The Lincoln County herald., 1868-11-05

Uv0r IN or0a Of RrOO00 Wntcu W0Utu nave
su6esd sor three n"dsrn kou.ss The
bui ding was Of grsnitv, end wings anh
projections ju,tsd out hsss and there, !"
The most unexpected places. added sppar.
emily % supplements to the original De.
sign. A vide pisssa Was built round
three sides Of the house, and numerous
short Fights Of stone steps led from II to
the esrdco, and into leefy uooks. that In
the brightest Of sun,hiny days must have
been dark and shadcwy Tsu trees, with
massive trunks and wide spreading limbs.
lowered above tho dwelling. while . per
feet wilderness Of shrubbsry surrounded
Il on every eide.
Restless with excitement. and sustsined
by unnatural strength. felt no fatigue
OF wearrins.s. and together We wandered
over the quaint old mansion n--trsvetsiny
long galleries. where dead shsdOws gath
cred tktSk u either END, snd whose pol.
ished doors shons like mirrors beneath
our feet; into rooms whoss tapestsi d
wallis, aud furniture dark snd grim with
age. seemed frauvht with stories of the
buried past, waiting only the darkness
aud silence Of midnivht'y hour TO whisper
10 epectral tones their weird tales look
ing At picture portraits Of those whose
bodies had long since cruinbIed back to
dust, whose eyes seemed to uy excited
fancy to CLOSER Indignantly apon a..
while tho l0nu fingers trcmblsd aud waved
upon the time stained canvass ~ though
to warn back our intrudinH footsteps.
II was late when NO returned TO the
moro modern part Of the house, aud our
little circle SOON separated Tor the night
he room was to occupy had been rs.
signed me. so my dear girl told me, since
the 6rst day cf her iu-iallment Nv mistress
Of the mansion. She hal selected il chiefly
that tha view, which from the front win.
dows sre particularly hne, might cheer
the days when my III health should con.
tinc mo in doors and another reason for
its selection w,s it's distance from the
other occupied parts OF the house, and
its con.equent freedom from annoying
hustle and uOise
The ioUM itself was gem OF conve-
nience sad perfect taste had selected and
arranged every article Of the pretty fur
niture. I could but smilo as glanced
round { e apartment to see how complett
hud been my friends remembrance u aIl
my tastes aud habits. The flowers !
lived best weA scattered here aud there
a beautiful pr. fusion. Ny tavori,e
books smiled welcome 70 me from the
little bookcase. By the pleasan,e.t Of
the three Low windows stood writ ny
table furnished with every tasteful cou.
venisnce TIM, could tempt whimsical
scribbler, while opposite an s'cove. whose
flowing curtaius half drawn aside re-
vealcd the spotlcss drupery Of the low
couch, s,ood . cottsge piano, small ia
size, but elegantly finished, and posses
ing extreme richness Of tome. The place
seemed the very abode Of peace aud qui
etLess, and [ little thought as glanced
around with such perfect satisfaction
what hours Of terror l was destined to
pass within il.
All inclination for sleep seemed to
have deserted me with the sense Of 70.
tigue. | feit neither, though the day,
for one Of my quiet habits, had b.en y
trying one. Determined not To retire
sotil this fever of excitement had aba,ed
drcw the curtains aside. and looked ou,
upon the beauty Of the n,"onlit summer
night. Far away in n distant part Of the
house saw the Nh . tiom my friend 4
apartments as they Shone out upon the
shrubt,ery beneath the windows. Sitting
there ia the stiffness l watched thc,n till
they disappeared, feeling sStrange scnsc
Of i"rcliness creeping over me as they
vanished, leaving the pale moonlight u
rsixn alone. l resolved In my mind to
refuse tho slightest Indulgence to any
feeling Of nervousness or tin,idity, be
took myself to the writing sShie. and sat
down to write to sister Nell the story oil
the day. adventures.
Pondsring over the strange scene bad
witnessed, and trembling With new terror
~ each thrilling detail rose bstors NY
mind, ny thouahts sad eyes both e,r
gagged by the r-pidly filing sheets beior,
me, | VAS .uddsd1y startled by sigh. .
loog, deep drawn sigh, 50 di.tiuct that
sPra0g to my teet in . tremor Of fearfu
expeetatioa.s For some ,p0mruts I stood
listening, every nerve quiveriag. every
sense quickened. waiting for repetisou
Of the mysterious sousd. Bat sil wss
silent % the grave. Ny ears. strained
though they were 70 their utmost, de-
tected not the slightest sosnd, Ga.hsr
ing coursge, | searched every nook ant
corner Of tho apartment. Il was 10 vain
I found nothing that could iu any degre,
account for the sound | had hard. va,
ths room haunted? Belief In ghosts snt
superuatural appearances formed no parl
OF my creed, ani even With this iLs pill
cable. sikh ringing 10 ny ears, | fouut
my incrsduly drm ~ ever. ,.
ksfurninY to my sest, I recalled oil
had heard or read of'optical illusions. L
the eye could bs the subject Of such II
iusions Why not tho eur slso? I sat ,
long time ressooiug end listening. bu
m r~v ~smSA fne .fapw nrw,u.;s,,, "a