The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1874-02-27
MAJOR GRANTBY.
A EEMARMABAE INCIDENT IN HIS LEE.

u
the small fortune which allows me
now to keep clear of the money-mak-
ing world, and, as quiet country
gentleman, to take the leisure with
enough of responsibility to keep me
from e,mui--which men Of my age
feel that they need.
I once spent a year in Amer
lea, and made many friends. Those
whom I now remember with most
satisfaction were elderly gentlemen,
of small fortune, obliged to attend
somewhat to business, and who, liv-
ing in the country, still kept peace
with the literary and scientific world,
without gaining that brusque, orato-
rical manner, that characteristic of
mell who talk more than they think,
/ Iwas once dining with such an
ones sHia. .amiable wife and lovely
Iyorng daughter made the dinner a
fea st by their charming conversation,
At each end of the room were hung
vely mastery portraits in oil, which
attracted my attention. At one end
of the room hung the portrait of a
lady in the bloom Of youth and beau
Ity. The picture hung alone. At
the other end were two portraits; one
Of o handsome man in the prime of
lite; the other, that Of very lovely
white-haired old lady. 1t seemed
strange that the more youthful lady
should not be placed by his side.-
The old lady placed alone would have
seemed to me more natural, How
ever, the position of the pictures were
evidently Intentional.
Ny friend and host, noticing the
interest l took in the portraits, said,
as he pointed to the two: "Those are
the portraits of my wife's father and
mother, taken. at about the same
time;p and he saused, as if for an ex-
preston of my interest.
I could but say: "They are fine
pictures, but seem to show great dis
parity in their ages.
"Tell Mr.. Featherstone the story
of my fathers life, -" said the hostess.
Her husband began:
The story takes us back to the
time, nearly forty years ago, when
Major Grantby,. the original of that
portrait and my wife's father, was
abouty forty years old, as fine look
ing man as he is there portrayed. =
He had resigned his position in the
army, and was professor of Sanscrit
and Ancient Egyptian Literature in
Columbia College. He was very
fond of everything relating to the
Egyptians, and although he never
visited that country himself, he was
intimate with men who had. He
possessed a valuable collection of
Egyptian curiosities, and, much to
the horror of his wife and daughter,
he went so far as, to keep mummy
in case in his study.
About that time q band of Egyp-
tim sorcerers made their appearance
in New York. There was something
wonderfully respectable and attract
i've about them. They hired spacious
rooms, and had them reftted after
the style of ancient Egyptian archi-
lecture; and these rooms were made |
gorgeous and imposing by every
thing imaginable in the shape of Gu
riosity, including mummies of men,
birds, beasts, and reptiles. Curtains
of brilliant hues and marvellous work
manship draped the windows and
doorways. Heavy sarcophagi and
models of pyramids, sphynxes and
palaces crowded the large yestibule
through which.they entered.
Major Grantby was among the first
to visit them; and he was quite car
ried away with their knowlege and
some strange powers which they un-
doubtedly possessed. There was but
one woman in the company. Iremem-
Der seeing her. She was magnifi-
cent creature, of large stature, with
a regular beauty of feature which l
never saw in any one else. 1t was
as if marble statue had come to life,
SO little co4or had she, and so little
voluntary movement. Her compan-
ions treated her with the greatest
respect, always addressing her by
some high title.
Major Grantby saw q great deal Of
these people. He even tried to get
them to visit his house. But they
declined all such attentions. They
had regular days for the exhibition
of their powers. l have seen them
perform wonders which you would
hardly believe. 1t was before the
day of animal magnetism, but they
would put a man so soundly to sleep
that nothing but their own power
could awaken him. Electrobiology
was then unknown; but they could
control, by their sorceries, the mo-
tons of every person in the ROOM
Spiritual mediums had not raped
themselves into notice; but they de-
livered messages to us of the most
oracular nature, through the dead
lips of a brown, mummied princess.
1 have heard the sepulchral bark of
mnmnlied dogs, and the queer, un-
natural note of the idolized ibis. 1t
was most remarkable.
! Well, to make long story short,
Major Grantby disappeared, and
everybody was astonished. Not the
least clue could be obtained as to his
whereabouts. He was an honorable
and much respected Christian gentle
man, and every one felt assured that
he had been made the victim Of foul
play.
Twenty years after, he reappeared,
wearing the same clothing, and not a
day older. He could give no account
of his absence. He went to his own
house, where, fortunately, his wife
and only remaining daughter still |
lived. He met strange servants in
the hall, and was perplexed by the |