The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1874-06-02
The Old Rookery.

| ana nearly mile from the bay shore, stood,
in the year of 1920, an old two storied
house, with the pointed gables and twisted
chimneys Of the previous century. It's
| aged walls, which had withstood the storms
of hundred years, were fast crumbling
into dust, and the roof was so overgrown
with moss that not tile could be seen. 1t
had long been uninhabited at the period of
our story, and had the reputation of being
haunted by-no one could tell what, but
from the great numbers of hooting and
howling night birds that had made it their
home, it had acquired the universal appel
lation of the "Old Rookery."
Still farther inland, and near the banks
of the inlet was situated the mansion of a
wealthy farmer named Dabney. His house
hold consisted only of himself and maid
sister, with the exception of some half a
dozen negro domestics. OF these latter an
aged but. honest negro called Scpio--or
more familiarly, Black Scip--is the sub
ject of our story. His wife Dinah always
accompanied Miss Dabney in her visits to
the neigbboring plantations, while Scip
himself was the trusty body guard Of his
master on similar occasions. And in this
capacity the services of Scip were much
needed for the worthy squire, like most
of the gentry of his time, liked to spin out
his stories over the social bowl until late
hour of the night, and at such times his
brain was none of the clearest but Scip
was always temperate, and gave to the un-
steady steps of his master the firm support
of his sturdy arm.
1t was a mild sunny afternoon in October,
that the squire received an invitation to
spend the evening at the house of a friend,
who lived near the bay shore. The ground
being dry, and the distance not over a
mile, he concluded to go on foot Sum-
moning therefore the faithful Scipio, they
struck into bridle-path which wonnd
along the banks of the inlet and led near
the cold Rookery." They soon reached
their place of destination, where the squire
was warmly greeted by his host, and after
ordering Scip to be in readiness at an early
hour, Joined the other guests in the draw
room. Several gentlemen from the adj
joining plantations, with their ladies, were
already assembled and amusing themselves
with the discussion of the various political
questions of the day, which never lose their
charm as a topic of conversation with the
American people-the ladies not excepted.
AS the evening wore on, the ladies withdrew
and left the gentlemen to their pipes and
wine, to which they did ample justice--if
one might judge by the wavering steps with
which some Of them emerged from the
drawing room at the midnight hour. I'd
Black Scip had meanwhile been gener-
ously entertained in the kitchen by the
ladies and gentlemen of color, and was now
on hand to render the necessary aid to his
light-headed master With some slight al
lusion to the earliness Of the hour, he prof
fered his arm to the squire, who leaning
heavily upon it, they took the homeward
route.
The moon shone brightly out at times
and anon was hidden by dark masses OF
clouds which were slowly drifting along the
blue sea of heaven. The squire and his
sable guardian had passed nearly two
thirds of the distance without accident OF
adventure of any kind, when, as they near
ed the valley in which the sold Rookery''
was situated, an incident occurred which
completely upset the already disturbed
equanimity of the squire, and produced a
marked effect on the nerves of the stout
hearted Scipio.
80, lorra massa, look yonder - ejacu.
lated Scip in boarse whisper, as he point
ed with a trembling finger in the direction
of a high ridge of land which ran along the
shore of the inlet, and whose outline was
now clearly defined against the dark blue
of the western sky, The squire lifted bis
head and gazed in the direction indicated.
The sight which met his astonished eyes
caused him to throw. up his hands in terror
and sink helplessly upon the earth beneath
the friendly shelter of clump of elders,
while the old negro, who had not in his
surprise afforded his master any support,
stood staring in mute amazement.
The unusual objects which had arrested
his attention were moving over the summit
of the ridge towards the cold Rookery.' y
They appeared somewhat like human be-
ings, for they walked erect upon two legs
but their heads were so disproportionably
large as to give them the appearance Of
monstrous perambulating cabbages. scipiC
kept his eyes fixed upon them until they
disappeared within the gloomy precincts o
the mined hnildinn Rnt a fnpu rr,innfal