The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1870-07-15

Under these circumstances, Fritag was
very glad to remain beneath so good a
shelter The next morning, il seems,
the jaeger knocked at his door to tell him
the Count was waiting; but receiving
no answer, concluded he had left the
Castle. SO the Count departed without
him. When the party assembled at
break fast, one of the domestic5 announce
ed to the Countess that Herr Fritag had
not gone with the Count. She immedi-
ately sent to let him know they were
breakfast; but there was no
answer. Aftera delay of a couple of
hours, they broke open the door, when
they found poor Fritag insensible, lying
across the bed; they thought at first he
was dead but pcrceiving he still
breathed, they used the usual remedies,
and he soon showed signs of returning
consciousness. They then entreated
him to say what had happened, when
he stated that the night before he motto
cd the gloomy appearance of the room
to his attendant, who said it had hardly
been used since the late Countess death.
1t was the room she and the Count had
occupied; and since her demise it had
the reputation Of being haunted
'Fritag was not afraid of spirits, and
settled himself for the night without
any apprehension. He had been in
bed about couple of hours, when he
was awakened by a noise proceeding
from the further extremity of the room.
He sat up,and was terrified by seeing a
tall female, clad in white, with glaring
eyes and bright golden hair flowing
over her shoulders. Stalking up to the
bed, she silently beckoned to him, and
he chanically rose and followed her
through long narrow passage, when
she turned aside into q room, quite
frightened by the moonlight streaming
through the window, but so covered
with dust that it seemed as if no NOR
tai had been in it for years. She raised
the lid of chest, and with a wild
scream held towards him the skeleton
of child. AT this moment he describ-
ed all changing and becoming black as
pitch. The next thing he was conscious
of was the buzz of voices round his
bed.
"All the listeners to this mysterious
story were struck with amazement. The
old housekeeper said the room was fire.
quented by spirit, and SO said all the
credulo lous. The skeptical portions of
the household tried to persuade Fritag
that he must have had bad dream.
The Countess, a women Of strong
mind, insisted on sending for the mag
istrate, and having q thorough inspoc-
ton Of the room. Accordingly car
riage was despatched for that function
ary without delay. 1t was some time
befo re he arrived, as the distance from
the castle to his residence is about ten
miles. The Countess resolved not tC
leave the room for one moment till he
came.
Herr Saltag was only too glad to un-
dertake thecommission of Investigation.
He had often pressed the Count to allow
him 10 inspect the apartment, and so
put a stop TO the reports circulated
about its being 'haunted;' but somehow
the Count always contrivcd to put it Off.
His absence now prevented any further
obstacle, and without delay Herr Saltag
acco mpanicd by the Countess and Frit-
ag, searched every part ofthc room, but
without any result. 1t was all in vain,
that they shifted the bed, took down
the curtai ms, changed the position Of
the furniture-therc was no trace. Frit-
ag 5 hOwcd the exact place of the spirits
entr ancC and exit. The wall was next
sounded-it was solid masonry. There
was not panel that could slide up or
down. The Countess declared there
was no passage connecting that room
w ith any other in the tower. Still F'ritag
pc rsisted in his story; and the magis
trate said he would not leave the place
till he cou Id account satisfactorily for
it.
Accord ngly he ordered ladder, and
mounting it, passed his hand carefully
over the wall, as if by chance he might
discover a hidden spring. After about
an hour pent in this way, he eXclaim-
ed suddenly, Il have it, have it = and
by pressing hard with his finger,
he moved a heavy door sliding into the
wall, so as not to be perceptible outside,
This led TO flight of steps, also made
in the wall; then another spring-door
opened into set of rooms in the tower,
that belonged to superannuated nurse
of t he family, who lived in these apart
ments. The room into which Fritag
had been led the night before, was to
the left of this narrow passage, before
coming to the steps. Into this the mag
istrate went. 1t was as Fritag describ-
ed, covered thick with dust; but they
perceived the trace of n naked foot.
Following this foot print they came to
the window-sill, but no chest was visi
Bile. After examining all around, the
Countess suggested that the window
sill itself might be raised; but there
neither seemed hinge nor lock. Howev-
er, the planks were lifted, and awful to
relate, the skelct on was found here.
Herr Saltag would not allow the
Countess to proceed any further; and
giving the body of the child to one of
his attendants, he proceeded with Frit-
ag, They descended the steps, and go
ing to the door, which was easily open
ed, there they saw the identical white
figure crouched in the corner, her beau
tiful golden hair hanging disheveled
over her; and the witch-like nurse, with
her arm raised, about to strike her
wreiched victim, Fritag caught the
woman's arm before it fell when, to his
utter CONSERVATION, he beheld, in the
CHASTITY misery of madness, the Counts
FIRST w3er
This fearful tragedy is soon clucidat-