The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1873-01-03
CHRISTMAS EVE.

CHRISTIANS EVE.
"Off might Mail train, Ell Why,
Talbot. old fellow, you will lose the very
cream of the hunting. Nice open wealth
er, with the scent bresst.high, and the
horses in their best form. We draw
Appley Gore on Wednesdays sure
find and a splendid county. l want
YOU to show these Melton dandies at
Lord Whiphanl's the way over Billings
ley Brook. II is 4 pity to leave US just
now" Thus spoke our veteran NJ. +.
H., thorough sportsman, and genial,
warm.hearted gentleman of the old
school, with whom had been tavorite
ever stree he first rated me, at the ripe
age of ten, for riding my shaggy pony
too close 10 the leading hounds.
l, Talbot Carew, whose name figured
in the Landed Gentry as lecond son OF
Francis Carew, Esq, of Harbledown
Court, and in the Army List Leutcn.
ant in light cavalry regiment, looked
rueful enough, l dare say, as l assured
the good old master OF hounds that
there was no help for it, and that with
all NV desire TO stay until the frost
should put stop to our sylvan ENJOY
ments go must. The fact was that my
regiment was under orders Tor India,
and that before we sailed my father had
urged me TO accept an invitation tospend
the Christmas with an uncle and an
aunt of mine, a certain Sir Charles and
Lady Treherne. who lived long way
off, in the Yves, of England, and whom
it SO happened that had not seen since
my schoolboy days. l had no particular
desire to devote my last days
in England to a visit at Bramshaw Hall,
where had never before been guest,
and it was especially unpleas 'ng to NE
to leave home just then.
was very kindly received by the
baronet and by my aunt-it 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 to seventy years, most of them
Blankshire people, or from the adjacent
counties. Twas the only late arrival
for all the others had been for several
days at Bramshaw: so that, as did mo-
possess the slightest local knowledge,
was glad to get what Frenchmen cal
parte du pays from those who were bette
informed than was. There was ayoun!
fellow there whom did know, one Tol
lemache-Lionel Tollemache-a full
cornet in the Lancer regiment quarteret
at Slochester, and whose relations hat
gotshim an introduction to Sir Charlie
q to one of the magnates of the country
side.
lawfully jolly old place, you know
and all that" said Cornet Tollemach
to me aside, and with an air of mystic
rious importance. "And as regards you
uncle and aunt, only wish that Their
were more of the same sort, for kipde
people never knew. Capital house
good cook, decent cover shooting, ant
pretty girls staying here; but Yo'
don't believe in ghosts, Carew, O
course?"
"Of course not" said /, wondering.
"Nor do I. Awful stuff" said m,
friend, and went off to Airt with a Mis-
Porter, who came from Slochester toe
A lady whose acquaintance i present
ly made, and who liked, apparently, =
hear the sound of her own voice, wa
more explicit than the enigmatica
Dbaltern had been. 1t was thus tina
Mrs. Methven explained matters
"Why, you see, Mr.. CaIew, we ar
rather celebrated for haunted houses il
this part of the country, and the wonde
was rather that Bramshaw. old as 1t i
and with ali the dreadful things don
here that must have been done OF cours
you men are sad wicked creatures, Nj
Carew, though Of course you ~ont agre
with me about that-should not hav
had a ghost of its own before. Bu
really, what with the rustlings, an
what with the light tread that passes b
our bedroom doors at the stran est houl
of the night, and wnat with vagu
movements, and creak ing Of the old GA
stairs, and things being disturbed {
thrown down in way no servant ca
account for-whv, one does not kno
what to think /; ard excepting your GOO
aunt and uncle, to whom no one lik
to spesk on the subje l assure you '
are all exceedingly uneasy and uncor
Portable"
And indeed, on further inquiry, SO
found it. A rague feeling of discol
fort, almost of alarm, was abroad amor
the guests. Dinner, however, SO tar
l could sec, dispelled all these dism
day.dreams as to haunted houses al
cracking stairs; and indeed have Il
often known people who enjoyed the
selves so heartily as these Blanksh
gentry around my uncle's hospital
board. They all knew each other, a
had at their fingers ends, SO to spea