Sunday dispatch. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1845-1854, 1852-03-28
A HAUNTED HOUSE.

|
1ne following vivid description Of a haunt
ed aouse is extracted from I" Hearts and Al
| tarss bv Robert RelI. an intarest;nc and
s,,bv vol,,,os ..oo,,tl,, ,,,,1,1;at Al
- ''1--9-' - ,'-'''O-
| - A-o"0S "'' 01'u'Veu VA u" AoAoly huVor
IN lac north Of England, close upon the bleak
| Dor era dismal neighborhood, savage, cold,
apd desolate. The mansion was bu;lt 80 far.
bacl as tho reign of Richard IT and With
its fl asnkiue walls. crumblin0 on ali s;desinto
ru % and It's paved court-vards. covered a
| considerable area. Most Of the anartments
We re larre and gloomy. and bunO with arms
| Of 40 rreat an ACE. that the colors had rrovzr'
| dir. and the thread in MANY nlaoes annear-
cd 20 be dropping into powder LONG corri-
| dors and low vaulted rooms ran ronnd tba
QUADRANGLE; and AZ the uses for which this
| huye bile was DESIGNED bv its feundera bod
lorg aimee passed away. with tbe hand of va
| tainsrs and extravaoant nomn tbat diot;n-
Quished the davs Of feudal hosDiralitv and
row al progresses. oplv a small mari of 4 vac
kent up in an inhabitable condition bv NV
mother Unfortunately for nv afrer life.
the psrt 30 preserved Law in the verv cantre
of the mansion. approachable only bv dark
passages, utterly nhsnure at nj ah4 and harA
| ly lighted in the day time by narrow latticed
windows, such as we see indented in the thick
walls Of old fOrtresses. To reach the iDhabi-
ted rooms it was necessaiy y to make many
windings, to tWine up q short spiral stair
that led from the outer court, and to traverse
the corridors on two sides of the quadran-
gle One evening
in the autumn took courage, end, clearing
away the brambles with trembling hands,
forced myself down, bringing after me tor
rent Of stones and earth. Finding my feet at
the bottom, and rubbing my eyes, tried to
grope my way onwards At first there was
Ohm light at great distance above me, in
slanting direction, but in an instant after
wards was in total darkness. Ny first i'm
pulse was to laugh at the exploit l had
achieved but as | pattered along, splashiDg
sometimes in pools Of water, and sometimes
knocking my head against the rough stones
that jutted out on each side, my mirth de-
serted me When became accustomed to
the darkness, fancied could discern shape
less figures rising up and vanishing in the
gloom-the walls seemed to move out of
their places, and to heave to and fro like
vi ecks in storm-then they would open,
and collaspe, and disappear all was in mo-
ton, black and tumultuous, and surging
sound, as OF winds and water lashing and
wailing in confined space, moaned dismally
in my ears. Even when I closed my eyes,
and pressed my fingers upon them to shut
ou, these sights, they were still before me
This was, Of course, the work of mere fright;
but what followed, cannot he so easily &C.
counted for While | stood hesitatipg howl
should proceed-for had lost my track, and
knew not whether / ought to 60 back wards
or forwards-I heard distinct rushing
sound, quite close to me- Itswept past, and
was silent again. 1t was like a rush Of silk
or satin, or some fabric which, suddenly
crushed, give out rustling noise. All the
blood in my body gathered into my head;
my eyes emitted fire, as if they had been
struck by cord. A sitting sensation bBb-
0led up to my throat, and involuntarily ut
tered cry, which was echoed from hun
dred recesses, and continued at intervals, re-
verberating like a succession Of shots in the
distance. painted with horror as grasp
ed the wall and listened. My fear was too
great to suffer me to cry out for help. The
apprehension Of again invoking those dread
ful echoes appalled, me hardly breathed,
and stood still TO listen, l know not how long.