The Hickman courier., 1874-08-28
THE GOBLIN RECORD.
BY JOS. c. CANNING.

BY JOS. G. CANNING.
Man. as we'll the lettered as the un-
lettered, is attracted by mystery. While
the educated one ridicules the extrava-
gance and the unchecked wildness of
the ignorant brother in his persistent
chase after phartoms, he must confess
that the same ghost is playing wantOn
with his own senses.
I have often been induced to investi-
gate delusions, although convinced that
was hunting shadow, if not a silly
cheat. To dissipate all ideas in ones
mind of goblins, haunted houses, and
weird noises has required more philos-
ophv than has yet been accepted. And
so We must admit that if there is not
cleverness in a mystery there is that in
it which fascinates in spite of better
Judgment, and carries the OF 3)OtLo6 be
youd the control of reason, while
they listen with eager ears and excited
brains.
Tarrying at a friends house, was
informed that there was an unoccupied
dwellinCin the heneighbOrhood frequented
by unseen spirits. It interested me,
and I shortly discovered that his sister
was anNApus and even willing to visit 1t.
I offered myself as an escort and pro
tectOr, and was accepted. The uilding
was called the Redwood mansion, for
merly the property of an old, aristO-
cratic family of the district. The last
inmates ere two elderly ladies, sisters
of the Redwood lineage. For years
they had utterly refused communication
with the world, and were charitably
rated as eccentric. Their wants were
supplied by a slave of the butcher,
who pissed, at regular hours, all the
necessaries of life through the gate of
the ward, and at each time found the
money and other orders. They had
be,u allowed their unsOcial whims
through the Indulgence of a kind com
munity and the esprit de corps Of the
Redwocds until dread circumstances
broke the living chain. The rector OF
the parish, while passing one morning,
was attracted by means from the SOM
Der house, and forcing an entrance
found the eldest sister IN dying agonles
and the other hun fiedly pacing the
apartment in a state OF frenzy The
sassr,l- s~-~3ati - 10 e lasa- f,
Such was the history given to me Dy
Miss L. She added " j have such
strange desire to visit this mansion,
however foolish it may be"
The dwelling was large, and in Its
glory must have been as far Ous for Its
grandeur as it was popular for its enter
ta7nments when Col. Redwood with
his princely welcome was It's courteous
lord. Now the walls were cracked, the
chimneys fallen, the windows broken,
and its aspect desolate. detected the
slightest tremor in the arm OF my com.
panion as we pushed into its silence
The mold Of neglect, TIE bat, the spi-
der IN fer magnificent festoons, tattered
J l., HpRlU
surrounded us. We could almost i'm
agine thS Sgibbering of uneasy spirits at
our Aintrusion as we passed from
room to room. Yet the stiffness of a
charnel house only prevailed.
'I have heard" whispered Miss E.,
"tbat there is an old desk, or cabinet,
which las never been removed. 1t
would Sc so novel and romantic to fiud
it and search for relics, perhaps treas
ure." But no room contained 1t.
"The attic :" she exclaimed. Dare
YOU 90 up and explore ?"
s'If YOU do not wish to accompany
me and have the courage 20 remain
| alone," was the reply.
"Oh, then, gol But" her voice
trembled. eyes go quickly and talk
to me constantly. l viii not go up, but
/ I must know about it.
/ ascended the creaking flight and
| had informed Miss Z. that 1 was busy
at the discovered drawers, when a
scream from below startled me into
nervousness. 1t was from Miss E., and
! insi siantly I was at her side.
/ g I have had such a fright !" she said,
while the soft rose-liEe hCe which
danced in her cheeks gave way to ex-
treme pallor.
/ -
"Hush 7" she whispered, with a fin
| ger to her mouth. 81 know l am fool
| ish. but I distinctly heard-there
| Did YOU not hear that ?-there p
1t was even sol I hesrd footsteps
"Keep Your courage" replied.
| The noise of steps grew more distinct,
and a fair head tell heavily on my
shoulder.
Sometimes it happens that bright,
! courageous idea takes the place of wan
ing hope and fearful uncertainty, acting
as pendulum to tine g'ddy brain and
the shattered nerve. Such relief came
! TO my rescue, rendered as / was, hors
! de combat, and Miss E. to support.
Angry as was, from the force of cir
cumstances, I laughed Looking up
wildly, then inquisitively, Miss E.
sprang from me, exclaimiDg: "What
! is it then? ] was frightened, and you
are cruel to make light of it p
dilemma / certainly was in. Ap.
pearances were against me, but my
| heart was not hard. / had laughed
from thorough evaporation, for I was
helpless. Gould I have hoated away
with my charge I could then re-
turn and defy all the imps and goblins
ever exercised, and topple the wretched,
moldy, ghostly old shell into utter
ruins. 1t was at this crisis that large,
woody head, with prOtruding eyes, 8
display of ivory, and breadth of lip,
appeared at the door.
"You black scoundrel - / yelled,
8. do you know how you have frightened
Miss E. ?''
"Gorry, massa ! Use right sorry
Never mind, Sam, " interrupted Miss
E., " my wits have returned. 1 am sc
glad it is you" It was her favorite ser.
want.
We vSre to hasten back to accompany
a party to Anemone vale, a beautiful
spot beyond the town limits. I was not
sorry /: neither did Miss E. regret the
change, nor the assurance that the COB
Inns of the Redwood mansion we're not
now hlNly to modest US. "But did
You firdtnytbing ?' she eagerly asked.
Wait and see p was my answer.
The breeze was fresh in Amenone
Vale, lovely IN its carpet of the sofl
flower which gave it its name.
"There is a tint of mustiness about
it, and an ancient look" remarked my
friend. as he unrolled manuscript ]
handed him.
Well, there might be" replied his
sister. s. 1t is.snatched from the haunts
! of goblins-but let Us hear it ~