The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1863-01-15


man, who kept his house. pleasant spoken
lass Ann Forrest was, and manys the Klnu
word she's said to me when she's been TO noun
ers shop. She seemed to take great care o.
her old master and no wonder, for he was the
best old man that ever lived, and good master
I to her but he had money laid by and that
N must have tempted her, for one morning some
aborers going past found the front door OPEN
the house deserted, and the poor old gentleman
lying covered with blood, and quite dead at the
bottom of the garden. They say he used to go
down there to smoke his pipe at night, and she
chose that time, when she knew he could lay
hold of nothing to defend himself with An old
iron box in which the old man kept his money
and which only she knew where to find, was
lying, turned bottom uppermost and empty IN
the passage and there were clothes and many
other things scattered about the floor OF her
room, and in one of her drawers they found
long knife that she had hidden there. But they
never found her; and from that day to this no
one has heard of her.
1t was horrible story to listen to, with the
black darkness closing round US, and the ione-
) ly house close by. We fastened on in silence
across the common, down dark steep road, and
i, through some meadows, unit, AS we passed from
the free air into the shadow of wood, the boy
sad i'll his former CHEEKY tone: There, sir,
now you can see the old warren through the
trees" A faint dark outline--that was all
could make out as my companion untaStened
gate, pointed the way up rejected drive and
saying that he should run across the fields, and
so home by the highro ad babe me good night
The old gate swang to with dismal creak,
and | was left to grope my way alone. On l
went brushing pa st shrubs. whose long bouehs
swept the ground, and stumbling over ruts and
| stones, until l reached an open space that had
once been gravel, but now was over2rown with
moss and weeds. and crossing this, stood In
front Of the house itself The walls, as could
see, even by that dim light, were weather STAIN
ed and darkened to dull brown, three sharp
gables high above cut into the gray sky and
higher still there rose sort of dome from the
center of the building. The rising moon cast
faint CLEAN on the latticed oriei windows,and
the quaint stone carvings round the entrance
door, and gave strange and weird aspect to
the solitary dwelling. The cang Of the bell
echoed through the stiffness within then
silence settled down once more. | waited long
then rang again, and at length there was
sound of steps and voices at first, far away
then nearer key grated in the rusty lock,
and the door was partly opened by an old man,
whose short thick-set figure at once filled up the
! way, as though to prevent hasty entrance
Behind him stood a woman, somewh hat bent with
age, and holding in her hand a lantern Both
started at me in silent wonderment, as, adj
dressing myself to the old man | told my err
rand It was well was prepared for sullen>
ness, for his furrowed brow dalkeued as, still
standing in the doorway, he spelled out the
agents letter.
| "A strange thing he muttered. we might
have had some notice, / should think we want
no genslefolks here
My spirit rose at this insolence, but rememr
bering his age and surly temper, | restrained
myself,and said that had meant to arrive soon
er, but need give little trouble, as some bread
4 I<l Co.. ,iUhf all
should require. The man stood doubtful, as
though half inclined to shut the door in my face;
then his mind changed, and without a word,h
took the lantern from his wifes hand and sign
ing to me to follow him, led the way across d
bare and lofty hall ,and along two stone passa-
ges, TO large kitchen, where fire was blazing
Setting down the lantern on the table, ne turn
ed round and said, You'll may lie see that this
is the kitchen. Ii you're too proud to sit here,
there are other rooms in plenty, but you IL IND
no fire or candles : and without waiting tor re
ply, he walked away. l turned to the woman,
who had followed US, and now stood by the hre'
and asked some questions careeSsiy; OUT she
answered me briefly with hurried glance at
her husband and, weary OF attempting to con-
: clliate. said abruptly, that as my time was
, Short woaid see the house at once.
; There's very little you'll be able 10 see TINS
time of night, cid Pearce said eruffly from the
window where he stood.
AT least answered Il can 60 through the
rooms, and GET some notion of their size; and
9 made move
For u moment, it seemed as though they
= meant let me go alone then Pearce slept
e suddenly forward, and harshly calling to his
S wife to bring the keys, caught up the light
Y Preceded by my unwilling guides, tfaversed
e long passages, oUr footsteps sounding hollow on
the stone floors, mounted staircases. aud crossed
t landings We stopped from time to time while
the woman vi locked the doors of empty and
t unshuJtered rooms, WI ere dust lay thick, and
1 the feeble glimmer of the lantern only served to
& make she gloom aud desOation more apparent.
a No word was spoken by either of the two save
e i'll aAswer to my questions, until we reached Il
, large chamber, once a drawing room as could
o guess by the gilt m0utdings ard two tall mir
rurs let into The wall AS entered and looked
!. round, the old man drew his wife outside the
l. door, and when they had exchanged some words,
: sent her doWa stairs, and, coming to my side,
; began to tell me how thirty years before in Mrs.
e Abbotts days, grand balls were often given III
e this very room, and how portrait OF her dress
ed for one Of them still hung in the library be-
a yond and then he let me in to look at the pale
It faded face in The gold and crimson turban, ga
d zing fxedly upon us from the wall. As turn
Of ed from 1t, the woman again. joined US, resumed
G her keys, and the man sulien humor coming
g over him once more, we went on in the old ST.
y ing staircase. My conductors had begun to
l., mount it. when / touched a door upon my right
as and said Surely we have not been in here!
l. The man, half>way p,stopped and looked down
10 at me. No, he said 1T is only lumber ROOM
t. the key has been lost this long while if you
wish to get in, you must have fresh key made
Il before YOU come again; and he went oil. II
was large rambling house, where you come
Is suddenly upon cupboards and corners, and bits
,e of winding stairs, or a step up here and down
l. there, aud passages with such queer turns and
| twists, that one wondered whittier they would
le lead still there was something quaint about Il
tn that took my fancy greatly. When at last We
&c got back to the kitchen, man sat by the fire
I'd unlacing his boots with his back towards the
s. door He turned as l entered, anddisplayed q
at muscular form the heavy face alike enough tC
as old Pearce's to mark him as his son. He re-
IN turned my greeting with silent stare, resumed
of his seat and pulling as his fathers sleeve, NUT
70 tered angrily: And who on earth may you be :?
to | did not catch the answer but the gruf
lg snort that followed was sufficiently expressive
at The woman set about preparing supper, an(
lie. presently repast of bacon, eggs,and beer wa
n, put before me and while was engaged upoI
Sc It she and her husband went away together -
The son sat on watching me in silence for
n while, then followed them leaving me alone TO
We the first time since had come into the house
ed He and his father soon came back, but change
nd had come upon them their sulienness was CON
Is and they seemed most eager to hear my inten
lie tons about the place. II was evident how mucl
q !; they feared that might take it. and 80 depriv
er them of their home and in this fear, they caugh
ty at every doubt of mine and tried to foster ii
tn From their account, the place was hot in sum
Eft mer, cold in winter; it was even tumbing t.
3D. pieces and il almost touched me, when, turn
It. ing 90 the son. said And yet you seem 10 Xix
H. TO live in it, TO hear his curt ans wer I've bee
es bred up here, aad that makes deal of differ
nd ence When the woman at last returned sa'
IN that she had been crying bitterly, and with
ire halfremorsefuf feeling, i took candle from ne
I'D trembling hand, and followed her up stairs =
They had chosen for me one OF the Old state oef
fir rooms, on the FIRST floor, and long way tror
~. the kitchen and the hall, at the end of wild
= r Il. Ia Lhat sh