The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1871-07-05

| S"' hcSeiy Ut ner. w ltn 1eel-
ing OF awe, though not of fear, shs
returned the look, aud saw a strang.
man--one somewhat advanced in years
and apparently suffering-a man, OF
medium height, with still luxuriant an.
onrnshair and keen blue eyes, Then,
even as she was gazing, the flesh APP
/ peared to melt from the bones. and
every particle of life to fade away
save the coal-iike eyes, that remained
nndimmed; and the figure slowly
passed through the closed door, aloDe
the hall, then into another apartment
and was lost to sight in an immense
chimney that occupied one half of its
side. The second and third time it re-
turned-the last, appearing impatien,
that she did not obey its reckoning
and, as if to compel her attendance
stretched out his skeleton hand, as to
clutch her arm. That was too much
and, with a scream, the terribly
affrighted girl awoke to find herseli
alone, with the pale moon rays, as they
struggled through storm clouds, dis
mally Lighting the room.
Far above superstition and ignorant
fear as she was, yet it required long
time to recover sufficiently for her
mind to act. Then she endeavored to
reason herself into the belief that it
was all the effect of an overheated
imagination-that it was impossible
for the long moldering dead to clothe
themselves with flesh and walk again
that she had been the victim of a hide
Gus nightmare. But, do what she
would, she could not Danish the ghost
ly visitor--the reckoning of the bony
hand-the imploring, and at the same
time, commanding eyes-the evident
wish to be followed.
at length it became impossible to re
sist the desire to at least learn if there
was any means of communication with
the walled-off portion of the garnet by
means of the chimney, whose massive
proportions had often been the wonder
OF all. The apartment through which
it passed had beer turned into a music
room-it was always occupied during
the day, and until a late hour at night,
by girls playing and singing vapid love
songs to their admirers and if she was
ever to make observations unmolested,
it must be at some time like the pres
ent, when every eye was closed. Be-
sides, she need only go and look to
satisfy curiosity. The final venture
could be postponed; and having rea-
soned herself into calmness, she threw
a shawl over her thin covering, and
lighting a candle, stole along as swift
~ and noiselessly as the dream vision
ed ghost had done before, though al
most smiling at her credulity.
She opened the door of the music
room, entered, and closed it after her;
but, even as she did so, she fancied she
heard few 'mournful notes arise from
The instrument, as though some light
band had swept the minor keys. She
paused and listened but the strained
ear could catch nothing save the sigh
ng of the wind that told of a gather
ng storm, and summoning up courage,
she walked slowly to the chimney, and
examined it critically.
The aperture, devoted in the olden
line to great wood fires-perhaps at
Christmas to the yule-log-was closed
low, and she gave it no thought. 1t
vas not there the ghostly semblance of
leath had passed-not upon tile right
land side, where the masonry was
smoothly plastered over, but upon the
eft, along whose face heavy book
'ase had been buils-a ligilt-colored
wood originally, but black now with
smoke and age.
Behind that bookcase, innocent now
IT volumes, either ancient or modern.
he felt there must be an opening; and
he was about to turn back satisfied
or the present, when it occurred to
Ter that it would be we'll TO learn how
could be moved, so as to facilitate
utnre investigation-so that if oppor-
unity should offer, she might step
within, close it after her, and pursue
Ter investigations during the aytime,
When there wonld be hnman assistance
within sound Of her voice, should help
'e needed.
And patient toll was at length re-
rarded. Accident Brought her hand
q contact with a concealed spring; and
ressure upon it caused the heavy
rame of shelves to loosen SO that they
ould be swung back. This being done
he saw there was a rude staircase
nilt in the supposed solid wall, that
ed above.
But should she 60 any farther? She
cid up the light SO as to see the clock
hat was ticking merrily upon a brac-
ct in the corner, and saw that it want
d yet q full hour of day; and the i'm
ulse.was irresistible to know more. A