Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1866-10-13
THE HAUNTED LODGE.


Richard and Ali Hardwood had
been married about year at the time
our story commences. They were both
young; Richard just seven and Alice
two and twenty. He was junior partner
in we'll known firm in. London, aud
with comfortable income and good
health and spirits to enjoy it. He and
his wife settled down to keep house with
everything necessary for pleasant, easy
life.
The village they chose for their home
is about four miles from the city, and at
the time we speak of was rural enough
for one to forget while strolliug about
its pretty shady lanes and green fields,
how short distance divided it from hot
and smoky London.
The Lodge, the name of their house,
more properly speaking a gentleman s
cottage, was charming little place,
standing in pretty garden, shut in
enough for privacy, yet open enough to
be cheerful, and for Obtaining view of
the bright little village green, with Its
few farmhouses and villas scattered
round it. To tell the story We must de-
scribe the house rather particularly. In
old days it had been an inn, but long
before our hero took it it had been al
tered so that but little of the old part
remained entire. The entrance was at
the side, and a long passage divided it
into two parts. The front rooms were
a snug little library, a small morning
room, and a kitchen. In the back was
a pretty drawing room and a dining
room, with bedroom over the latter,
quite recently added, with a staircase,
that had no communication th the
other rooms, and which was also new
addition. In front were four bedrooms
with another staircase leading to them,
which faced the morning room door
All the sitting rooms had long French
windows opening on to the garden
When its new owners had finished dec
Grating and furnishing it, it was as pref
ty and cosy little home as anyone could
desire, and they settled down in it very
much to their satisfaction. We must
not forget to mention two other points
in the building. One was an enormous
block of chimneys. which divided the
morning room from the library, and a
huge beam which crossed the ceiling of
the former.
The room over the dining-room being
still too damp for use, Richard and AL
ice took ossession of the bedroom over
the library, the windows of which over
looked the front garden, and beyond
that the village green before mentioned.
A door on one side of this apartment
opened into a spare bedroom, which
was very ineonvenient from having no
other access. The servants occupied
the two remaining rooms.
AS Autumn drew near and the even
ings began to close in, nothing could
look more cheerful than their little din
or more comfortable than
Richard appeared, seated in his very
easy chair, reading some favorite VII
ume by the soft light of shaded lamp.
with Alice opposite him, pursuing some
pleasant feminine occupation, whilst the
blazing fire, casting rich glow over the
whole, made pretty picture of q real
English home
But as nightfall approached some un-
easy but unde6nable sensation seemed
at times to pass through the minds OF
both. Richard would suddenly raise
his eyes from his book with an enquir-
ing look at his wife, whilst she would
cast half fearful glance around her,
but each felt ashamed to putinto words
the feeling which oppressed the minds
of both, and which marred their other
wise peaceful evening Richard was
accustomed, after his wife retired, to
spend an hour or two in writing, and
sNofE.-It may give an additional inter-
est to this narrative by the authors assuf-
ance to the reader that the particulars it con-
tains are not efforts of the imagination. but
mainly facts. Had the author invented the
story, no doubt his invention would have
been lively enough to have given a solution
of the mystery herein involved; but as he
has not drawn upon his fancy for the mate
rials of his narration. he is compelled to leave
the "Haunted House" in the inextrieabls
mystery in which he foundit.