The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1869-06-23
THEHALLOW-EVE MYSTERY.
ALEGEND OF THE BLACK HALL.
CHAPTER /.

wear the emu Oh Il uiiFk duLulHH-ud)
not many years ago, young couple
returning from their bridal tour, arriy
ed by steamer at the old city of NoI
folk and, taking hack. drove di
rectly to the best ian.
The gentleman registered himsel
and his party as Mr.. and Mrs. Igor
[Berners, of Black Hall, Virginia, ant
two servants. 5h..
| "We shall need a private parlor ano
chamber communicating for our owl
use, and couple of bedrooms for ou
servants" said Mr.. Berners, as III
handed his hat and cane to the bowling
waiter. -H o. -
"Certainly, sir. What would you
like for tea? asked the landlord.
ooh, anything you please, so that
it is nice and neatly served" said Mr.
Berners, with a slightly impatient
wave of his hand as if he would have
been rid of his obsequious host.
"Ah-ha anything L please! 1t is
easy to see what ails him. He lives
upon love just now; but he'll care
more about his bill of fare few weeks
hence" chuckled the landlord, as he
left the public parlor to execute his
guests orders.
The bridegroom was no sooner left
alone with his bride than he seated
her in the easiest armchair, and be-
gan with affectionate zeal to unite her
bonnet string and unclasp her mantle.
"You make my maid a useless APP
pendage, dear Lyon" said the little
lady, smiling up in his eyes. "You
love me SO much, dear Lyon! You
love me SO much! Yet not too much
either for OIL if you should ever
cease to love me, or even if you were
ever to love me less, I-I-dare not
think what l should do p she mutter-
ed in long, deep, shuddering tone.
"Why, Sybil, my wife-you beauti-
full mad creatureI You are a true
daughter of your house! A Berners
of the burning heart! A Berners OF
the boiling bloodl A Berners of
whom it has been said, that it is al
most as fatal to be loved as to be hat
ed by"
Suddenly in the midst of their con-
verse they heard the sound of weep
ing-low, deep, heart broken,,w
Both paused, looked at each other,
and listened.
The sound seemed to come from q
room on the opposite side of the pas
sage to their own apartment.
"Whatis that? inquired Svbil, look
ing up to her husbands S face.
''It seems to be some woman in
Distress" answered Lyon.
"Oh ! see what it is, dear, will you %
entreated Sybil.
She was herself so happy, that it
was really dreadful to be reminded
Just then that sorrow should exist in
this world at all.
But if she could have forcseen the
woe that was to come to herself, to
her husband, and to the object of her
sympathy, she would have held Lyon
back, as with the grip of fate, from the
mission on which she now sent him.
For the weeper was beautiful wo-
mana deserted wife-named Rosa
Blondelle, who, although but a few
days landed from the vessel which had
brought her from Europe, had been
robbed of her Jewels and money by
her husband, and then LETT to her fate
in that Norfolk hotel. .s
Sybil was deeply moved by this Ia
dys story, and Assisted ON taking Mrs.
Blondelle home with her to Black
Hall, and Mr. Berners gave his assent
to her wishes.
But before they got ready to set out
on their Journey, Sybil bitterly repent
ed of the arrangement. Mrs. Blon-
dele was so enchantingly lovely, that
Mr.. Berners at once began to yield to
her charms; and Sybil, for the first
time, saw him pay the homage of ad
miration to other beauty than her own.
This kindled the fires of jealousy
in her heart, and by the time they
reached Black Hall, those fires had
become famed into an inextinguisba-
bic fame. ....... .
And no Berners had ever been
known to forgive an object of jealousy.
Black Hall, the abode of Mr.. and
Mrs. Berners, was painful old Vir-
ginia mansion, situated in the heart
of the Black Valley, few miles from
Blackville, the county town. 1t had
been in Mrs. Berners' family for gen.
erations, and was renowned for the
scenes of gayety and hospitality which
had transpired beneath its roof.
Mrs. Berners, the last ofh race, to
give vent to the emotions of her rest
less, jealous heart, resolved to rein
augurate the festivities of the Olden
and fer that purpose announced a
mask ball for the ensuing All-Hollow
Eve, and at once set about getting all
things in readiness.
One day while she was absent at
Blackville, making purchases, Lyon
and Rosa became SO absorbed in one
another, as to become ebliyious of the
entry of Mrs. Winterose, the old
housekeeper; who found them sitting
closely side by side, her hand clasped
in his. On Sybirs return. the old
housekeeper described this scene to
her, with many exaggerations. The
revelation seemed to freeze Sybil in
to ice. ....-.-.-
"Oh, my heart! my heart!" she moan
ed, turning deathly pale. And then,
after long silence, she bitterly adj
ded, Deceived! i! Betrayed ! Scorned! e!
Laughed at Well, well I" she contin-
ued, nodding grimly; "well, well,
since deceit is the fashion of the day,
1 too will be in the fashion 1 too will
wear a mask Of smiles But behind
that mask, I will watch !-Oh, how /
will watch Not at my fancy-ball
alone will 1 play part, but before it,
and perhaps, after tU None shall ev-