Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-02-15

morning sunshine; and as l did so,
rustling and then sweeping sound
came from under the English four.
post bed, which stood in gloomy gran
deur in the corner of the room.
was not of a nervous tempera-
ment, and that sound did not even
startle me; but when, the next mo-
ment, | stopped and lifted up the moth
eaten hanging to search for the box
of books, certainly did start back
with an exclamation of something
more than surprise. Under the bed
stood large black coffin.
For an instant | felt inclined to get
away as fast as I could. | turned
sick; but, as l said before, was not
naturally nervous, and the feeling soon
passed off. Besides, the sunshine was
flooding the dusty old room, and from
the window peaceful scene of woods
and fields and deep-blue sky was vi
sible and l hold that daylight and
nature are powerful foes to fear and
superstition.
looked again. 1t was a coffin, of
that there was no doubt. A large
coffin, too, covered with black velvet
and studded with black nails, and
the lid was lying on it; but it bore
no plate or cross, or ornament of any
kind. A sudden idea crossed my
mind-it contained the books, perhaps;
and so | put forth my hand bravely,
and, using all my strength, drew it
forward. There was something un-
canny in the hollow sound made by
the lid as it fell on the ground; but l
would not be Mortified, and with a
brave hand lifted up large sheet
Of fine lawn neatly covering something
and then yellow piece of linen, and
then something that looked some like
a garment. Grave clothes, I thought
to myself; and then my fingers touch
ed some hard substances-books, thank
Heaven
A few dusty ponderous volumes of
Noltaire, Rousseau, and other philo-
sophers Of the same genus. / soon
pulled forth to the light of day, which
they had evidently not seen for years,
so yellow where their pages and then
found cushion lining the bottom,
and little pillow on which was the
visible impress of human head and
stain or two of blood.
The sight of the books had reassur-
ed me; but that round scoop in the
pillow and the stains gave me an
other uncomfortable thrill. | turned
eagerly to the lid and examined it. 1t
had been used there were the holes
OF the screws, and one long rusty nail
was still sticking firmly in it, whilst
on the outside were marks of its hav-
ing come in close contact with a clay
ey soil. 1t had a dreadfully earthly
smell too.
l drew back with a faint shudder.
After all, it was a gloomy object to
find under that gloomy bed, in that
ancient, gloomy room; and Josette
had been so eloquent during our So
litary evenings with horrible stories
ofthe De Gaules, past and present,
that | may be pardoned if, as | bent
over this strange piece of lumber and
heard shutting footsteps coming faint
ly along the passage, I uttered a hor-
rifed cry.
The footsteps came nearer, and, it
seemed to me, more rapidly, as my
scream, or rather exclamation, sound
ed awfully audible through the still
ness of the house. and then to my
horror, the door of the room was
opened suddenly, and a face, that
even now | can never think Of with
out shudder, peered through it.
1t was old; so old features bearing
the stamp of seventy years would
have seemed youthful beside it, drawn
and puckered and shrunk till it scarce
ly looked human, while two red seams
on either side Of the mouth seemed to
extend 1t from ear to ear in perpe-
tual, CHASTITY grin. On the chin grew
a scanty tuft of long, white hairs, but
the scalp was entirely bald; and, to
increase the horror of such an object,
the left ear was gone, and the right
so trightfully mutilated that it was
only by the position l recognized
what the hideous lump of flesh had
been.
My first thought was, that before
me stood the former occupant of the
coffin, and all the stories of ghosts,
vampires, dead men wandering about
, their old hauDts, wronged spirits tor
menting those who had wronged
them, rushed to my mind with the
terrible conviction that was about
to be forced to add myself to the
number of their believers, when from
that hideous mouth came the sound of
human voice.
"Que taites-rous Ia :" said the aged
apparition, TREMENDOUSLY.
; | don't know exactly what | said
: or what did; l have a faint recol-
: lection of pitching a volume of Rous-
| seau at the spectre's head. and then
3 rushed down the old staircase at a
; rate that was increased by hearing a
n peal of goblin laughter echo through
!, the house.
/. Josette met me. "Mais guest ct
J. que c'eSt done ?" she exclaimed in
alarm. "Have you seen the ghost of
old Monsieur lie Baron ."
s 4 have seen an awful object | an.
# swered breathlessly. 4 have seen
7 'Moif exclaimed a voice on the
staircase, and looking up, there We
l saw the hideous face grinning at us
over the balustrades.
Al, mon paurre grand'pere, c'est
, t0i ? said Josette composedly; ther
turning to me she laughed till the
v tears dimmed her black eyes.
went out of the chateau in a huff
n for | was young enough to resent be
ing laughed at by a woman ever
: though that woman were an ignoran
peasant; and | remained out unit
nearly dark.
It When | returned to the chateau,
g found my dinner comfortably prepar
e ed for me, and Josette in a repentan
frame of mind. She did not max,
n any allusion to the mornings advent
d ure, but when she brought me in m,
{. dessert, she said with the graciou