Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1874-04-02
THE HAUNTED HOUSE.

THE HAUNTED HOUSE.
ssOnly one pas,enrer BY The ornibus.
ssid the lsndlady Of the Green Dragon
! - she turaed swsy from the vindss
where she had been Watching Che sehicl.
that piled to and from the railroad, sil
miles oil.
Only one psss-sger-.6ls fresh look,
ing gisl. with glossy masses Of raves
dark hair. and eyes Of . liquid hazel
Marian Ashley vac pretty. in the, rea
blooming English style; and she Vas very
feiepo@esscd withai, as she entered ths
little inn parlor.
Can you furnish me With conveyance
to Moreton Grauge?' che asked Of th,
landlady. who hustled forward to meet
her.
Tonight. MissT
Yes, tonight -.. r
Then you must be the young lady tia,
is coming a. companion to Mrs. More
toni asked the hostess. with spice of the
curiosity Inherited from Mother Eve.
Il am said Marian. - Independently
as If she were an heiress.
It's long drive. Mss said Mrs Du.
cey. and you'd better take a bit ol
supper while Toms harnessing the horses
So Marian sat down to wait and
Mrs. Ducey eyed her iu q sidewise fash.
ion as she spread the table.
She's a nice looking gal.' thought Mrs.
Duccy; and Mrs. Ducey was right. Mar
ian looked like queen Us she sat there ia
Of her jetty locks wrea.hed about her
marble-fa brow.
Marian Ashley was thinking too. She
was wondering how this new experiment
Of hers. to earn her own living. would end
She was sick at heart Of the bread of de-.
pendcuce yet. just now. she felt bewil.
dered and strange, liko child lost in the
woods. The only clue she had to follow wa,
brief advertisement in tho newspapers
and that had led her hither.
She turned suddenly to Mrs. Duccy, AZ
that thrifty dame entered with cold fowl,
ham and so forth.
is Moretou Grange very far away?'
-Four miles, Miss
1T must be very lonely
Mrs. Ducey shook her head.
Il would not like to live thcre-that's
all I've got to say!
A thrill Of apprehension ran through
Marian's nerves.
why no,y
Well Miss-tbere's no accounting fou
, such things-but Rssple do tell strange
1ers.s 4 shout '''s st'ss s.s.s-A----.
.Hauntedr Marian's clear bell-liks
laugh ran through the room with an in.
describable accent of relief What nom
sense AS if any enc in the possession oi
their seuses should credit such an idea !!
Supper is ready, Miss said the land.
lady. prirnly.
The Grange. as Marian Ashley first
saw it by the light of faint spring moon,
was a glaring red brick house. its north.
ern gables entirely drapcd with ivy
Mrs. Moreton was on the steps to greet
the new comer-a fair. pallid old lady,
with si!yery curls and dress Of pearl
gray silk.
I am glad to see yon. my DEAR she
said. You must have lad a drcar,
ride
And Marian Ashley knew shat slit
should love her employer.
| 1t was all 90 new aud strange to her
The wide hall. with narrow strips of Per
sian carpe,ing laid along their centre il
the echoing corridors. where weird face
stared down at her from the canvass o
old family portraits; the light s,reamin,
down through stained glass easements ant
oriels. seeming to bar the floors with scar
let. gold. aud deep, tremulous violet
while all the dwc,lcrs in the roomy mau
sion, except the servants, were Mrs
Moreton. her son Aldcbert. and herself
Aldebert Moreton! The name was lik
a knight Of romance. and so was its own
er. Marian's heart throbbed with a sin
gular sensation. as she ventured once o
twice to glance slyly at him as he sat op
posite to her at the table.
Il hope you like your room. Miss, sal
the old housesceper. rs she glanced aroun
the apartment to which she had conducte
N4iss Ashiey.
Il, is a beautiful room.' SAID Marian
'bu, i, is large enough for half dozen
'Thc whole house is large, Mss
Tell me- said Marian. drawing close
to the old woman. what is it about thi
} house being haunted 2
Mrs. Brett smiled.
People will talk. Miss she said. IAN
it's no use trying to stop 'em. Aud ii
truth is. strange things have happeue
in this house, although it's haunted b
. nothing worse than sad memories. Whe
; was in my prime. i, was diiferen, plac,
Master Aldebert is the las, aud younge
of three As noble boys as ever made an ol
! place glad
: And what has become Of the others
5 The eldes, is dead Mrs. Brett n
suercd, in q whisper. 'He lies in b!o'
( dy grave. stricken down BY the hand
D his own brother. in sudden ct Of pa
D sion. Poor Mr.. Hugh he fed the cour
, try to escape from justice. and died
France. It nearly killed my mistres
! aud-Hush there's her bell now, and
, must CO.
: And with hurried adieu. the old hous
] keeper hasteucd away.
D So this was the history Of Meretc
e Grange. Marian Ashley shuddered
Q she sas alone BY the FIRE. fancying {.
{ cry Of murdered man in every sigh
e the wind. aud seeing The fui,er Of ghos
lv oarments IN fhe shadows that lurkei