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

We were together in the paror-my wife
end l. Ii was not much past nine, but people
kept early hours in those days, and supper had
long been over the children were in bed, and
the house was quiet. | was leaning back in my
easy chair, weared with my long days WORK.
and half asleep, when was aroused by my wife's
voice saving, as she laid down her sewing
Have you thought or done anything yet, Al
fred, about our going to the country z Now,
20 tell the TRUTH | had thought a great deal,
and had done-nothing. / knew DIR. Elwyn
had said that little Philip would never grow up
a healthy boy i'll our close London house, and
was anxious as any father need be about my
child, but [ knew too, by sad experience, how
little poor drawing master with seven chil>
dren has to spare for country tramps. All this
said now to the wife, who always bore her full
share of my heavy cares but in her the moths
er's love conquered all els e, and as locked in-
to her eyes, / saw, though she spoke little that
she would never rest until our boy was breath~
lug the fresh country air he needed.
But the weeks passed away, and her worn
face and the few words she dropped from time
to time, told me how constantly and vainly she
watched f0F any chance Of this They had grown
to months, when one evening she met me at the
door radiant with glsdness, and drawing me in
to The paflOr, put into my hand letter exclaim-
ing: DULY read that, All and tell me if it will
not do 1t ran thus Nor three miles from
here is n large house, Brockiehurst Grange,
which having been empty many years, is now
10 be let at very low rent. | could hardly
advise Mr.. Salisbury to take much trouble
about it, for it looks so dreary and comfortless,
that you would never like to live there. Still,
in case my description does not alarm you,and
YOU wish TO hear more, send the address
of the agent in whose hands it is My wife
| hardly waited for me TO read to the end My
amt does not know she said anxiously -
Think ii is large and cheap; aud it must be
near a coach road aud near London, since it is
close to Leakford and that is such healthy
place Oh. Alfred, dear, we don't care for fine
houses, and we could make it cheerful soon
know, if only you think that it will do. Thai
was too much to say; but in pity for her i'm
ploring face, promised at least to see the agent
| called at the Office the next day, and found
him in, and evidently glad to hear Of Il possible
tenant. The house, be said, had belonged to
Mr.. Abbot, who lived and died abroad, The
nephew, who had just inherited has properly
preferred receiving rent, however small, tC
spending money on the place The agent coulC
not help discouraging little on the short sight
ed economy of this proceeding, since the build
ing was in fair repair, and only needed the out.
lay of few hundreds to make it comfortable
but it was, he added no affair of his, and ht
had only to obey orders. In conclusion, ht
pressed me to inspect it for myself. felt in
clined to do so, but as l could not well spare
whole day, there was difficulty. The agen
himself resolved it by proposing that shoulc
go down by an afternoon coach, the time o
which he mentioned, and return the foiowin,
morning. There were, ne said, living in charg
of the house, two old servants of Mr.. Abbot
with their son, who had been there for man,
years / cannot promise you warm reception
he added, smiling; at least if they treat you a
as they did me. They evidently fear to be turn
ed out of their domain, and regarded me s
gIoomily, that my survey was of the briefest
r Still, if YOU don't mind sour looks, they can,
know, provide you with a bed, and as the vii
lsge is only two miles off, with supper also
1t seemed my Nisest plan, since could thu
Judge of the daily journey l might have to max
and see the house under itS morning and even
ing aspect so mindful of my wifes anxiety,
determined to lose no time, and obtain from tn
= agent letter to the old man in charge. Wit
, this letter, made my way to tbe coach offic
the following afternoon; but when there, foun
much to my vexation, that the agent had uni
taken the time of the coach starting, and thu
we should not be off in two hours. There wa
nothing for it but to wait patiently; but throug
= this delay, it was nearly six o'clock instead
; four when I was set down at a village inn tw
miles from BFocklehurst. | was Just about
inquire my way of some of the boys loungin
g about tue inn door, when it occurred to me thu
it might be wiser to hire one of them as guild
The short February afternoon was closing il
and might miss my road alone, and so 10;
time, and besides, from these country lads
might learn something of the house and neigh
borhood; so | chose ont bright faced acli,
Youth who readily closed my offer, and starte
# eff with me al once along the village street, al
down lane, aud then over u stiie into the field
his tongue going necessarily ali the while Il
II could tell little as it seemed about the Grange
tonlv that within his memory. no one had ev,
lived there but the PeaTces "a queer, crus
SCI, he said. The son got work sometimes Wi
the farmers near, but the old people rarely lie
me house, and even when theY went abroa
exchanged few words with any they might NEE
Bug if his information Oil that point was sma
Oh all others it vas most abundant; the nam
and histories of the neighboring squires, al
who preserved and who did not; the land ow
a ed by each farmer, and the character he bo
-" among his men; this, and much more, he to
me as we trudged EDWARDS.
There, he said, as we came out of thick
plantation, and stood on the edge of drear
broken bit of common, covered with gorse al
heath-"do you see the read brick house yo
der by the grsvel-pit? 2 looked the way b
finger pointed, aud through the gathering t9
light just discerned long, low building. Il
;. tell you what, SIR he said in low tone, a
., coming closer to my side, there's not lad
sill the village would venture round there aft
nghttsll, for there was murder done at tI
house not two years ago
Murder , l exclaimed
! es, and the cruelest murder il was, too.
An old gentleman used to live there-not
Ia very old either, not much past sixty I've heg
say; but however that might be, hs lived ths