Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1873-01-17
5cIettco nlistellanp.
THE HAUNTED MAN.

In the spring of 1912 | Glanced to be
in Messna, seaport of Sicily, and there
[ was invited to visit the extensive vim
tage of D-l and NJ. Their location
was in pleasant valley some three miles
back from the city, and beneath por-
ton of their grounds was extended a
large wine vault, embracing an area of
two acres After accompanying NJ,
the junior partner through the long vine
arbors and orange groves, We descended
to the vault. and after passing nearly
half the length of one of the pipe tiers
we came to desk where a man was writ
ing.
"Therc is one OF your own country
men," said NJ, "and he will accompa-
ny you through the vaults"
My conductor called to the man, who
quickly dropping his pen, stepped down
from the stool and came forward. lie
was employed as clerk in the exporting
department, for the purpose of filling up
bills, invoices, ETC., for the American
and English merchants.
You will find him strange sort Of
man." whispered NJ. "but he is,
notwithstanding, a good fellow"
H, for my companion had called
him, was a tall, well-made man, appar-
emily on the better side of forty, and n
pleasing, intelligent look. His hair,
which was quite luxurious, was almost
white, and about his countenancc there
were evident marks of suffering. His
eyes, when he first gazcd on me-which
was with furtive, trembling glance
had an incxpressible look of wildness in
them, and cold, fearful, shudder seem
ed TO run through his frame. Gradually
he grew more composed, and as he show
ed me around among the pipc-nanked
avenues, casting his huge lantern here
and there to show me the many and va
rious wines, he began to talk with con-
siderable freedom, though he yet betray-
ed a strangeness of manner, sort of
faring of voice and gesture, that could
not fail of exciting my curiosity. A
casual observer, who might have Judged
only from his appearance, would have
thought him slightly insane; and even
felt a conviction that his mind was not
exactly CONNIE il faut, or at any rate,
not omme jc fus.'
Z" Do you reside in New York p he
asked, as we stopped for a moment at the
extremity of the vault.
| told him that did not belong there,
though l had spent part of the winter
and the spring of 1841 and AZ in that
city.
II have wife in that State some
where, and perhaps child, but | have
not heard from them for a long time"
noticed he wiped his eye with the
sleeve of his linen jacket as he spoke,
and he turned away, as though to hide
an emotion that might be thought I'M
manly.
d" Does she not write to your I asked.
"She knows not where | am"
"Do you not write p
Mel" he uttered with a sudden
start, a cold tremor shaking his frame
the while "Ah, sir, | dare not trust
my supcrscription, nor my autograph
IN"
He hcsitated-looked at me wildly for
an instant, and then started on he be-
gan to enlarge on the different ages,
qualities and vintagcs of the wine. Twice
[ tried to bring him back to the subject
he had SO abruptly left, but it was no
avail. At length we came around to
the steps that led up to the surface of
terra frma. The sun had already set,
and the stars we're beginning to sparkle
in the blue arch above US. H re-