The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-02-16
HORROR: A TRUE TALE.

incident occurred which has thrown q sha-
dow over NV life; and, an me how many and
many a weary year has dragged by since then!
Young happy, and beloved, / was IN those
long departed days. They sad that l was
beautiful. The mirror now reflects bag
gard old woman, with ashen lips and face a
deadly p.!lor. But do not fancy that you
are listening TO n mere puiing lament. Ii is
not the flight of years that hhs brought me TO
be this wreck of my former sell had II been
so, could have borne the loss cheefIuIfy, pa
tiently as the common lot of all f: but II was
no natural progress of decay which has rob.
bed me of bloom, of youth, OF the hopes ana
Joys that belong TO youth, snapped the INK
that bound my heari to another's, and doom
ed me TO a lone old age. / try TO be patient,
but nv cross has been heavy, and my heirt Is
empty and weary, and l long for the death
that comes so slowly 20 those who pray 10
die will try and relate, exactly as II Il p
pened, the event which blighted my life
Though il occurred many years ago. there Is
no fear that should have forgotten any OF
the ninutest circQms tdnees they We're
mped on my brain too clearly aGd burn
ingly like the brand OF Il red-hot iron. / see
them written in the wrinkles OF my brow, in
the dead whiteness OF my HAIR, which WAS
glossy brown once, and has known no gradual
change from dark 10 grey, from grey 10 white.
as with those happy ones who We're the com,
panions of my girihood, and whose honored
age is soothcd by the love OF children and
grandchildren. But l must not envy them
1 only meant to say that the difficulty OF my
task has no connec ton with want OF memory
II remember put 100 Well, Dul as L take the
pen, nay hand trembles, my head sWIms the
old Rushing faintness and Horror comes over
again, and the weil-remembered fear is
upon me. Yet will go on. This, briefly, is
my story / was great heiress, / believe,
though | cared little for the fact; but it
was. MY father had great possessions, and
no son TO inherit after him. His three daugh-
ters, of whom / was the youngest, were
to share the broad acres among them. !
have said, and trnly, that l cared lit
tie for this circums lance; and. indeed,
1 was rich then III health and
youth and love- that felt myself quite indif-
ferent TO all else. The possession OF all the
treasures of earth could never have made up
for what then had--and lost, rs l am abont
to relate. OF course, we girls knew that we
were heirasses, but L do not think Lucy and
Minnie Were any the pronder or the happier on
that account l know l was not. Reginald
did not court me for my money. OF thar felt
assured. He proved II, Heaven be praised!
when he shrank from my side after the change.
Yes, in all my lonely age, can still be thank
full that he did not keep his word, some
would have done; did not clasp at the altar a
hand he had learned to loathe and shudder at,
because it was fun of gold-much gold Al
least, he spared me that. And know that /
was loved and the knowledge has kept me from
going mad through many weary day and
restless night, when my hot eyebalis had not
Il tear 10 shed, and even to weep was luxury
denied me. Our house was an Old Tudor man
sion. MY father was very particular in keep
ing the smallest pecuiiarties of his home un-
numerous turrets, and the mullioned windows
with their quaint lozenge panes set in lead
remained very nearly as they had been three
centuries back. over and above the quaint
melancholy Of our dwelling, with the deep
woods OF its park and the sullen waters of the
mere neig hborhood was thinly peopled
and primitive, and the people round us were
ignorant, and tenacious of ancient ideas
and traditions. Thus it was a superst itious
atmosphere that we children reared in
and we heard, from our infancy, countless
tales OF horror, some mere fables doubtless,
others legends OF dark deeds OF the oden times,
exaggerated by credulity and the love OF the
marvellous. Our mother had died when we
We're young, and our other parent being,
though 4 kind father, much absorbed in affairs
OF various kinds. Us an active magistrate and
landlord, there was no one to check the
wholesome stream OF tradition with which our
plastic minds Were inundated in the company
of nurses and servants. As years went on
however, the old ghostly tales partially lost
their effects, and our undiscipined minds
We're turned more towards balls, dresses, and
partners, and other matters airy and trivial
more welcome TO our ripper age. 1t at 4
county assembly that Reginald and first met
met and loved. Yes am sure that he loved
me with all his heart. 1t was not as deep a
heart as some, have thought in my grief and
anger but never doubted its truth and hon.
esty. Regnald's father and mine approved of
our growing attachment rs for myself,
know / WAS SO happy then, that look back
npon those fieeting moments rs on some deli
cious dream. / now come TO the change l
Ia We fingered on my childish "reminiscences, INV
bright and happy youth, and now l must tell
the rest-the blight and the sorrow. 1t was
Christmas, always joyful and hospitable
time in the country, especially i'll such an old
hall as our home, where quaint customs and |
frolics were much chung to, as part and parcel |
OF tile very dwelling itself. The hall was full |
Of guests-so full indeed that there was great |
difficulty in providing sleeping accommoda- |
ton for all. Several narrow and dark cham |
beers in the turreIs-mere pigeon holes as we !
yarpntty hl1 hean hi
good enough for the stately gentlemen OF |
Elizabeth's relgn-were now allotted to baehe- |
lor visitors, and after having been empty for |
century. All the spare room in the body and |
wings OF the hall We're occupied, of course, and |
the servants who had been brought down were |
lodged at the farm and at the keepers, great |
WAS the demand Tor space. At last the unex- |
pected arrival of an elderly relative, who had
been asked months before but scarcely expect
ed, caused great connection. My aunts went
about wringing their hands dis trac tediy. Lady
Speldhurst was parsonage of some conse- |
quence she was q distant cousin, and had
been for years on cool terms with us ALL on
account of some fancied affront or slight when
she had paid her last visit, about the time of
my christening. She was seventy years old |
she was infirm, rich, and testy; moreover |
she was my &odinother, though l had forgot
ten the fact, but ii seems that though had
formed no expectations of a legacy in my |
favor, my aunts had done so for me- Aunt
Margaret was especially eloquent on the SUBJ |
lect There isn't a room left she said /; |
was ever any thing SO unfortunate We can |
not put Lady Speidhurst IN the turrets, and
yet where is she TO sleepf And Rosa's god |
mother, too poor dear child how dreadful |
After all these years OF arrangement, and |
with hundred thousand in the funds and no |
comfortable warm room at her own unlimited |
nisposal-and Christmas, OF all times in the |
year ~ What to be- doneY NV aunts |
could not resign their own chambers TO Lady |
Speldhurst, because they had already given
them up TO some of the married guests. NY ia |
ther was the mos hospitable of men, bat he was
rheumatic, equity and met hodical. His sisters
IN law dared not propose 10 shift his quarters |
ana indeed he would have far sooner ef1ned on |
PRISON fare than have been translated to a |
arrange bed. The matter ended in my giving
up my room. l had "A strange reluctan 10 |
making the offer, which surprised m yseif
Ma as II boding OF evil to Gomez cannot say |
We are strangely and wonderfully made / |
may nave been. AT any rate [ do moi thint
IL was any selfish unwilingness TO make M |
ola ana inhrm lady comfortable by a trifiinr
saerince was perfectly healthy and stron@
The weather was not cold for the time of 49, 49,
IL was A dark. moist inle--not "A SNOWY on
though snow brooded overhead In the aayLna.,
clouds. ! did make the offer. which became
me, said with laugh, as the youngest nv
sisters laughed, too, and made a jest OF my eyi.
dent wish TO pTopitiate my godmother. "She
IL fairy godmother, Rosa, !" said NJ innie; ssand
you know she was anronted At your christen-
ing, and went away mnttering vengeance
Here she is coming back To SEQ you; hope
she brings golden gifts with her" / thought
little OF Lady Speidhurst and her possible
golden gifts cared nothing for the wonder
fui fortune in the funds that my aunts whis-
pered and nodded about SO mysteriously. But
since thea i have wondered whether, had then
shown myself laeyish or obstinate, had re-
fused 10 gave up my room for the expected
hnswoiaan, u wonId not have altered the
whole Of my life But then Lucy or Minnie
Would have offered Ia my stead, aud been sac
rileeu--Hhat do say ?--better that the blow
should have failen ~ II did, than OH those dear