Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1859-08-25

took ", for could not do otherwise. -
IL vas COLI. clsmy aud desthiy. aud .-nt =
sudden chill through my heart, aud drop
ped 1t Ms | would frozen thug.
lie laughed mockiugly
One would thipk there vas something
eontamiusiiog 10 my toach be said III
sm stranger, you must not be afraid of
me"
! did not answer I could not It.e.m
ed ~ II ] could feel the d.mps Of the char
mel house when he vas near
You are the re~ tenant Of Ham ptou
Hail. are you notP he asked at length.
! nodded an assent.
People say the old place 10 hsuuted, he
said looking at me -irshgely hat the
murderer cannot rect quietly in h- grave.
and his .pirt wander. over The Old bous. =
A murderer cried
Yes, have you nut heard cf i'll Then
] viii tell you. Year. ago there lived IN
Hampton Hall a strange eccentric. old
man. and mis-r too Who vas The po..e.sor
OF almost fabulous wealth lie lived there
sloae for he Was too m,.erly to keep . ser
want, and the only relative be b.d IN th.
world ~ss bis nephew. = vili frollicki iuy fcl-
low. who had eop. TO foreign l.ud. On.
u'li stormy night, bi. sepLss came home
lie vent ia without knocking. into the very
door You entered las, night. snt into that
ssif-ssne room bat the niser vas not there
aud all WAS suil n. h.f .r-n , light
shining forth fr IN q di.rapt apartment spd
he erept steal,hiiy through the Intervening
rooms and At lsst came TO the very door
1t wa- slightly sjsr. aud he pushed II n n,i.e
iessiy open The miser VA there. With h,.
back to~ards the door, counting III, gold
he murderer drew a long sharp knife from
his bosom aud crert ny 50 .tcslrhhy YOU
could not bcara single creak OF the old a ,or
aud plunged the gleami z kuifr iuto tn. old
mire:. bosom. H. never uttered a anal,
groan, tu, fell back aud the bio. a thick
red sud cloited sucsmed out upon the floor
by hrs siie. Aud IL was thu, some neigh
bors found hun ,bre Gays sf,.rxsrds
And what became Of the murderer
asked chokiugly
NO one knew Of his coming. and there.
fore no one knew what hand he hsd iu The
deed lie ~eut TO foreign land. sgaiu and
vas gone until be vas summoned hack.
Then be returBcd aud took quiet possession
OF the Proper,S as the nearest kin lie iivcd
cd at Hampton Hall. with his servant but
one year, aud then one morning e~asfluud
lying cold aud stark. With atrllhful eouyul
siou on his wicked face, beside that very
pool of blood his hand had shed. which no
one could ever ~ipe up aud people say that
often now ~. h-ndish face looks up at them
from out IN" criusul gore. aud he con-
t'nusd, looking at me strangely "th.y bu
ried him under this tree, IN th,t subken
grave 9
Al the While we we're talking. We had
uncoociossly been nearing the grave. aud
nov stood directly before it I stopped and
pulled the wscrs and nsttles from the head
stoue, ss | did 80 ! heard Q holIos ,ro.n
behind me sprung quickly to my feet.
and looked arouod. | was alone. The
stranger had dlsappear-dr That VERY
night ~ Hugh and | .st silently b~for. tb.
hrc. cold clamy hand had suddenly touched
my own / bad not heard the door opeu or
close, nor . single step upon tho old Hoor
yet tie stranger of the porpias stool by
my side
You did not expect a see me ag.in so
soon. did You SIR he asked. Am wei,
Gomez did not reply
Well | Suppose not for to most people
never am. AIN not oGcuded ia che le.,t
though But II Vas business thst slled me
hear tonight. cane TO test the truth Of
the hsunted 5oom. Come, snd you. too
sir he said, catching a candle from the ,s-
bic aud pointing ct lIoeh.
Both Of you. -it' come With me
We arose fiom our scst, aud followed
him. for Ne dsrsd not DO otner.i,e. Win
unerriog sur'ty ho led the ~sy through those
dark, old rooms, aud pe rttercd tne last
together. lie went ny that du.ky corner,
aud holding the candle far up over o..
bead, bent down 10 look, while Hugh aud
kneeied beside him. The mystery of tha,
haunting face was explained The ~iid
m"ckiug eyes aud the sieked f.s. sa-
cleaning forth { rm that human gore. aud
the Que which bent over Il 80 tarne,tly.
were slike
] covered my face With my band. and
staggered tack wnh . sudden f.istne..
When recovered myself, Hugh snd I were
alone. The candle vas tutuing m dis
ts1t corner. hut the murderer bad di.ap.
psArsd We sal 20 nov HaSb .a,4
as se wen, out q tie room toy iher 4
care not O. .tsy here logger We go f,fta
into The world again
'Ay, aud you may ?, forth 20 hsppines.
h you u'll spssffed iiugh. bSldiar up
package 10 h.. hand Al y forgiven sud
fofgottsu, sod they ~i.h you 90 fet4tu
l. u 90 ] sssv1 esFeriy Then
thanE God We will indeed g. btih 10
hsppines.