New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-10-04

the sake of visiting the various mines, and
particularly the "BlAziDg Star tunnel
there was some tiutter of masculine anxiety
There was considerable inquiry for ''st0re
Clothes" hopeless overhauling of old and
disnsed ra!ment. and general demand 1ol
''bOiled shirts" and the barber.
Meanwhile, with that supreme audacity
and impudent hardhood of the sex when
gregariOus, the schOOllnarms rode through
the town, admiring openly the handsome
faces and manly figures that looked up
from the bitches or rose behind the cars OF
ore at the mouths of tunnels. Indeed, 1t Is
alleged that Jenny Forester, backed and
supported by seven other shameless young
women. had openly and publicly waved her
handkerchief to the fioric Hercules OF rive
FOrks-one Tom Flynn, formerly Of VIZ
ginia-leaving that good natured bat not
overnight giant pulling his blonde mus
tsches in bashful amazement.
Is was a pleasant June afternoon that
Miss Nelly Arnot, principal OF the primary
department OF one of the public schools OF
San Francisco, having evaded her com
panions. resolved to put into operation a
plan which had lately sprung up IN her
courageous and m,schie1-lovlng fancy
With that wonderful and mysterious in,
stinct of her sex. from whom no secrets OF
the affections are hid, and to whom all
hearts are laid open, she had heard the
story of Hawkins Jolly and the existence
of the Idiot Asylum.' Alone on Hawkins
Hill. she had determined to penetrate its
seclusion. Skirting the underbrush at the
foot Of the hill, she managed to keep the
heaviest timber between herself and the
blazing Star" tunnel at Its base, as well
as the cabin of Hawkins, half way up tue
ascent, until, bv q circuitous route, at last
she reached, unobserved, the summit. Be
fore her rose, silent, darkened and motion
less, the object of her search. Mere her
courage failed her, with all the character.
istic inconseGuence OF her sex. sudden
fear of all the dangers she had safely
passed-hears, tarantulas, drunken men
and lizarus-came upon Der. For mo-
ment. as she afterward expressed 1t, "she
thought she would de- With this belief,
probably, she gathered three large stones,
which she could hardly lift, for the purpose
of throwing great distance; put two hair
pins in her mouth, and carefully readjusted
with both hands two stray braids OF her
lovely blue-black name which had fallen in
gathering the stones. Then she felt IN the
pockets Of her linen duster for her card
case, handkerchief, pocket book and smell.
ing bottle, and, finding them intact, sud
denly assumed an air OF easy. lady like I'M
concern, went up the steps OF the veranda,
and demurely pulled the front door bell,
After decent pause she walked around the
encompassing verauda, examining the closed
shutters of the French windows until she
found one that Welded to her touch. Here
she parsed again to adjust her coquettlsh
hat by the mirror like surface OF the long
sash window that reflected the full length
of her pretty figure. And then she opened
the window and entered the room.
Although long closed. the house had a
smell Of newness and fresh paint that was
quite unlike the mOldiness Of the conven'
tional haunted house. The bright carpets
the cheerful walls, the glistening oil cloths,
were quite inconsistent with the idea of a
ghost. With childish curiosity she began to
explore the silent house, at first timidly-
opening the doors with violent push, and
then stepping back from the threshold to
make good possible retreat: and then more
boldly. as she became convinced OF her Sc
curity and absolute loneliness. In one OF
the chambers, the largest. there were fresh
flowers in a vase-evidently gathered that
morning-and, what seemed still more re-
markable, the pitchers and ewers were
freshly filled with water. This obliged Miss
Nelly to notice another singular fact. name
ly, that the house was free from dust-the
one most obtrusive and penetrating visit
OF OF Five Forks. The floors and car
pets had been recently swept, the
chairs and furniture carefully wiped
and busted. II the house was haunted
1t was possessed by a spirit who had
m"nI ~ Az Ava rat 1ha heds had av;dentIv
.noa,.; nnI ~! ~ -. 40. 800 s"r;r 20 nf ~.
a,,a ~ u1;ni Sh a. at orssssa s,;t,iv 81 .ha
n',a,t'. ~. n,'Sa, do"rs nn.reI Nth .ho
no,''n.J oA " f.esh ro;,,+ "a ,,.rr,sh .nJ
~ go. If Tho v1atmth cleanliness and
-. "ho 800 of tb.. tmrm;,nre and decnra
.;nn there vas none ot the ease of tenancy
. nd occunat;on a. Miss NeiIv afterwari
Confessed She 1onged 70 ..tnmhl.. things
around" and when she reached the parior
or lrawingroom again. she could hardly re.
sist the desire. Particularly was she tempt.
ed by q closed piano, that stood mutely
against the wall. She thought she would
opeE it Just to see who was the maker.
That done, it would be no harm to try its
tone. She did so, with one little foot on the
soft pedal, But Miss Nellie was too good q
PLAYER and too enthusiastic a musician to
stop at half measures. She tried it again,
this time SO sincerely that the whole house
seemed to spring into voice. Then she STOP
ped and listened. There was no response,
the empty rooms seemed to have relapsed
into their old stiffness. She stepped out on
the Veranda-a "oodpecker recommended
his tapping on an aoJacent tree. the rattie
OF cart ID a rocky gulch below the NIL
came family up: No one was to be seen far
or near: Miss Nelly. treasured. returned
She again ran her fingers over the keys.
stopped, caught at melody running in her
mind. half played it. and then threw away
all caution. Before five minutes had elaps.
ed she had entirely forgotten herself. and
with her linen buster thrown aside. her
straw hat flung on the piano, her white
hands barred. and black loop OF her
braided hair hanging upon her shoulder.
was fairly embarked upon flowing sea OF
musical recollection.
She had plaved perhaps half an hour,