Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-05-21
STAR.
TWO OF MONK LEwISs STORIES.
(From Rosers,s " Table -Talk.nl

In Monk Lewis's writings there is q deal Of
bad taste; but still be was a man of genius.
I'll tell you two stories which he was very
fond of repeating, (and which Windham used
TO hke.) The first is: D..
The SKELETON IN THE CHURCH PORCH
many, and sent for the landlord to give him a
glass of wine In the course of conversation
the landlord remarked that a certain person
whom they happened TO speak Of was as OBJ
stinate as the Skeleton in the Church porch
"Whst is that % they inquired. The land
lord said that he alluded to a skeleton which
| it was impossible to keep under ground that
he had twice or thrice assisted in laying il in
the charnel, but that always, the day after il
had been buried, it was found lying in the
church porch. The travellers were greatly
struck by this account; and they expressed
an eager desire to see the refractory skeleton.
At last, young serving woman coming into
| the room, they asked her if she, for a reward,
would 60 to the church porch and bring the
skeleton to them She at first refused to do
so; but eventually the travellers offered a sum
of money which she could not resist Be it
particularly observed that the young woman
was then big With child Well, off she set to
the church; and having found the skeleton in
| its usual place, she brought il to the inn on
her back, and laid il upon the table before
the travellers. They had no sooner looked at
| it than they wished it gone and they pre-
vailed on the young woman, for another sum
| of money to carry it again to the church
porch. When she arrived there she set Ii
down; and turning away, she was proceeding
quickly along the path which led from the
church, and which was seen stretching out be-
fore her in the clear moonlight, when she sud-
denly felt the skeleton leap upon her back
She tried TO shake it of; but in vain. She
then fell on her knees and said her prayers
Al l.
again rushed down the path, when, as before,
the skeleton leapt upon her back. "I will
never quit you, il said, {" until you descend
into the charnel, and obtain forgiveness for
the skeleton that lies in the church-porch.
She paused moment; then summoning up
her courage, she replied she would do so. The
skeleton dropped off. Down she went into
the charncl and, after cropping about for
some time, she perceived the pale figure of
lady, sitting by a lamp, and reading She
advanced towards the figure, ard kneeling,
said, - ask forgiveness for the skeleton that
lies in the church porch" The lady read on
without looking at her. Again she repeated
her suppHcation, but still the lady read on,
regardless of it The young woman then as.
cended from the charnel, aud was running
down the path when the skeleton once more
arrested her progress. az will never quit
you," it said, :" till you obtain forgiveness for
the skeleton that lies in the church porch
20 again into the charnel and ask it." Again
the young woman descended, aud, advancing
to the lady sank upon her knees, and cried,
L come a second time to ask forgiveness for
the skeleton that lies in the church porch.
Oh, grant that forgiveness the skeleton i'm
plores it, implore it? the babe that I bear
in my womb imploreS it! 90 The lady turned
her head towards the speaker, gave a faint
smile, and disappeared On coming up from
the charnel, the young woman found the skeie.
ton standing erect in the porch. " am now
here, it said, " not to trouble you, but to
thank you; you have at length procured me
rest in the grave was betrOthed to the LADY
you saw in the charnel and L basely deserted
her for another. L stood at the altar, about
to be married to my second love, when sud.
denly she rushed into the church, and stabbed
herself with dagger, said to me, as she was
expiring, "you shall never rest in the grave
no, never, till the babe unborn shall ask for
giveness for you " The skeleton rewarded
the good Offices of the young woman by dis
covering to her the place where heap Of
treasure was concealed.
The second story is: s-a
LORD HOwTHs RAT.- Tom Sheridan was
Shooting on the moors in ireland, and lost his
dog. A day or two after, it made its appear
ance, following an Irish laborer. 1t was re-
stored to Sheridan, who remarked to the la
borer that the dog seemed very familiar
u
lows me, as the rat did Lord Howth" An
inquiry about the rat drew forth what is now
to be told Lord HOwth, having dissipated
his property, retired in very low spirits to a
lonely chateau on the sea-coast. One stormy
night vessel was seen to 60 down; and next
morning raft was seen floating towards the
shore. As it approached, the bystanders were
surprised to find that it was guided by lady,
who presently stepped upon the beach. She
pYnuIsirplv haQntiful hnf fhau
able to discover who or what she was, for she
spoke In an un unknown tongue. Lord Howth
was struck with pity for this fair stranger,
and conducted her to his chateau. There
she remained for a considerable time, when
he became enamored Of her, and at last ked
her to become his wife. She (having now
learned the English language) thanked him
for the honor he had intended her; but de
clared in the most positive manner that she
could never be his. She then earnestly ad-
vised him to marry a certain lady of a neigh
boring county. He followed her advice paid
his addresses to the lady, and was accepted
Before the marriage, the beautiful stranger
took ribbon from her hair, and binding it
round the wrist of Lord Howth, said, {" Your
happiness depends upon your never parting
with this ribbon He assured her that il
should remain on his wrist She then disap-
peared, and was never seen again The mar
riage took place. The ribbon was matter
Of much curiosity to the bride; and one night
when Lord Howth was asleep, she removed it
from his wrist and carried it to the FIRE, that
she might read thei icharacters inscribed upon
IT, Accidentally she let the flame reach il,
and it was consumed. Some time after, Lord
Howth was giving grand banquet in his
hall, when the company were suddenly dis
turbed by the barking of dogs. This, the
servants said, was occasioned by rat which
the dogs were pursuing, Presently the rat,
followed by the dogs, entered the hall. 1t
mounted on the table, and running up to Lord
Howth, stared at him earnestly with its bright,
black eyes. He saved its life and from that
moment it never qui tied him wherever he
was, alone or with his friends, there was the
rat At last the society of the rat became
very disagrceable to Lord Howth and his
brother urged him to leave ireland for time,
that he might get rid of it He did so, and
proceeded to Marseilles, accompanied by his
brother. They had just arrived at that place,
and were sitting in the room of an hotel,
uhap ba donr onapad and in cama