The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1872-12-27
CHRISTMAS EVE.

Oh tonight Mall tram, ell why,
Talbot, old fellow, you will lose the very
cream of the hunting. Nice open wealth.
er, with the scent breast-high, and the
horses in their best form. We draw
Appley Gorse on Wednesday, sure
find and a splendid county. | want
you to show these Melton dandies ct
Lord Whipham's the way over Billings
ley Brook. IL is pity to leave us just
now" Thus spoke our veteran NJ. f.
H., thorough sportsman, and genial,
warm-hearted gentleman of the old
school, with whom | had been a favorite
ever since he first rated me, at the ripe
age OF ten, for riding my shaggy pony
too close to the leading hounds.
|, Talbot Carew, whose name figured
in the LANDED Gentry as second son of
Francis Carew, Esq, of Harbledown
Court, and II the army List a Lieuten-
ant in light cavalry regiment, looked
rueful enough, | dare say, as | assured
the good old master of hounds that
there was no help for it, and that with
all my desire 10 stay until the frost
should put q stop TO eur sylvan enjoy
ments go must The fact was that my
regiment was under orders for India,
and that before we sailed my father had
urged me 10 accept an invitation tospend
the Christmas with an uncle and an
aunt of mine, a certain Sir Charles and
Lady Treherne, who lived a long way
Oft, in the West of England, and whom
it so happened that had not seen since
my schoo!boy days. | had no particular
desire 10 devote my last days
in England 10 visit at BIamshaw Hall,
where | had never before been guest,
and it was especially unpleasing to Inc
to leave home Just then.
| was very kindly received by the
baronet and by my aunt was Lady
Treherne, by the bye, to whom | was
related-and found myself welcomed by
q number of guests of different ages,
ranging, so far as | could guess, from
seven 10 seventy years, most Of them
Blankshire people, or from the adjacent
counties. / was the only late arrival,
for all the others had been for several
days at Bramshaw: so that, as did not
possess the slightest local knowledge,
was glad 10 get what Frenchmen call
parte du pays from those who were better
informed than | was. There was a young
fellow there whom sid know, one Toll.
lemache-Lionel Tollemache-a full
cornet in the Lancer regiment quartered
at S!ochester, and whose relations had
got. him an introduction to Sir Charles
as to one Of the magnates of the country.
side.
I" Awfully jolly old place, you know,
and all that" said Cornet Tollemache
TO me aside, and with an air of mystic.
rious importance. And as regards your
uncle and aunt, | only wish that there
were more of the same sort, for kinder
people never knew. Capital house,
good cook, decent cover shooting, anu
pretty girls staying here but You
don't believe n ghosts, Carew, of
course?'
"0f course not, said |, wondering
Nor do !. Awful stuff" said my
friend, and went off to hirt with Miss
Porter, who came from Slochester too.
A lady whose acquaintance present.
ly made, ana who liked, apparently, to
hear the sound of her own voice, was
more explicit than the enigmatical
subaltern had been. 1t was thus that
Mrs. Methven Explained matters
why, you see, Mr.. Carew, we are
rather celebrated for haunted houses in
this part Of the country, and the wonder
was rather that Bramshaw. old as it is
and with ali the dreadful things uone
here that must have been done OF course
you men are sad wicked creatures, Mr..
Carew, though of course you won't agree
with me about that-should not have
had ghost of its own before. But
really, what with the rustlings, and
what with the light tread that passes by
our bedroom doors at the strangest hours
Of the night, and what with vague
movements, and creaking Of the old oak
stairs, and things being disturbed or
thrown down in a way no servant can
account for--why. one does not know
what to think and excepting your good
aunt and uncle, 10 whom no one likes
to speak on the subject, | assure you we
are all exceedingly uneasy and uncom'
Portable
And indeed, on further inquiry so !
found il. 4 vague feeling of discoIn-
fort, almost Of alarm, was abroad among
the gu, SITS. Dinner, however, so Tar as
] could sec. PEELED all these dismal
day-drt ans as TO haunted houses and
creakirg stairs; and indeed | have not
often known people who enjoyed them
selves so heartily as these Blankshre
gentry around my uncIes hospitable
board. They all knew each other, and
had at their fingers ends, so to speak,
the names and circumstances OF every
married daughter, and of every sou at
Sandhurst or the University.
Lnlnk the hveliest OF the young girls
there, he quickest guesser of charade
or oonundrum, the deftest at post or
"puss in the corner" the smartest COM
petltor at forfeits, was my young cousin,
Blanche the only child of Sir Charles
and Lady Treherne; delicate pale
slip of girl, with fine eyes and long
fair hair, but by no means so pretty as
several of the little rich-complexione1
West.of.England pixies who frolicked
around her. Blanche's health, rs ! con-