The Republican journal., 1873-02-13

which was every day afterwards And
at last, like very naughty girl rs | was,
| allowed him to persuade me that, rs
my father would never give his consent
to our marriage, we should be we'd with
out it, My two bosom friends were. of
course, delighted at the prospect of such
a romantic affair, and promised to give
me their invaluable assistance. We laid
our heads together, and being three
women, we soon devised plan.
"Wellesdean Hall, where Miss May
brick received her pupils. was an old
country house which was no longer want
ed by the land proprietor on whose estate
| it stood. He had married a rich wife, and
| lived at her home in another part of the
country. So, after standing empty for a
| great many years it was at last let tor a
ladies' school. Old as it was. it had an
unfinished look about it. We lived en-
tirely in one wing, probably newer than
the main building, which was in the style
of Elizabeth, elaborate in carvings and
enrichments, now decaying and falling to
| pieces. There was one old room-the
picture gallery it was called-In the main
! building, that was sometimes used as n
schoolroom. 1t was the only room to
| w ulCu ACCESS COultl Dt oblttl1leu from our
newer wing of the building. The doors
of every other room had been nailed aud
barricaded up. And this picture gallery
was never used rs schoolroom in my
time; but we were allowed to walk in it,
and allowed to play at battledore and
shuttlecock among the old canvasses on
wet days. The floor had been pronounced
unsafe by Miss Maybrck's coachman,
footman, steward and factotum, John
Barnes. What Barnes said was law with
Miss Maybrick on all these points, for she
had taken him with the house. He had
been left in charge by Captain Carlton,
the owner; and having for many years
enjoyed the place all to himself, he re-
sented ladies' school in his old age us
something of an intrusion upon the rights
of property.
"Now, all that stood between our plan
for my escape and its success was the die
| tum of John Barnes The weather had
been remarkably hot. and we three con-
spirators had begged the other girls to
ask Miss Maybrick to let us have our beds
| moved-some five OF six OF them-ino
this old picture gallery, where we We're
sure we should he so much cooler than in
our common dormitories. With her usual
kindness, Miss MAVERICK consented readily
that our beds should be moved. if Barnes
said the floor was safe. When we went
| to ask him for his authority to make the
move, we felt perfectly certain that lie
would say that the floor would not be
safe for six young girls, let alone six bed
steads.' Such was the perversity of Mr.
Barnes nature, however, that he, without
a moments hesitation. replied to our in
quiries by telling us the tlo'er'ud bear q
haystack'
'fWe had insinuated that the proposal
| to move us came from Miss MAVERICK,
and that we felt rather annoyed at it, as
we were delightfully."- cool where we were
Barnes intended to be as disobieing Us
usual, but unconsciously played right into
our hands.
"Chaperoned by my bosom friends,
met Edward rs usual in the laurel walk
All was arranged Attwelve o'clock that
night he was TO be at the first window of
the gallery in the old building with lad
der. A post chaise was to wait at the end
of the lane.
II waited for bedtime-verv nervous
very anxious; and now the time drew so
near, with a feeling that | was doing
something very desperately wicked. There
We're six beds at pretty wide intervals
along the floor ot' the old gallery. Tho
pictures that hung on the dark wainscot
were dropping from their frames with age,
but some OF them were the work of mas
terlike hands, Old ladies in stomachcrs
and furhelows; old gentlemen in trunk
hose, with rapiers at their stout sides; n
bishop in full-bottomed wig; and a
| ,J,-o ;,, ,lo Il j
to awe us girls in the broad daylight but
at night they glared fearfully rs the moon
light played upon their aged features
The Judge, could have sworn, shook his
head. | was positive one old ladv's hand
moved forward to point at me and
the figures in the great picture between
the windows, representing the murder of
the Princess in the Tower. seemed to
move noiselessly to and fro. The night
was very hot, the scene was new to rs all :;
and our beds We're too far apart for US to
talk, even if the French teacher had not
been there to prevent it. They were all
disinclined 10 sleep, | knew, by the rest
less tossing about in the beds; and If they
did not 90 to sleep, Edward would we
caught at the first sound of the ladder
II am now old and calm enough, but
as girl | was nervous and excitable
My situation began to prey upon my mind,
my imagination played all sorts of tricks
with me; and at half-past ten by the
stable-yard clock, was Just in that con-
dition when girl feels she must scream
OF jump up or she will 90 mad. Thick
clouds hid the moon, so that we had the
light on the pictures only at intervals
When they were visible, their glee was
tiendish-they We're making the most hor-
rible grimaces
''Miss Clarke, ! am not asleep said
the youngest of the party. 4 can't go to
sleep for the plctures.'
"There was instantly a chorus Of
We're not asleep, Miss Clarke
Il pretended l was asleep. 1t was a
relief to hear the others voices; but my
suspense on Edwards account was terri
BILE
II did not think so much of my disgrace
it were caught, as at what they would do
to him. Barnes had Il gun. 1t hung in
the hall Perhaps he would shoot him
cat last all was quiet. 1t was half-past
eleven. | stole gently to the appointed
window to look out. was creeping back
again, when I was started almost out of
my senses. by shrek
"'Thcre there Oh, Miss Clarke,
there is something moving about in the
room !!
Il was in bed again A candle was
lighted. To my inexpressible horror l
heard the French teacher say if it were
put into the basin it couldn't do any mis-
chief, and might be left to burn itself out.
''Another quarter Of an hour passed i'll
terrible suspense. | expected every mo-
ment to hear Edwards ladder, and saw
not the least chance of dressing myself
| 81 started up in bed. Listened with all
my ears. All six of us did so too The
most extraordinary noises were being
made overhead in the uninhabited part of
the house.
"'Oh n-an exclamation of wild fear
sounded from all our lips.
ooh, Miss Clarke, ,whatare they doing?'
said the young lady who before had seen
something white.
81 had been brought up a skeptic about
ghosts but now believed in them. The
most dismal howls and walls, the rattling