The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1859-02-19

Il
In the south entry. lark more knocking
... ...-..-. -..... SHAKESPEARE
Hurricane Hall is large old family man
sion, built Of dark, red sandstone, in one 0
the lonelicst and widest of the mountain re-
! gions Virginia.
The estate is surrounded On three side:
! by range OF steep, gray rocks, spiked witt
! c!umps of dark evergresns, and called, from
its horseshoe farm, the DEVILS Hoof.
On the fourth side the ground gradually
decends in broken rock and barren soil te
| the edge of the wild mountain stream k1o~I
as the DEVILS Run.
, When storms and foods were high, the
loud roaring of the wind through the wild
mountain gerges, and the terrific raging o
| the torrent over its rocky course, gave to
this savage locality Its ll-omehed nanes ei
| Devils Usef, Devils Run and Hurricanc
Hail.
Major Ira Warfeld, the lonely proprietor
Of the Hall, was veteran officer, who, in
disgust at what he supposed to be ill-regut.
cd services, and retired from public life to
spend the evening of his vigorous age on this
his patrimonial estate. Here he lived in Sc
clHsien, with lis old-fsshioned houssh per
Mrs Condinent, and his Ole family servants
and his favorite dogs and horses. Here his
mornings were usually spent in the chase, in
which he excelled, aud his sftcTsosns and
evenings were occupied in small convivsl
supper. anoa. his few chosen conpsnlens
OF the chase or the bottle.
In person Major Warfela WAS tall and
strongly buIIt, reminding one Of some Old
irOn-iImbeL Douglas Of the olden time. His
features were large sad harsh his complex
ion dark red. as that Of one 5reuzed by long
exposure and flushed with strong drink
His LrsCe, dark gray eyes were surmouniv1
by thick heavy black brous, that, when
gathered into q irswn, reminds one offs thun-
der cloud, as the flashing orbs beneath then III
did Of lightning. Ills hard, harsh face was
surrounded by thic!. gro~t,. oi ii oI-gray
hair and beard that met beneath hi. cEia.-
He usual habit n.s black cloln coat, GRIM
.on vest, black leather breecnes long black
yarn stockings, fastened at the knee, and
morocco slippers with silver buttons.
Ia character Najor Warfeld was arrogant,
dOG-iGrt.iug and y.OicRt- equally loved and
feared by h.s faithiu! old family servants at
houe-disiised and dreaded by his nelgL-
Lnrs and ac9 uaintances abroad, who, partly
from Lis house and partly from his charse
ter Gyed upon him the appropriate nick
name OF Oh HUsIIcASE.
Tiers was, however, other grouEd OF dls-
ike besides that oi his arrogant mind, vio-
lent per and dnmineerlng habits. Old
hurricane was said TO be an old bachelor,
yetrumor whispered that there was ia me
obscure part of the world, hidden away from
human isht, g deserted wife and Child, poor,
f0riorn and hearIbroken. Ii was further
whispered that the elder brother OF Ira War
tio,I had mlstcrious,y disappeared, and not
without SOME suspicion Ot foul play on the
part ol the only persen in the word who
bad a strong interest IN Lls taking of -
However these. things might se, 1t sas
known for certainty tia: Oh hurricane
had an only sister, widowed, sick, and poor,
who Wti. her soa dragged on q watchiui lie
OF ii-r,gUited toll, severe Trivatioa and pain
20. iuhy:n'y, IN distant city, unaIded, un-
sought aud uucarcd for ty her crual brotasr.
1t Vas the night oi the last day OF Oct,
1915. The evening had closed Ia very dark
and gloomy. About dusk the wind arose IN
the north vest, driving up masses Of leaden
hued clouds, and Ia te~ minutes the ground
was covered deep with snow, aGd tie ar
WI, filled with driving slest.
As this was All ilalow Eve, the dreadful
iEclcmeJcy OF the weather did not prevent
the negroes Of Hurricane Hall from svsilins
themselves o1 tEei: capricious old master =
perm lcu, and going of N body TO 4 baR-
10 breakdown held IN the negro quarters OF
their next neiEEtor.
Upon this evening, then, there vas left a.
Hurricane Hall only Major Wartield, Mrs.
Coudiulent, his little Old housekeeper, aud
" ool, his body servant.
Early in the evening the old hall was shut
up closely, to keep out as much as possible
the sound Of the storm that roarcd through
the mountain chasras and canenaded the
walls Of the house as il determined 10 force
an entrance. As soon as she had seen that
all was safe, Mrs. Condimont went 10 bed and
went to sleep.
1t was about ten o'clock that night that
Old Hurricane, well wrapped up IN his quiI.
ted flannel dressing gown, sat in his wei!
padded easy chair before warm and bright
fire taking his comfort in his own mos. com
Portable bedro, IL. This Was the hour OF
the ccZiest enjoyment TO the seii-induisent
o'd Svbarite, who dearly loved his onw ease.
Nery comfortable vas Old Hurricane; and
as he toasted his feet and sipped his punch,
while his black servant, W oo, applied the
warmjr g-pan to his coy couch, he fairly
hugced himself for enjoyment, and declaIed
that nothing uud 7 heaven would or could
temDt hi p to leave that room and that house
and 90 ont into that storm Oh tha: night
Just as he had come 10 this emphatic de-
termination lie was startled by a violent
ringing of the door-bell Ordering Wool to
90 and see what was the matter. he hastily
arrayed himself in his sleeping habilimentS
and Jumped into bed, determined not to be
intrudcd upon, or to be called cut of his
room on any account whatever.
At this moment Wool resppeared.
Shut that door, you villain! Do you in
tend to stand there holding it open on me
1 .-s al
Wool hastily closed the offending portals,
and hurried to his masters side.
"W ell sir who was it rung the bell ?"
"Sar, de Reverend Mr. Parson Goodwin,
and be say how he mus. see yourself per-
sonally, alone.'
see me. you villain. Didn't yeu tell him
that | had retiTedt"
Yes. Marse tell him how you were
gone to bed and asleep morEe'n an hour ago
and he ordered me to come wake you up,
and ssy how it were = matter o life and
death.n
Life and death: What have to do with
life and death | won't stir If the parsen
wants TO see me he will have to come up
here and sse me in bed
Mus | fetch him reverence up, sars"
"Yes. | wouldn't get up and 60 down to
-Washipg pgtOn-shut the door, you ras
cal. or I'll throw the bootjack at your wood
en- head ~
Wool obeyed with slacrity and in time to
escape the threatened mussile
After an absence of a few minutes he was
heard returning, attended upon the footsteps
Of another. And the next ainuts he enter
ed ushering in tAe Rev. Mr. Goodwin, the
parish minister of Bethlehem, st. Mary's
GLOW do you do? How do you do? Glad
to see you sir! glad to see yeu, though
obliged to receive you in bed ! Fact is, |
caught Geld with this severe change Of
weather, and took q warm negus and went
to bed to sweat it off! You'll excuse me !
Wool, draw that easy chair up to my bed
clio Cor worthy Mr. Gnndwin and bring him