The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1875-12-09
The Long Pace

| sat with my maiden relative in q
huge tspestried apartment in q ram
bling Old-fashiOned house in the
country.
"Wbat kind OF story do you want,
Harry ?" she asked. "Grave or gay,
true or untrue, pleasant or sad? For
my life has been long aud my eXPer-
fences many" she added, as she gazed
dreamily and thoughtfuiIy into the
fire that blaZed on the hearth before
as.
"Oh, something narrowing and
thrilling, fearful aud shocking, and
above all, true-there's dear auntym
| exclaimed, as 1 drew near her side,
and gazed shudderingly around the
large, gloomy room.
A little pause ensued, while aunty
gazed meditatively into the fire, aud
| watched her face in eager hope of
the exciting tale that was coming.
I was about 16 (Aunt Betsy began
at last) when was invited to go and
stay with some relatives in Sussex,
whom had never seen. My life in
this old hOuse-Where 1 was born and
have lived all my dsys-was some
what monotonous. / was a lively
girl then, and, wild with delight at
the prospect of q change of scene,
looked anxiously for my parents
permission to accept the invitation.
After some deliberation, the desired
permission was given so, early one
morning, accompanied by my father,
l set out in high spirits for my des-
tination, arriving there in the pleas
ant twilight of an autumn evening.
Our friends gave US a cordial recep-
ton. Squire and Mrs. Oldham were
staid, good.tempered, rather elderly
people, and their two daughters
girls of Is and 20 as merry and IS
wild as could possibly desire. Their
names were Mildred and Janet.
The house standing on its own
grounds, and surrounded ty lofty
trees, was old and spacious, with
many long corridors and passages,
and plenty OF rooms Of all sizes and
descriptions. l can recall so well the
great entrance hall. 1t was of i'm
mense size and gloomy, and from it
ascended a wide staircase which led
to an open gallery above.
During my stay with my Sussex
friends, Mr.. and Mrs. Oldham went to
. iCH hdNo OF a
house q few miles distant from their
own, and it was while they were alb
sent that the alarming occurrence |
am about to relate to you took place.
The household consisted Of the but
ler and four maid servants. The
coachman, who lives in a cottage on
the grounds about a mile distant,
was now absent with his master and
mistress. The butler was a pompous,
stately, middle-sged man, given
somewhat to patronizing, though al
ways respectful in bis manners to us
young people. He evidently consid-
cred the safety of the house as his
peculiar charge, and was very pArtic-
ular i'm the eXtinguishing of fires, and
in looking after the fastening of doors
and windows.
We had heard of one or two rob-
berries being committed in the neigh
borhOod but we did not feel nervous,
ana my cousin placed great depend
ence on q huge black dog which al
ways slept at night in the hall.
One EVENING" believe it was the
third after Mr.. and Mrs. Oldham's
departure-my cousin and / were sit
ting chatting merrily around the fire
in q large room which opened from
the hall. l think it was about z
O'Clock, when there came pull at the
front door bell, and, after a short de-
lay, the butler answered it. Present.
ly, hearing a somewhat prolonged
parley outside. we, opened our room
door and peeped out.
Two men, apparently much ex-
hausted, stood at the lower end of the
hall, while on the floor at their feet
lay large, long package. Opposite
to them stood the butler and one of
the maid servants, and stormy dis
eussiOn seemed going on between
them. Mildred, my elder cousin, af-
ter few moments pause, walked
forward and requested an explana-
ton. One of them, rather respects-
ble-looking individual, 1 thought,
advanced toward her, and making
low bow, began to speak
MADAME" said he, tive have
brought this bale of goods to your
house 10y mistake we were to take it
to Mr.. Needham's," mentioning a
house about five miles distant, "but
have carried it here instead. We'are
much exhausted, for we have walked
far, the night is tempestuous, and we
feel that we can take it DO further.
Will you kindly allow US to leave it
here till morning ?"
Mildred looked at the butler in
quiringly before she answered. The
old servant shook his head with a
doubtful and suspicious air, where up-
on the man who had just spoken ob-
served hastily:
"We do not ask for a lodging for
ourselves, madam, we shall make our
way to the nearest public house. II
is only the pack we wish to leave. 1t
is very heavy, and we will call for it
in good time tomorrow. We throw
ourselves upon your compassion"
"Let the poor men leave their large
package, Mildred" said Janet, my
younger cousin, "and have it put in
to the ante-room until tomorrow"
Mildred consented, and in disre-
gard of the frown and ominous looks
OF the butler, ordered the pack to be
carried into little room near the en-
trance.
This was done, and glad and thank
ful I was to see the door bolted and
barred behind the formidable stran
gers. 1t seemed to me q dangerous
risk, in our thinly peopled household,
to admit two strangers at that time
of the evening. l had noticed, too,
that they glanced around the hall in
q surreptltious manner, and especial
ly at the dog, which stood with us in
the hall, and had at first begun 20
bark, but had been quickly silenced
by low command from Mildred. I
saw that the maid servant, who still
stood by, shared my uncomfortable
feelings, and she assisted, very readi-
ly, after the departure of the men, in
barring the door and seeing to the
safety OF the window fastenings.
Later in the evening I met her on
the stairs, and she stopped me.
az don't like the looks of that bum
die at all, miss" she said sit looks
to me alive, and twice l have fancied l
saw it move-once when lying on the
hall floor, and again now, for 1 have
been in TO look at it,"
I Ismiled, and telling Harriet "not
to be whimsical" passed OH, and, re-
Joining my cousins, / told them what
Harriet had said to me, and proposed
going to take look at the mystic
rious package.
Taking lamp with US we proceed
ed to the little apartment wherein it
was placed. 1t lay on a wooden set
tee, which stood on one side of the
room. 1t was enveloped in a brown
wrapper, was very long, and thicker
at the middle than at the two ex-
tremities. Somehow did not like
the looks of it /; but my fears were Of
such q vague nature that 1 did not
like to express them. AS we crossed
the hall on our return to the sitting
room, we encountered Harriet, who
was lowering about with very un-
easy and mysterious expression on
her face.
"What is the matter, Harriet ?''
asked Mildred.
'Oh, miss, l am so frightened about
that pack. cannot rest, and 1 am
sure that l cannot go to bed while it
is In the house."
"1ou are very ridiculous, Harriet"
remarked Janet. 81 am sure the
men were very respectable looking
individuals, only two shopmen. We
have just been looking at the pack.
and it did not move, though / gave il
q good squeeze. am sure there is
nOtbinQ in it to alarm vou -