The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1859-02-22

]Tae Deserted Uye." Dc, d'c,
rg,PTER / - -TnE NocTUESsL VISIT
Whence is tba, knocking?
asfs. With ne WHOM every sound anpais me .
hear !. knocking
,,.e ,cuth entry I!4Fk more knocking!
SH.SksPERE.
Hurricane Hall Is large old family
n,p.;on. buiit Of dark, red sandstone, in
,e o the one!iest and widest Of noun
,u regions Of Virginia
The estate is surrounded ON three sides
ma range Of steep, gray rocks, spiked
.ilh elam ps Of DARK evergTeen-, aud call
4 from It's horseshoe form, the Devils
aef
On the fourth side the ground gradually
Ls,ends in broken rock ard barren soil to
beed,e Of tie wild mountain strcahS known
Is tie DeyIls Kun
When storms and foods Were hieh. the
and roaring Of the Wind through the wild
mountain sorges. and the terrific raging OF
,be torrent over it, rocky course, gave L.
HI. savage locality It's ilI-omened names
a; Devils Hoof. Devils Run ano lIuTri-
.ane Hall
Nair Ira Warfell, the lonely proprie-
sr Of the Hall, was veteran officer, who.
n disgust at what lie supposed to be Hire
aaited services. had retired from public life
o speud the evening Of hIS vigorous age
% this, his pa,rimoniil estate Here he
Eysd in seclnsioD, with his old fashioned
boas,keeper, Mrs. Condinent, and his o.d
amily servants ana hi. iavoritc dogs and
vrss Here bis mornings were usually
SeDt in the chase, in which hc cxcolled,
md bis afternoons and evenings Were occu-
.ed in small eonyival ,uppers among his
tw chosen companions nj the chase or the
bo,,ie.
In person, MAJOR Wariieli WI, strong and
.rmly built, reminding one Of some old
inn lnbed Douglass of the oldcu time -
His features were large and harsh ; his
auplexicn dark red. as that Of one bronz-
d by long exposure and finished with
nung drink. His fierce, dark gray eyes
sere surmounted by thick heavy black
aruvs, that, when gathered into frown.
rminded one Of thunder cloud, as the
iashlns Orbs beneath them did Of lightning
His hard, harsh face was surrounded by a
nick growth of iron-gray hair and beard
hat met beneath his chin. His usual bab
/ was black cloth coat, crimson vest,
lss,her breeches. long, black yarn stock
ings, fastened n. the knees, and morocco
slippers with silver buttons.
10 character Major Wartield was arro
CAN'T, domlneering and yio!en; - equally
hved and feared by his faithful old famll,
srvants at home-disiiked and dreaded by
lis neichbors and acquaintanccs abroad
sho, partly from his house AID partly from
.S character, fixed upon him the arpropri
lie nickname of OLU HURgICASE.
There was, however, other ground Of Dis
Ike besides thaaof bis arrogant mind VI
dent temper and dc'ninecriu. habits. Ol'
HURRICANE was said to he all o!d bachelor
ss. rumor whispered that there was in som'
OBSCURE part of the the world, hidden ava,
nom human sight, deserted wife and child
Door, forlorn and heart broken. |: wa
iurther whispered that the elder brother o
Ia Wartieli had mysterlously disappeared
md not without some suspicion ct foul pla,
n the part of the only persoa in the wori'
Who had strong interest in his ''takin!
e." However these things mi ght be,
vas known for certainty that Din Hurrl
cane had an only sister, widowed, sick an'
poor, who with her son dragged on
sre,ehed life Of ill-requited toll, severe pr
'alion and painful ii,!irmity, in distau
city. unaided, uus ugi,t aud uncared for b
asr cruel brother,
twas tie night Of the last day Of octC
Ter, ls45. The evening had closed
7ery dark and gloomy About dusk th
snd arose in the north west. driving u
masses OF leaden hewed clouds. aud in
lev minutes the ground was covered dee
nth snow. and tue air was flied with DIR
Nng sleet.
As this was All Haliow Eve, the drea'
ml inclemency of the weather did not pr
'en; the resroes OF Hurricane Hall fro
a'aiilng themselves oi their capricious o
masters permission, and going oil in boa
@a banjo breakdown held in the neg
quarters os their next neighbor
lpcn this evening, then, there was IL
G,hurrieane Hail only MAJOR WarGel
Ms COrdimeut, bis little old housekeep'
'ad Woo', his body servant
Early in the evening the cid hall "
Sot Up closely, to keep cut as much as pC
s'le the sound OF the storm that ronr'
1fough the mouutail chasms and cannon
1ec the walls Of tie house as if de,erml
sato 'orce All entrance. As Soou as :
aaa seen that all was safe, Mrs Condime
vent to bed aud went to sleep.
a., II was about ten o'clock that night I'll
va Hurricane, well wrapped up in
sa1'ed flannel dressing gown. sat in
sea padded easy chair before warm a
0oehs tre, taking his comfort in bis o.
0s' Comfortable bedroom. TLis was
aOsf OF the eozies; enjoyment to the 81
1a:uulgent old Sybari;e, who dearly loy
ss wn ease. Very comfortable was {
.ufrcane; and as he toasted his feet a
TPped his punch, while his old serva
WOOL applied the warming pan to his CT