Worcester daily spy., 1860-11-16


from without, and the rats were at work as
usual with their pOtatO-sacks and listslippers
within, he added considerably to the general
tumult by ringing Il huge alarm be which
he had had placed in his bedroom in case of
such an emerg ncya all the inmates of
the mansion flocked to the summons as bees
are gathered by the hivesman. We found the
captain in his dressing g-gown, in the center of
the western gallery, standing by an ugly mark
in the panneling, which he had made with the
muzzle of his pistol.
"IIere he is" cried he; "the fellow went
through here, I'll take my oath | heard him
listening at my door, and was out in minute,
taking a snap shot at him, but the thing miss
ed fire"
Heard whom !-heard whom ?"-inquired
Sir Arthur.
II don't know how should Il" replied the
young man. perhaps ghost; or, if, not,
somebody who was never so near being a
ghost, Il warrant him, as he was five minutes
back. I'll have tins panel broken in No,
father, well not leave it till to morrow, il you
please; that's how these things goon-let's do
1t at once. There's a pickaxe in the stable
yard; go and fetch it, Thomas"
80 the pickaXe was brought, and-Sir Ar.
thur unwlilingly assentng-we broke up the
black oak panneling into hundred splinters,
and then through a thick stone wall, without
1t, INTO chamber. OF the existence OF which no
person IN the house had never known. A
modern chanber-a small sitting roUm barely
lurhlshed with chairs and table Of date of
construction later at least by hundp years
than any thing IN the house, except the patent
SAFE ; but there were no WINDOWS to the room,
nor any means oi lmgress that could be discov-
Gu' save that very rough one OF our own. l
do not think that either ghost or burglar could
h",t ",ieG'eu US an more strangely than the
H's"t VI '.'"' unteil'''l''u ahu unknown modern
room u Is sun 10 De seen III the west gallery of
pu',oF ii''''' t'e so'e apProacn 10 l-ior SO
t'' 't'OiS MIh nave t-yet lylhE open De
~" t'e SPi"'eieu p'a"hS ana broken stone
WIN do ""t" IT. was nrsI louhd' ne my s.
very Co'cernihS II anu It's occupants-lt any
10 sun u"soINtd, anu the rats make just as
my" moiST "oo"' t"e Sranu oid place as ever.
ny 'i'u iein'" ka"ie adventure occurred To
lie ~. ~ u'""" u"9 llsHt "hen II is tspecialiy
Cieo'''oie 10 SITUATION 10 De STARTING, as
iiilnV uhuouotedly was. was III Chester,
IeSiuinR WIN my lahiiy, consisting OF my wife
ana grown up son ana daughter, III tempor"-
~ "usihSs' tlrte stories hlgh, 0ut otherwise
Wy Oo' enleH'' II was zen CLOCK III the
"'gI"i"S' out, am ashamed 10 say, we were
s'HI at oie"Nl"S,' 'or we were away from home
oh P'elSuIc' anu dau Iaieh INTO all sorts OF IDLE
""o"s: our conversation happened TO De upon
al" iloi'l"'0 my Wlie Hdu met WIN III lhe Town
." 'ne preceullis uay' some coal'heaVers were
u"ctl ing Coal upon the pavement, ana the
lo"u""y peIi's very wet, She asked theih TO
ueSlSt rom thelr occupation Tor moment, SO
'l'I sue mlSI!t pass Ihey ana so, Dut not
"''''ou' o'c Vi 'leti observing ana now 90
20" 'ii'''N "es"yulu Set our WORK uohe, hlssls,
1t w VIC was u walt loF eteIy looi as goes by
we were expressing our nope that thlS genue-
rt" lt%u ie'ii"rA was noI an eXemPIlhcaiion OF
CneSle' manners, Wheh ihe tliru window OF
ou' l"o'l-t"aI luT'Hest rom tne breakfast
N"S 'iU'V""y ,'io"h oPeh' ana NE heaa
anu "ncio'"eu s"ouluers OF Il man thrust lhem'
serves IuwaruS' my son ana were so over
Ioune WIN as'ohisnheht' ana the ladies' with
UiI"l' ui"t II must nave oeell nearly full
minute ue'"re stopped GOWN lor me p }her,
uu' ny t''c "H"itOl WHICH lHterl ne haue lle
'''9' i'i"ets II Is osS. u'e 10 conceive
independently Oh theSe, ms natural u2llness
was tAcesSNe' nc pelllg peIIec'If Dala, ana OF
VI scarlet coIor--S''ch colhp'eNlol as
lit" new oe'o'e seen on any man. AS
ran az nun, POKER IN hahd' ne Slammed
INV" 'N "lH"On anu oeioie VouIu open
IT. was OUT OF Sym; wonderful as Iau been
his appearances MS disappearance was tar more
81 a"u iHueeu iieAp'Icaoie' nc window
"h,2u 'l"u oeen tiIo"h up was haH "lhdoW
I''I 10 " say It was co'hiio" ~ our rooh
a anu e,e one next 10 IT. WllcIl aISo oeioheeu 10
.'e '''ie '"u'g' pu' was "' t'''. u'i'G u"l'l,"o'
i'eu ana l"cheu up having Sausned ourselves
oy 'ouSh Searcn Unat the apparlt on was
noI !" u''s "Pa' 't"leI'' 'heIa was ho'nihS ielI
ou' 'I'e CONCLUSION I''aV ne hau "laue MS way
alonS narrow icuSe OF not more tnah Jour
"c"eS o'o'o' 10 sohe o'her mouse 10 the rl3hC
OF ours, and that with the most excessive
qulcNhGss' Inc leu9e was at least 1orty 1eet
perpendicular ABOVE crowded street, WIN no
other resting place between 1t and the ground,
and IN tulI view OF all paSsers BY, some OF
whom would lave been surely attracted by
the spectacle of a naked scarlet man balanc
ing himself upon next to nothing over their
heads. The matter indeed seemed inexpica-
bic, but still felt ii my duty to persevere in
my investigations, since the minds Of both
my wife and daughter had been greatly shaken
by the occurrence, and if | could only find
some reasonable explanation, knew that half
the mischief would be done away with. l
spared, therefore, nether pains nor money to
this end The police were set to work Il re-
ward was offered for the discovery OF the per
son who had committed the outrage; and all
passengers upon the street in question upon
that morning, between 10 and IL. 10, were duly
eXhorted to come forward and witness to any
peculiar appearance visible at that time and
place. All, however, was in van until about
fortnight afterwards The subject was by
that tiue avoided by us as much as possible,
while the ladies were present; but one fore
noon, while my son and | were speaking of it
as the maid was laying the luncheon cloth, he
observed; "Do you know father, | have been
thinking a go6Sl deal about the odd appearance
OF that horrible mau's head, and [ have come
to the conclusion that it was not bald at all.
but shared"
Good" said |. "I'm pretty sure, my lad,
you're right; and in that case, he must have