The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1869-02-24

-of several feet, and all was over. C.
We walked to the. hotel, which was
close by; and after q bath and g
change, I found that the scene l had
witnessed had made less impression
upon me than l had anticipated, and
i: was quite ready for god break
fast. - ..--- ~ - - 80
When the meal was over and we
were lolling in chairs in the pleasant
courtyard remarked on the singu-
larity of Seymour's landing on that
particular morning in time to assist at
the decapitation ofan old acquaint-
ance.
iTasYes," he replied, in fis1 ordinary
tone now emost extraordinary sthing
that ever occurred 3 the beggar 4 had !
try at my life once, and / gave, /, him
that scar. ] was certain it could not
he a ghost, hecause ii there are ghosts,
1 don't believe they can fire pistols. .
as it in India?' 4 IL fe y.
no; in YORKSHIRE, or Lancashire;
I Pm not certain which. But l see, you
want the whole story, so you shall
have it. only don't talk about it.''-rr-.
One August, some years ago,
when was in the cavalry, / got two
months leave of absence, and thought
I should like some shooting. Not
knowing any one in Scotland to sponge
upon at the moment, 1 looked over
the advertisements in Bel, and pitch
ed upon one inserted by AMIR. Ban
tyen, who intimated that he was ready
to provide board, lodging, and grouse
shooting for a certain sum-rather q
high one, but / was flush of money at
the time, and did not mind that-on
one OF the Yorkshire moors., ...s
81 wrote, agreeing to his terms, on
the sole condition, that the game
proved to be7as plentiful as he repro
sented; and received directions how
to find Deadmoor Tower by return Of
pest.
t'sThe nearest pltce of any import
ance was Haliff <, and that was thirty
miles off; SO I-slepb there, and started
off early on the following morning in
a gig, driven by the only man the ho-
tel could discover who had the slight
est idea whereabouts Deadmoor lay
He got on very well while what they
called roads lasted; but when We were
well on the moors, ard had only
tracks, which generally led to old
quarries, or places where turf had
been dug, to follow, he was naturally
rather puzzled. In fact. we only got
on at all by asking our way at every
opportunity, and as we rarely met my
.ore to ask, our progress was toftuous
Fortunately, the horse, though very
deficient in speed, was q wonderful
slayer, and we did reach the place we
were looking for before sanset.1
The people who first called that
tract of country Deadmoor, had very
fair idea of proper names, for filter
place for national cemetery / never
saw. Of course, all rnoorland is wild
and desolate; but it is generally bro
Ken up into steep hills; and hill,
somehow, is always company. promis-
ing something new on the other side;
and though the two sides sometimes
pr We to be very much alike, when
you get to the top there is generally a
good distant view from it: and at any
rate you have the satisfaction OF hav-
ing got there. But Dcadmoor was
mostly table land, and anduhtions
were too gradual to please the eye.
Deadmoor Tower just suited Dead
moor. BY Joyc sir, it was a real
tower, a regular old fashioned round
about place, with walls thick enough
to make Armstrong;, mouth water;
windows like loup.holes; and fiat
leaden roof, with battlements around
it. ~ o. 5e5i.-r .-1i2
s'The proprietor Of this medieval
place was a couple of centuries or so in
advance of it, certainly; but still he
was very old-fashioncd@ He met me
at the gate in the most courtly, man
ner; indeed, Il took him at first for a.
sort of heraldic butler, and We y nearly
addressed him with: ..What, ho!
seneschal.' But, fortunately, he in
troduced himself as Mr.. Bantyen be-
fore l had time to say it. -
''He showed me up to my room
himself, was extremely anxious to
make me comfortable, and apologised
Tor everything
''He was a portly old gentleman,
with gray hair, prominent eyes, and
rather week, undecided expression
OF countenance' and he was dressed
like one Of Seymour's caricatures, in
a short wasted coat-namely, cut very
high in the collar-tablecloth rolled
around his neck for a tie; pantaloons
and pumps.
"When was left alone I inspected
the room, the furniture of which would
have set up curiosity shop. 1t was
paneled with oak, and the heavy high
bac, cd chairs, the table, the tall ward,
robe, were all OF the same dark ma
terial There was queer mirror,
composed of three pieces, sat aslant
at the further end of the room, so as
to reflect every thing in it in a distor-
ted manner; and pair of dueling
swords were crossed over the hlgt,
carved chimney piece. But the bed,
my dear fellow, the bed! Why it
filled half the room, and must have
been originally intended for an. entire
family; the hangings were thick and
heavy, and the top like that of
hearse, just the bed to lie in state in.
cit was not altogether a pleasant
apartment, butt could hear the grouse
growing through the open window,
and that so nd was lively enough to
subdue any amount of upholstering
gloom @ -.
r.