyes peered inquisitlYely out Of the
arches and irels in the ceilings; suatehos az
FAINT song echoed through The corridors, glmp-
scs he had OF haifiorD,od faces fitting about
IN corners, and whispers aud sighs noated on
the air. Mr. y, again smiled at his own im.
agnings, and max ing strong mental effort
hirly shoot OF All farther nOnsensieal Appre-
hcnsions. They thoroughly examined the
room destined Tor him, aud the adjacent ones
aud afterwards looked through those below
one Of which was hall Of magnificent linen
siOns, suporbly carved and gildcd 10 the old
style. Ills companion reiterated his assur-
ances that no living being save himself would
bc in the castle, aud with an invitation 10
breakfast at his house in tho morning, hAde
him good night Mr. T. attended him to the
door. double-lockcd aud chained IL after him.
and then ascendcd 10 his own apartment, aud
this also carefully locked and secured. lie
certainly was situated very pleasantly The
rain now came down in torrents. but ths trr-
Inendons peals of thunder above him, and the
vivid flashes Of lightning which occasionally
pierced their way through the heavy damhsk
curtains, only the more enhanced the value
all L.
ings those of unmingicd satipfAciion, a bright
fire blaScd on the old-hshioncd hearth. and
two wax candles stood lighted on an elegant
ihlaid table beside Il.
The room was richly furnished in an antique
style, AMI the luxurious couch, 10 one tired as
hc was, looked extremely inviting to repo~c
But the inclination to sleep had quito lcli him
and n strange wnkcfulncss had superseded all
his former hlnios, overpowering Weariness,--
Scyern noble paintings by the great nAsteus
Guido and Da Ninici adorned the walls, one
of which was a beautiful picture Of the yir-
gin AMI Child, representing Him while yet
the radiant hrow was unpicrccd by tborns,
and ere the delicato fhir cheek had been sub
jcrted to the blow Of the smitcror the Prayer
of prayers hal been eAsped by those cherub
| iliTr. Upon these he lnnscd for an hour or so,
tnnd then, according IN his usual custom, o.
lpcncd his pocket iible, and read aud medi-
tated until his excitement passed away, and a
sacred calm gradually HCtlod upon him, O.,
Suddenly his attenii1n rsA- aFe.,sed l,y a
singular cunmotiou Ia the room below, uca-
w tables were dragged about, dishes and
glasses ratified, chairs violently pushed hither
and thitlier, doors slammed, and. ia short. he
heard every noise attendant upon the laying
tss'st &c an extansira talla.-This unaeconnta.
bic uproar continued unahaicd for about half
an hour, when. all at once, the place BECAME
hushed as the grave. Soon after, n slow ,hca-
w step began 90 ascend the stairs. Could his
host have deceived him2 For a time he
doubted his truth. The ominous step contin-
ucd 20 ascend; nearer IL drew, and still near
feTI HnIfi II sIoPT57i lt Tire door. --
Three sullcn knocks.
Mr. +. raus''l 4 moment, and then asked,
! "Who's there ?"
I a hollow voice replied: rl
"7hc master icdnis you dq,rn 10 supper -
"Exeuse inc, IL !ou please; cannot go
I down"
Tho duh heavy step descended the stairs
and entered the hall below MIR f.. began 20
conjecture that hand of f6rgers or smugglers
had made the place their Abodc, and bcinn
aware of his proximity, wished TO inveigle him
into thcfr power,in order 10 Insure his silence.
His sensations were becoming very uncnvia-
bic hut the pause was brief for agaiu hc
heard the step ascending. IL possible, heavier
and shower than before and again the three
sullcn knocks wero given.
"What do You want ?"
"Ihe master irdgt you dozen 10 SUPPER
'"Tcil him ] have already suppcd, and do
not wish for morc," replied Mr. T., alarmed a,
his pcrtinarjy.
The step departed ms before, and he tlistin-
guished angry voices in loud debate below
Were their designs hostilc,how could he hone
70 cscapcp Egrcss uhpcrceved, was utter.
, ly impossible. IL is curious TO note, in cases
OF emergency, how many plausible schemes
will present themselves TO the mind, which in
7 placid moments, were never drealnpt of So
many plan did he revolve in minute, but
, TO put one Of them in execution was out Of tll,
| question. He was prisoner, aud clearly In
the clutches Of his enemies, for such the,
must be. His heart sank like lead as hi,
thoughts reverted to his quiet, happy home
, where the beloved ones wore probably at thi,
time joyously expecting him, butwho, yhap
should never behold him moro
: The third time he heard the dreaded foo
approaching, so heavy every football now tIla
they smote ON his ear like cannon balls. Tn,
, three snllcu knocks again. ....'i '".'
"What do you wan, THAT you persist ii thu.
| disturbing me ?" demanded Mr. T. loudly.
Plil "1he master ,rdbts ydr 9oUn 10 supper ~
al come" said Mr. T., and mentally impIor
fing theProteetiort- of hruvcn againFt alt lvjo
icnee, he graspcd 4 candle, and, placing hi,
bible under his arm, opened the door A
, tgrirn, gigantic fghrc, habited in black from
head to foot stood without, who, motionins
him 10 follow, led the way to the same spien
did apartment in which he had been In the
earlier paft'of tic evening. The door wa,
thrown widely back bt his sable gnide, an,
he was ushercd IN. ghc master ofthe r,yt,l.
| received him with a silent bow, and escorted
T a. q Ft,ll, - ~,