The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-11-04

balcony, rnnning round the waist isii o.
The building like a belt, and carrying
one, almost quick as a bird could fly,
from one OF those dear old pointed
lswindows under the caves down
amongst the flower beds below.
L aaid to .nysefs in my Own Wiifui
way, "This Thatched House must be
my. ghomeE' and then. set about
coaxing Aunt Festhefetone into my
way Of thinking. It was not at all
against her viii that she completed
the purchase at last Afterwards,
however, she liked to think it was so.
In May it was all settled. The
house was filled with painters and
paper-hangers, and ali through the
long summer months they kept on
making mess within the walls, and
forbidding us to enter and enjoy the
place in the full glorious luxuriance
of its summer beauty. At last, on
| driving there one bright evening, I
found to my Joy that the workmen
had decamped, leaving the Thatched
House clean and fresh and gay, ready
for the reception of us, and our goods
and chattels. I sprang in through
one of the open dining-room win
dows, and began waltzing round the
floor from sheer delight. Pausing at
last for breath, I saw the old woman
who took care of the place, she who
had on my first visit opened the shut
ters for me and jingled the koys, had
entered the room while I danced, and
was standing watching me from the
door, way with aqueer expression on
her wrinkled face.
"Ah, ha! Nelly" I cried trium-
phantly, "what do you think of the
old house now?"
Nelly shook her gray head, and shot
me q weird look out of her small
black eyes, then she folded her arms
slowly, and gazed all round the room
musingly, while she said
cay, Miss Lucy! wealth can do O.
deal, but there's things it can't do.
ALI that the hands of man may do to
make this place wholesome to live in
has been done. Dance and sing now,
pretty lady-now, while you have the
heart and courage. The day'll come
when you'd as soon think of sleepin'
all night on n tombstone as of
standin' on this floor alone after sun
SET"
"Good gracious, Nelly!" I cried,
"what do you mean? Is it possible
that there is anything-have you
heard or seem"
II have heard and seen plenty"
was Nelly's curt reply.
Just then, van arriving with first
instalment of our household goods,
the old woman vanished; and not an
other word could [ wiring that
evening from her puckered lips.
Her words haunted me, and I went
home with my mirth considerably
sobered; and dreamed all night Of
wandering up and down that long
dining-room in the dark, and seeing
dimly horrible faces grinning ut me
from the walls. This was only the
first shadow of the trouble that came
upon us in the Thatched House.
1t came by degrees in mods and
whispers, and stories told in lowered
tones by the fireside at night. The
servants got possession of q rumor,
and the rumor reached me. shud-
dered in silence, and contrived for
the first few months to keep it jea-
lous secret from my unsuspecting
aunt. For the house was ours, and
Aunt Featherstone was timorous; and
the rumor, very horrible, was this
the Thatched House was haunted.
Haunted, it was said, by foot
step, which, every night, of certain
hour, went down the principal corri-
dor, distinctly audible as it passed
the doors, descended the staircase,
traversed the hall, and ceased sud
denly at the dining-room door. It
was heavy, unshod foot, and walked
rather slowly. All the servants could
describe it minutely, though none
could avow that they had positively
heard it. New editions of this story
were constantly coming out, and
found immediate circulation. To
each of these was added some fresh
narrowing. sequel, illustrative of the
manners and customs of q certain
shadowy inhabitant, who was said
to have occupied the Thatched
House all through the dark days of
its emptiness and desolation, and
who resented fiercely the unwelcome
advent of US sh-and-blood in
truders. Tie tradition of this lonely
shade was as follows: The builder