The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1861-04-06

| ne place frightened me. l went through,
! glad to escape the stupid wonder of the pa lid
women and children who came crowdng to
the doors, as though stranger were rare
and not too welcome sight among them. -
Indeed. some seemed to have kind of warn.
ing terror in their looks when they pointed
in the direction of the House, as they called
it; and one old witch, lifting her stick, cried
"surely, surely, not there belize '' in tone
which fIoze my blood. However, it was too
late now 10 rrccde SO, full of Undesirable
terror. went on my way, until arrived at
Penthouse, where my future was to ie
| 1t was lonely house, standing back from
the road completely shut in in front by a
| tangled shrubbery, while at the rear stretched
a close dark wood with trailing under
broken, supported by one hinge only the
garden was a mass Of weeds and rubbish
the flower beds overgrown with grass and
Iettlcs and what had once been rose.,rccs
and towering shrubs, left to wlther and die,
stfcd by birdwind and coaiser growths. -
The house was of moderate size, two storicd.
aud roomy, but SO neglected and uncared for,
that it looked more bleakly desolate than
anything | had ever seen before. My dream
OF the young and beautiful wife had vanished,
and felt as bout to be ushercd into the pres
ence OF some fantastic horror or,lcaaly crime.
The wet leaves FLASHED beneath my feet, and
Sent up their clouds of autumn odor-the
odor Of death: unsightly insects and loath-
some reptiles glided before me with strange
familiarity, which rendered them vet more
loathy; not a bird twittered through the
naked branches OF the trees. The whole
place had wild. weird, haunted look and
Shiverins with dread at knew not what,
rang the rusty bell, hanging lonely out of
the Clipped and broken socket The neal
startled me, and brought out small terrle r.
winch came running round me, barking
turlonsly and shrllly. The door was opened
by ragged, slip'shod se:yant-girl, and
was shown into Il pool furnished ROOM
which seemed to be ii kind of library; to
Judge at least by the open bookcase. thickly
stocked with shabby books. The room was
close and musty; the fire in the CRATE was
heaped up carefully towards the middle, and
the sides blocked IN by bricks. 1t was a
mean fire a stingy, shabby fire.
Alter waiting for some time, gentleman
and lady came in. She was pale. weak.
hopeless looking woman, very tall, fair, and
slender, with narrow forehead, lustreless
light blue eyes with no cyeaShes, Scanly
hair, straw-colored lid, fined, cyc6i ov S, and
very thin pale lips. She was slightly deiorm-
ed. and carried her arms thrust far back from
The elbow, the hands left 10 danglc ncIvclessly
from the wIlsts She stopped, and was
dressed IN limp faded cotton gown every
way too scanty and too cold for the season.
hen she came in, her eyes were bent to.
wards the soed grey carpet, and she never
raised them, or made the least kind of Salu.a.
ton. but sat down on chuir near the window,
and began to unravel strip Of muslin. =
The gentleman was short and thick -set, very
active and dcterlnlned-leo cooking, with dark
halr turning now TO gray, u thick but even
ly-cut mouslache, Joining his buShy whiskers,
The large square heavy chin left bare over.
hanging eyebrows. with small, restless, pas
slonate eyes beneath: in his whole face and
bearing an expression Of temper amounting
10 lerocliy.
lie spoke to me peremptoriy and haughti
~ asked me my name, age, faulty cUndi.
ton previous history, as II he had been cx-
aiming me on oath, scarcely waiting for my
answers, and all the while fixing me with
those small angry eyes till felt dazed and
restless, as Creatures under torture. Then he
said, abruptly:
=" You have a strange look, sacred look,
may call 1t. How have you come by il"
a. am Of nervous temperament, sir, ;" |
answered, pulling at the ends Of my gloves.
Nothing else! Nothing hereditary z"
-" Yes, SIR, " said |, as steadily as could;
there is hereditary misfortune among u.s."
Father or mother !'
"Moih her."
!" said the man. rubbing his NOUS
tache, and looking at me with eyes all a.hame:
" so much the nearer and more dangerous"
=" ain not dangerous" said, little too
humbly, perhaps; but that man was com.
pletely subdumg me. am nervous, but
nave no worse tendency"
lie laughed.
Perhaps not" he said, with a sneer that
made my Llool culdle; mo one ever has
Don you know that all mania"s are ploso-
piers, when they are not kings and queens?
Shall | take you on trust, then, according to
your estimate Of yourself, or discharge you at
once, according 10 mine Z"
;" think may be trusted, sir" answer
ed, looking everywhere but into his face.
What do you think, Mrs. Brand q he
said, turning to the pale woman unravenp
Der strip Of muslin and who had not, as
thought, looked at me Once yet
one Is uS'y' sad She, IN dull mono
'o',ouS voice oon like ugly people.
MI Drahu lauSheu again.
Never mlhd That, Mrs. Brand; goodness
DON'T 20 by looks, does 1t Miss-Miss what
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