The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1859-02-17
The Hidden Hand.
BY EMMA D. E. N. SOUTHWoRTH,
AUTHOR OF "THE BRIDE OF Az EVENING"
"THE DESERTED WIFE," ETC.. sTc, ETC.
CHAPTER I.-THs NooruarAL vIsrr.

"THE DESERTED WIFE," ETC.. sTC, ETC.
CHAPTER I.-THE NOCTURNAL VIslr.
wh6hee 10 that knockingi
How isr with me whom every sound apPsIls mel
hear q knocking
In the south entry! HaTk!-more knocking
SHAKEoREAREs
Hurricane Hall Is a large old fGmily man.
sion, built Of dark, red sandstone, in one OF
the loneliest and widest Of the mountain |
regions of Virginia.
The estate is surrounded on three sides by
range of steep. groy rocks, spiked with
clumps Of dark ever greens, and called, from
it's horseshoe form, the DEVILS Hoof!
On the fourth side the ground gradually
descends in broken rHek and barren soil to
the edge of the wild mountain stream known
as the DEVILS Run.
When storms and floods we're high, the
loud roaring Of the wind through the wild
mountain gorges, and the terrific raging Of
the torrent over it's rocky course, gaVg 10
this savage locality its ill.omened names Of
DEVILS Hoof, DEVILS Run and Hurricane
Hall. '
Major Ira Warfeld, the lonely proprietor
Of the Hall, was veteran officer, who, In
disgust at what he supposed to be ill.requit.
ed services, had retired from public life to
spend the evening Of his vigorous age, on
this his paTimoniul estate. Here he lived in
seclusion, with his o Id. fashioned housekeep.
er, Mrs. Condiment, and his old family ser.
van,s>end hsS>favorhedo and horses.
Here his mNnings were usually spent in the
chase, Ncwhich he excelled, and bis after.
Ho0hs and evenings were occupied in small
convival suppers among his few chosen com.
panions of the chase or the bottle.
In person Major Warfeld was tall and
strongly built, reminding one Of some old
iron .imbed Douglas OF the olden time. His
festsres were large and harsh; his complex
} ion dark ted, as that of one bronzed by long
exposure and flushed with strong drink. His
, fierce, dark gray eyes were surmounted by
thick, heavy black 5rows, that, when gather:
ed int6 ffo#n; retllhded cne Of thunder
cloud, as the fas!iihg ofBs Beneath them did
Of lightning. His hard, harsh face was sur.
rounded by thick growth of iron gray hair
and beard that met beneath his chin. His
1susl habit was d tlatk cloth toat, er,mtHn
vest, black leather breeches, long, black
yarn stockings, fastened at the knees, and
morocco slippers with silver buttons.
In character Elajor Wurseld Was arrogon,
domincering and violent-equllly loved and
feared by his faithful old family servants n,
hvtae-disIiked and dteaded by hia neigh.
bors and acquaintdt'eeo abroad, Wis, paFtly
from his house and purity from his charac
ter, fixed upon him the appropriate nickname
OF OLD HURRIOASE.
There was, Eoysctef, othef gf6Hnd of dis.
like besides that Of his arrogant mind, vic.
lent temper and doHsiOeering hubiis. Old
Hurricane was said to b. an G'd bachelor
yet rumor whispered that there was n some
7 obscure part of the world, hidden away from
human sgh,.a deserted vile and child, poor
iorl5rh and heartbroken. 1t was frrthel
whispcted that the older brother OF Ira War
: field had mysteriously disappeared. and no
without some suspicion Of foul play on th'
= part OF the only person in the world who ha'
u strong interest in his ".taking of" !" How
ever these things might be, it was known
for certainty that Old Hurricane bad Al
i. only sister, widowed, sick and poor, VIII
u with her son dragged out wretched life O
0 illrequited toll, severe privation and pain
- ful lnGrmity, in distant city, unaided, un
B. sought and uncared for by her cruel brotasl
d 1t was the night OF the last day Of Octo
Der, 1875. The evening had closed in yer
dark and gloomy. About dusk the win
Is arose in the northwest, driving up masse
!. of leaden bued clouds, and in few minute
% the ground was covered deep with snow, On
y the air was filled with driving sleet.
e AS This was All HalIow Eve, the dreadful
10 SnElemetcy OF the weather did not preven
ID the negroes of Hurricane Hall from availn
10 themselves Of their capricous old master
le permission, aud going of in body to q ban
ID o SresEdown held in the negro quufteEs q
J" their next neishbor.
~ Upon this evening, then, there was left Q
~ Hurricane Hall only Major Warfeld, Mr.
y Condment, his little old housekeper, an
'e Wool, his body servant.
10 EARLY in the evening the old hall wa
AT shut up closely. TO keeP oft as much as POI
ne sible the sound of the storm that roarc
10 through the mountain chasms and cannon
g. AIDED the walls Of the house as If determine
e. to force an entrance. AS soon as she hs
seen that all was safe, Mrs. Condimenr we1
! to bed and went to sleep. !tf IEs
1t was about ten o'clock that night tb,
bo Old Hurricane, we'll wrapped up in his quill
Sc ed flannel dressing gown, sat in his we
I'm padded easy yechair before warm and brigl
I'D fire. taking his comfort in his own most con
to Portable bedroom. This was the hour Of tt
en- coziest enjoyment to the self-indulgent ol
'e. Sybarite, who dearly loved his own ease.-
10. Very comfortable was Old Hurricane On
be az he toasted his feet and slipped bio pune
ID. while his black servant, Wool, applied I'll
y. warming.p pan to bis cozy couch. he fair
= hurroA L;r,aolf fop nniov ont and Jnoi.~.