Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1868-01-09

''Why, where do you mean to put them?"
The old man significantly pointed 70 the ceiling.
"Ohl fatherl' exclaimed Annie; and as I turn.
ed to look upon her, her face had grown pale as
death. AZ
! did dot exactly understand the cause Of Char
lies surprise and Annie's evident agitation, and
was about to ask an explanation, when Frank said
do not put yourself to any Inconvenience on
our account We have made up our minds to
sleep by the fire down here There is no necessity
to make preparations forus elsewhere"
"But object to any such arrangement sand for
the very simple reason that there is q large unoc-
cupied bed in the room directly over this. Pom
pey has been making things comfortable for the
last two hours and + do not see any necessity tor
you to lie down on these hard boards, when fine
feather-bed is at your service. sI
"You must certainly think me an exceedingly
odd fellow" said Charlie, turning add addressing
himself to U.S. II offered the hospitalities of the
house on condition that you would be satisfied to
sleep on the floor, assuring you that we had no
better accommodations to offer. Now, father in
sists upon you occupying chamber, with large,
roomy bektead and downy mattrass, telling you,
at the same time, that it is spare rooml What
must you think of me?" And the young man
looked exceedingly annoyed
"Sufer me to explain, then, since you deem an
explanation necessary" and old Mr.. Matthews
adjusted his portly person on an old leatherbound
chair between Frank and myself
"We solicit nothing of the kind, sir" said l.
"We are satisfied to sleep down here or up stairs,
just as you may direct"
"Wen, young gentlemen" began the old man,
paying no attention, whatever, to my remark,
swe purchased this fine old building, about nine
months ago, from family about to Eng
land. The weak minded creatures sold it to US for
far less than one third of its value because one of
the rooms was haunted-they did not state with
what The parties selling to US had purchased
the property many years ago at public sale, put
on foot by the original owners-Clarkson. This
last named family actually fled from the house, as
signing no reason, whatever, and exposed it for
sale at public auction few weeks latter Now,
the haunted chamber is directly over this, and
there, with your consent we propose to lodge you
for the night. Let me ask you one question: Do
you think that would really place you there if I
dreamed for one moment, that you would not pass
o quiet and pleasant night"
I glanced at Frank, expecting him to reply; but
to my surprise, he was looking vacantly into the
fire, his countenance pale as death.
II assure you" continued Mr.. Matthews, that
during the whole nine months that I have lived
here, have seen nothing to warrant the slightest
suspicion that these reports are true. The cham
ber above is decidedly the finest in the house, has
been occupied again and again by soldier guests,
like yourselves, and is frequented by all the mem
bers of my family
"You forget young Chisolm, - said Annie, timid-
Iy.
Mr. Matthews shot an angry glance at the trem-
bling girl, and general pause ensued.
And what about young Chisolm P, asked Frank,
with suddenness that made us all start "Who
was he, anyhow ?"
''To answer your last question first, replied the
old man, "Chisolm was Confederate soldier" :"
"Well, tell me what he had to do with the
chamber, which we are speaking about?"
"Do you see those stairs over there {" asked the
old man, pointing towards shadowy corner Of the
room.
Frank replied in the affirmative.
"WeI about four months ago. Chisolm was sit
ting just about where am now. 1t was much
earlier in the evening than this, and we were all
sitting around the fire, cracking nuts and eating
apples. Noticing that the poor fellow nodded,
and knowing that he had taken long tramp that
day, told him, that whenever he felt disposed to
lie down, the room was ready for him. He imme-
diatey arose and requested to be shown up stairs,
remarking, that, beside being very much fatigued,
he was feeling strangely unwell His request was
complied with; and, after seeing him comfortably
fixed, I left the'lamp burning in the room, and re-
Joined my family around the fire here"
"WeI," said Frank, drawing his chair closer to
the speaker.
"About an hour after" continued the old man
''and just as we were about to retire, we were
startled by most unearthly scream from the room
above, and the next moment poor Chisolm rushed
down the stairs -staggered-looked back-and fell
dead in our midst"
"Fell dead in your midstl' exclaimed Frank,
starting to his feet
eve were perfectly paralyzed with terror, con-
tinued the old man, "and, for some moments,
stood gazing with speechless astonishment, upon
the PROSTATE form and pallid countenance Of the
poor fellow. Upon examination we found him
quite dead, but neither wound nor bruise could bel
discovered upon his person. Instantly Charlie
and myself repaired to the haunted chamber
called-and made diligent and thorough search
Of every part of it. The little metallic lamp, which
had left burning, had been extinguished, and one
of the trap doors opened, but -"
'Trap doors'' exclaimed Frank, becoming ex-
ceedingly nervous "Why, what are you doing
with trap-doors in bedroom ?"
"We found them there" replied Mr. Matthews
'There is one of them on each siie Of the room,
communicating with secret passages Into one OF
these passages, Charlie and myself boldly entered,
upon the night we were speaking OF, and followed
it out, down between the walls, to its terminus in
the cellar beneath us; but nothing whatever was
discovered, calculated to throw the slightest ray Of
light upon the death Of poor Chisolm, except an
old black cat.
"How, sir9' I asked, incredulously. What
do you mean 2'
"Well, Mr.. Forester" continued the old man,
after throwing fresh log upon the fire; I'VE missed
our cat about week prior to poor Chisolm' visit
The poor thing must have been locked up in the
cellar Now, it appears probable to ME, that, for
some inexplicable reason, poor Chisolm must have
lifted the trap-door, when, Of course, the impris-
oned cat, which had found its way up the passage,
instantly bounded into the room with its greateyes
glaring upon him. The probability is, that moth