Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-10-31
THE FAIRY OF THE CASTLE.
4 N-NGARLlN STlRT.

cone possessed % al old castle and large estate
II va a. some distance from Pesth, and had
rot visited tie property previous 70 purchasing,
for TIE Izr yerTs representations convinced me
that &c was a bargain, even with the iuCum-
bran Css. Inch consisted u an adopted daugh-
ter - some faVOIits servants OF the late Count.
These were all, however, provided with auUUi-
ues ty 3 r Will, 50 that il only remained to
endure their presence IN the castle, and, if they
should prove 20 be seryiCeable, / should already
&c lFoyILCi with servants accustomed 10 their
TvutlLc CT duties.
Prom the lawyers manner on discovering that
n sell Intended % reside ia the castle, con-
Guided that lt bore the reputation OF being
haunted, and rather rev6led IN the anticipation
Of bringing II light tie secret terrOEs Of the
wrote 70 the steward to send a carriage to
meet rs a. the nearest station. THIS found in
waiting, with pin cOdchmau. IN deep mourn
lIE,WhIcA 1 1t Hrst supposed 70 be for the late
Count.
The understood his business. His driving
was faultless. But his continual signs and
means, alteTnated with weeping outright, at
last led me 20 questions, which resulted IN his
COnfding 20 me that he was MOURNING for sin in
having murdered his younger brother. l was
sOmeW hat u 3Tuet- Bat IN spite OF his violent
grief be drove well, and zOOn brought me 70 the
village, in a state u bewilteTment both as to
his actions and my duty ia the case.
Sometime before we reached the castle we saw
The porter posted on large stone, IN military
attitude, and shOuldering large stick, a. If II
we're rite. As We approached, he shTieked, in
fearful tone, present arms and began to
initiate the sounds Of the drum and trumpet,
while with his stick he went through the eight
movements Of the Austrian parade regulation
after which he jumped down from the stone,
mounted the stick a II It were a horse. and GAL
lOped before tho carriage Ike an Outrider, all
the time shO-.IuS, "A n 2ster Is a master even
in hell" When Ne reached the gate the porter
GIsmOULted, and stood Ike a post. ssluting me
o. spraUg tTom the wagon, and retaining the
most precise military attitude. looked at him
sharply. He had az honest, open CCuntenaGce,
stamped wiki IaitlfUine-s aud loyalty. This
man wac not drunk. but, IL would SEEM some
f.He M s0F IA 10
next encountered the gamekeepsr, who
spesChless'v turned his back in answer % my
Inquiries, bUt n a moment there appeared the
valet, a gay fellow Of over forty, with his face
wIluhled into the most cCnlcal expressions by
hsbltual laughter. re Was communicative anu
well trained IN his duties. While assisting me
OF win nv OvercCAt, Louis Informed me tia,
the three servants had previously encountered
were al mad. By the time he had shown me
the stewards apartments Il was sufficiently a.
parent that be himself vas equally 30, though
Lis wa perhaps less tisagressbls MJnOuaui4.
The prospect was no. cheering. was IN lnkful
10 ind tie steward, a. least, q rational man. He
was remarkably vel Informed with reg ard %
Lis duties, although his appearance would
rather have Indicated q public officer than
farm steward. Alter q long conversation, DUR
ing which lie informed us the adopted dauSd-
ter vas a--C insane, asl,ed him for q pen and
ink, in order % wrI;e q the lawyer from whom
bad male tGs pu-cLaS lie politely showed
ne his writing desk, a then brought ne a
lamp SIN lar % the EGFs amp used BY miners.
i wrote somewhat Sharply 70 the LAWYER,
feature IN this 5sLlau was tls finding Of A re-
maIksbiy sensible and gelI-GiIcated steward.
Having finished, ! ASKED the steward for
light and sealing wax tie begged NE 10 use
waters, and upon my sti0 PTe:eTring wa5. tu-
sisted that should not seal It IN his room. he
begged 70 be pardOnsd, and turned pa.s as lie
saIu, II must i5li you, sir, that | sufIer from
peculiar malady. The air IN my lungs Change
quickly into hydrogen, so that the room in Whf,h
i am gradually becomes Ell=d with hydrogen
gas. and II any one should enter with q glt the
gaseous yaPors would explode, ald Would SEA
the house on ire.
IfeH back in nv chair. Cool hea7eas, this
man was The most insane OF all. / Was here with
slS mad people, and vas myself the seVeuth- tor
/ had bought this splendid company. / tore up
the letter, and desPaiTingy sought my room.
Having locked the door alter the valet, I NJ
ticed that the FIRE WAS burning brightly. and
that the supper stood upon the table, aud could
not but wonder what mailman had cooked II.
could not sleep. turned over IN my 10 nd
scores OF plans tCT getting rid OF the property or
for leasing il, but none seemed practicable.
There was OILY the one thing ceItain-thAt [
mast get away. Excitement played tricks with
my imagination the old Count seemed to de-
sCend from his frame on the wall and approach
me. uGrmuriuE, " Now have another tool"
and an CID clock began to strike and kept on into
the hundreds; the bed vas uncomfortable; the
moon sh0ne IN and tOrmented me, till / cur
tanned 70 out, lest too should 20 mad, as was
everything eISe,-serVants, pictures, CLOCKS,
beds, and moonlight. | sprang up in rage,
tOrmenteTs.
Suddenly something began 10 steal over me
which luIeted thought. What was IL, song or
music "a tone escaped from the harmony OF
the spheres knew not whence IL came; but
u was enchanting, and eXert5d a wonderful
influence. il ceased in q few moments, even
before could be certain what il WAS.
forgot my annoy Snces, opened the window,
and leaned out in the moonlight, listening. But
the window opened on the court yard. and there
was 10 sound but the low barking OF a dog /
went out into the hall. The song began again,
and seemed a. II II were under me. It was
deeply nelanchOly-yet not song, only
dreamy, rhymeless melody, Ike the notes OF
forest bird, but so charming and beautiful that
stood enchanted, ioTgstful OF my surroundings.
IS II ceased I wondered II this could be the
Insane girl whom the steward had said b Al no
language but song. Il took u ght and started n
search q some position where I could hear bet
Ter bGi the Oh castle seemed 20 have been built
from labyTIEttIEe model. ] went through the
first story. ana NJ am down stairs, and along
Ilumerabie halls, til a. lat opened doOf
which seemed familiar, and found myself again
ID my own room. without knowing how got
there. ] noticed that my bed was Temade, tue
IRE reIieul>het, and that thick curtain w2s
CTaEu over the Counts picture AZ the foot OF
TIE bed. Some one had been here.
v lille remained. listening, the song re -OIn-
NeEced' but this time Il seemed ~ be above
I ray down again, and fell into sleep. from
which ! awoEe in different state OF mind.
resolved 60 stay here, TO continue the Counts
good WcTE, and u Uugayel tie riddle VI the noe
JuIual sCuEstTC=s.
After residence Of half a year hal dfs,ov-
eTed various means % dealing with and even
C6CTeas' ng some Of the IeCuLarities OF my ser
Eau,s. z be honest sEd sleep.essly viEilant
porter although most foolish, gave me least
care OF all The poor Ounce had only one ardent
v'sl-t0 wear a red coat. such as ne had once
seen on s. fOx-hunteT. After that / believe the
already devoted fellow was ready to 90 through
IRE and water for me.
My gamekeeper. though almost dangerous II
any one else presumed 10 order him,-the King
Of Lapland, as be imagined himself TO be-yet
lowed m humble submission before me, whom
made him believe to be the Gear OF Russia.
bly, steward was such learned and useful
a. L iva m har 10 nrrra aFh
mOnOmauia. l brought gas-Pipes from Pesth
anu endeavored 70 bargain with him 10 supply
tAe castle with gas from his breath. The shock
occasiOned by nv proposition threw him into
severe Illness but lie arose from IL an entirely
saEe man.
There we're only two remaining in the house
Whe 1ad Tot been, at least in a measure, bena-
htet Dy 10y sNstem Of cure one was INV Invisible
love with her. vs. -
AZ soon as daylight WAS gone her song BEGAN,
a song Of tie lark from human Hps. II Came
ard went, sometimes soothing me 10 sleep AM
sometimes waking me, but / could never DIS
uhRuFa II 49,