, 1874-09-19
THE FAIRY OF THE CASTLE.
A Hungarian Story.

Hungary. .
II waa at somo distance from paath, and I Ind
not visised the property previous to purchasing,
for tho 1awyor'a representations oonvlnoed rlo
that twas bargain, oyen with tho 1noun,brancoH
which consisted Of Al ndoptod daughter aud
son,e fayogite servants OF tho la.o Count. These
rore all, however, provided with annuittes by
hla will. 80 that It only ron,auod to cnduro tho,r
presence in tho chatlo. aud. II they phonld provo
ia bo soryiceablo, should already 10 provided
With servants accustomed to ttieir routins Of du-
Ties.
From tho lawyers manner on discovering that
1myBolf intondcd to roHido Ia tho castle, l oot,-
cludod that It buss tho reputation Of being
haunted. and rather reyolod in tho anticipation
Of bringing to light the bocrok torrors OF tho
place.
wrote to tho steward to send + carriage 10
meet mo at the ncasest station. Thts found
in waiting. with prim coachnsn, In deop muuvtl-
ing, Which I at first supposed to DO for the'lato
Count. -.
Tho man understood his business. Hia driv-
Ing waa fau1tlcss. But his continual ulghs and
moa's. alternated with wcoping outright, at last
led MO to quoHttons, which resulted In l,ib con-
iding to ME that ho WIS mourning for Lis sin Ii,
having murdered hia younger brother. I vas
aomowllas startled. But In spite Of bis v,olont
Grlof lo drove well. and aoon brought MO to Ll,o
villago, In state OF bowildorment both rs 10 Ills
actions mud my duty in tho case.
Sumo timo before no reacllodtho caatlo We saw
tue porter posted OH large htono, in military
attitude, and Bhouldoring 8 long stick, as ii It
wero rifle. As We approached, ao ehrokotl, in
. fearful tone, i" Present nrma" aud began to
initiate tho sounds Of tho drum and trumpot.
while with lais Htiok ho vent through tie eight
mosomonts Of tho Austrian parade regulations,
after which bo jumped down from thu stone,
mounted tho stick at il it wcre horse, and gal
opoa before the cBrriago like an outrider, all tho
time ahouslng MA naHter is master evcn in
hcllt" Whon wo reuclIed tho cato tho porter
dlBmounted, and stood lko post, salnsIng mo
as sprang from tho wagon, and ratuitlfty. tho
most pfeclso military attitude. looked at him
stamped with faithfulnosa md loyalty. Tusa
nhau vaa not dtunk, hut, It would scum, eomo-
wh1t out Of hfg hoad.
l noxt encountered tho galnokocpor, ullo
speeclleSHly turned hp back In ans,sof to inv in
quirics, but tnn moment thera appeared tho valet.
q gay fellow Of over 40. With his faco wrlnk,e1
luto tho most comcal expressions By habit,lal
laughter. Ho was communicative. aud ,rcll
trained In his duties Wht1o assisting ne olf
with MY osercoat, Louis Informed mo that tho
LllG6 tGEfHut8 uAu pEHfiHllbl} CUEUut[lIG0 W9t4
all mai. Dy the TIM ho Lad shown n.o thu
Stewards apartmouts II was uu!icout1y apparent
that he limyolf was equally 80, though lis was
perhaps q lcss dlsnsreoablo monomania. The
prospect waa not cheering. I WAS thankful to
1Na tho steward, at least, rational innil. ne
WAS remarkably well inform eltwitll regard to his
duties, although his appearance wo:lld rather
haYo indicated Il public officer than furu
steward. Aftor a long conYeraaton, during
which ho informed no that tho adoptod daugttor
in order to write to tho lawyor from whom had
made the purchase. lie politely showed me his
writing-doyx, and then brought mo lump si.nl-
lar to tho Dayy-]amp usel b. niners.
wroto somowhas sharply to tho lnwyor,
feuturs in this bedlain was tlo finding Of ro-
mnrkably nonsiblv unt| woll-o.lucatod steward,
Having finished, 7 asked tho Steward for d
light and BeaIinG-wax. 1Io bcEgod mo to uso
waters, aud urpH my still! prefsrring wax, it,
Hfstod tlnt / should not seal it in hB roou lie
beEgou to be partlonoj, and turned pa}e as he
uail II must tell you, sir, that suffer from d
peculiar mataiy. The mir in my lungs changes
quickly into hydrogen, Bo TINT the room in
which I am gradually bocomcs filled with hydro
gen gas. and II any ons nlloald enter With a
light the GASEOUS *vapora would ox,1ollo, aul
would net The hpuse Oh lre,"
fell buck In my chair Good heavens this
man was tho most insano OF all. I was hero
with six mad people, aud was nlyso!f Tho aoy-
tore up tho letter, a..d dospail lingly sought NV
room. uuviug locked tho door after tho Yai,t. I
noticed that tie tire waY burning brightly. and
that tho snppor stood upon tho table. and could
not but won,lur wllat tnaslmau had cooked if,
I could not sleep turned over ia nv mind
scores OF plans for getting rid Of tic property or
for leasi1Ig it, but noue seemed t,ractlcable,
There wus only tile one thing cortuinEt]mt I
must got away' Excitement plnyod tricks viii,
nv imagination; tho old Coun, sconied to d.
acond from hia ftan,e on tic wall and aupruuch
me, murtnuring, SNOW I have another fool:"
MI old clock bsgau to strife. aud kent on into
the hundreds; lilo bed was uncomfortable. lin
moon ehono III and tor,neutel nc. till cllrtaluod
it ont lest i too should no n,nd. a. was oyory
thing olx3,-seryui,ts, pictures, clocks, bcds and
moonlight, I splaug in in a rnyo. rcgoIycd that
tlo morning tlloull rid inc OF nv tornlentora.
Suddenly somothit,e began to p.oul over me
which quoted tlonght. What was It, uoug Or
music ?-a tone escaped from lis harmony Of
tho spheres? l know not whopre II ca,no but
It was enchanting. and oxcrtad a wonderful in.
nuence. It ceasoa in fow moments, uyon be-
foro could bo certain what 1t was,
: forgot INV anuoyauces Opened tho window.
md loauel nut in Tie moontic,s. listening. l}nt
tho widow oreuod ou the court-yard, md there
WIS no sound but the low burJ.ing Of a dog. I
went out into tic hall, The song began again
and aooucd as If it woro uuaor nc. Il wa
deeply melauchoy-yet uot a SONG, only ai.