Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1869-01-07


plsnade street, New Orieaus, th&. stand
a little way back from the bsnqaests an'
from its qusint construction arrests th'
attention of the passnrby Il vas bull
near century ago. and has strange
history vet fresh in the memory of many
/ Once the habisation of wealth and refine
ment, it has passed TO far different uses
Il il now 8 tenement house, aud the wind
and the storm make q solem music in ths
ruinous rooms when the elements are a
strife. -
! L Is connected with as {. q. some
what -smarkzh'a JAS, sen ~
/ Was then the residence of q Spanish fsvni-
ly of great wealth and distinguished So
cial position Mr. l. and myself were
strangers to them personally, although
We were familiar with their reputation
in the community. One night we were
surprised By q visit frc.ne Antone Pallot-
ia, the then head of the family. which
consisted of q nephew and daughter. =
Rumor had it, that the wife was yet liv-
| ing but if so, it WAS in such retirement
that even her name 6as never mentioned
to strangers. For year previous 1t had
been observed strict secluslon was
maintained by the family. Some gossips
hsd it that strange noises were frequently
heard n the houss and wailiass as Of ons
in distress.
On Introducing himself to US, Mr.. Pal
lo.ts stated that he might possibly need
our services in s matter-termlDase how
it would, which must lie kep' secret Until
af .er his death This Injunction We were.
of course, willing to obssrTe, and SO St.
ted
H then disclosed to US the fact that he
had recently n'issed from his safe some
jewels Of great valu,, aul that the cir
cumstsnce of their disappearance left no
doub, in his mind that they were taken
By either his nephew or daughter. The
profound agitation with which this discio-
sure WAS made left no doubt IN our
mind. of the grief It cost him t. make
it.
Il would uot. he said, "put this mat
ter in YOUR hands. but that sm bound
by solemn Obligation of honor to transmit
them to the representative of my house
when I die It may be that my child
mas them, or my nephew, urged by debts
which young men sometimes contract,
has taken them to pledge, to enable him
to raise money. In either event they
will have TO be recovered, since cannot
evade the vow | am under. You perceive
now why am compelled to require OF
you pledge Of secrecy.
With this the interview terminated, and
we set ourselves to work upon the case.
To prosecute our inquiries more effectual-
" il vas necessary for me to visit the
house. This l did rs guest. from dis
tant State.
A more beautiful creature than Marie
Pa,!otta hal never seen. She seem ed i,
indeed, q child of the tropics, radiant as
gem Of the orient, stareyed as the
Egyptian queen Long black hair. soft
aud silky, fell 10 her waist, while her
slender, exquiSi.ely proportional figure
would have been scuiptor's ideal
Graceful and witching in her young girl
hood, and So innocent that it seemed i'm
possible to associate with creature SO
lovely 40 idea tcrime. The nephew was
tall. fuo-looking man, with the dark
tint of the Spaniard N his complexion,
and the FIRE OF his passionate race in his
eyes. But they were bold, honest eyes,
to which guilt seemed . stranger
knew at once that the old mans the
ory was wrong However suspicious the
circumstances, these young people were
gui.tless Sill kept ny own counsel
and accepted the hospitaiitics had come
apparently to enjoy.
Ny room was on the second floor. el5-
gartiy and sumptuously appointed, At
ter retiring, sat before the FIRE, enjoying
Havana and rejecting On the case. |.
must have been near midnight when my
revere was disturbed BY scream 50
pierching that my blood eurdIed at the
fearful sound 1t was succeeded by 3
sound of maniac slaughter. The singular
cadence echoed along the waited p4ssa-
yes with A weird utterancc that seemed tc
tie fancy ghos,ly and CHILLING, as .A-
wind II !. charnel-hcuse.
could not account for It. Struck spell
bound l could oaly listen fer its replti-
ton bat il came no more. vi. con
f,sS nsmciess dread a | hastily uniges-
sd aui sousut forEctju'ncss IN s.eep.-
bu. rsy nerves were excited aud >.uu0eI
had ut .rlv torzak4n me Atlas, drop
ped / sleep troubled, iuncert.la klpl
stre..ose that weariei inse4l OF resting
m.nl aud body | awohe from TINS wiki
STAR. An icy hand was on ny fore
head. the weird cadence Of tha; horrible
laugh was N ny ears. | sprung uprleh
q bed. and before ms il the dimly lIgh-
ted room was a creature. So distorted il
appearance, so mis-shapen and deiormed
that nv first impression was that | Va:
IN the presence Of the Supernatural
Before l had time 10 think. however
!; fed sprung from the bed AMI +
lowed hastily Far up the fight OF stairs
! heard the pat;er OF faeting feet De-
,e.miueI to see who M visitoT was.
follo.,d hastily. Up into the highes
story aud back along gallery tne cres
.urs fed. ! oouid see i run djsuao:ly-
5 maniac woman She stood II tie cen
ter Of q brilliantly lighted room fornej
ike a cell. Shs was lsushing and beck
oaioy ns Cd. 4, tbs threshold Of tn
door lay servant felled By soE,s hss~.
INSTRUMENT, and still insensiDle. IL Va
plain 10 me pov.
The strange creature ~ss lnaoiao eor