The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-04-10
THE GOBLIN TOWER.

''I am glad you have come here,
said the Marquis di Doltono to th
young knight CASTOR de Portable, a
they sat upon The terrace of Bolton
Castle. Il am glad you have come TO
many reasons-especially because I Low
the company of young and valian
soldier"
CASTOR bowed and . flush of pleasur
passed i60oes his brow.
The robbers above here are YER
bold Just now. They attacked You,
belisEe. - -
"fhres of the villains ventured to d,
so. but I sent them away with more thar
they expected. "----s------------ -
"A steel ransom. Ha I Hal"
It is very strange that you are moi
able to discover their retreat
"Very-very strange. My men have
sought in every direction"
The country is favorable to secresy, n
said Gaston, looking round.
1t spread far away around the castle,
From the height upon which Boltono
stood, the wide plain and the surround.
ing hills could be distinguished for g
great distance. Hills and crags wore
near the castle, gullies and paths formed
by torrents lay among them A river
flowed through the plain, turbulent and
noisy.s
Eyes, it is good place for them, u
said the marquis, in reply to Gaston's
exclamation.
: bat yet wonder at their hardi-
{ SThey rob almost every friend who
comes to. yiGit me, unless send my
soldiers 10 guard them, said Boltono,
bitterly. 49,
This should be stopped. Iwonder
tas fhsy do not show themselves some
there.
ST have done all that man can do.
Let us forsake this subject for the pres
eat. See you yon tower?"
Yes. It il older than the rest of
your castle, is it not? I have been
much interested in il"
at is very old and is of R oman con-
struction. We never use it,
sNeverI Why not?"
cts haunted.
"Haunted?" CASTOR was surprised
at the seriousness of the marquis, and
out of respect to him he suppressed a
rising smile of contempt.
les II mas ior many years gone
by the name of 'the Goblin Tower. i"
"Wby 20 2"
Because there are sights to be seen
there, and sounds to be heard, which
are not of this world. Shrieks are
heard at the dead of night. and lights
CLEAN from the turrets. All the peas
antry tremble. and the hearts of all
within the castle quake with fear"
But have you never entered to see
the cause of these things?"
&c CSod for1,;1 that T.L--1I l.
know aught of the doings of the DOW
ers of dazknessi'
They may be done by hands of
man, noble marquis"
Impossible Who would dare p"
"No great obstacle could prevent
them If no one ever ventured there
"Men have gone there and never re-
turned. In the life of INV erandfatber
there was a legend about it, and a saw
ing than whenever the castle was freed
from the goblin within, there would be
no more robbers without"
"What have the robbers ALWAYS
been here?"
"All the time that the tower was
haunted"
CASTOR, was silent, and unused for
time.
II will tell the story" SAID the mar
gus, cit is not long. This tower was
built, as l have said, by the ancient
Romans, and has been in the possess
sion of many a baron. Once. about
two hundred years ago. our family
lived in Florence. and a baron who was
related to us resided here. He vas a
strange man, of dark thoughts and
gloomy aspect. That tower he made
his residence. At night lights cleaned
from it, and strange sounds were heard
there, like no sounds in the world. By
day vast clouds Of smoke poured from
1t, often concealing the tower from
view. No one knew what he did. No
one could imagine what were his occcu.
pations- But he became very rich all
OF sudden, and built this adjoining
castle The neighbofs, all believed
that by the assistance of the evil one.
he had found ont tho philosopher,s
stone. The PEOPLE suffered very much
from him, and robbery was carried on
to an alarming extent In the neirbbor-
hood Once they ventured to attack
the castle itself.
&c At laststhere came Q fearful time.
The night was perfectly dark. Sudden
ly, some who were looking toward the
tower saw ffame and sparks Issue from
the windows Of the upper rooms which
he occupied. Shrieks resounded from
it. The people burst into his room !;
the baron was not to be seen. A bundle
of burnt desh and clothes lay on the
fl oor, with mysterious blackened frag-
ments all around.
"My grandfather had q beautiful
daughter, whom he promised to the
man who would venture to search out
the cause of those fearful sounds and
appearances, which ever since the bar
on's time have been Witnessed there.
Several undertook it, but no one has
seen them since"
CASTOR vas not so much awed by the
legend a. the marquis.
"They did well-these suitors-and
! would do the same for a similar
prize"
"Whatl would you venture there ?"
"Noble cir, you have promised to
IN me your son-in-law," said CASTOR,
with his ingenious countensnce covered
by flush of pleasure and confusion,
"but have done nothing to win the
lovely Alvirs- Suffer me to win her in
this way"
"Whati" cried the marquis.
am Wiling 10 entor tnat tower.
"No, no; you are rash. This is not
bravery, il is rsshness. You have done
my dear CASTOR, to win dozen
Alviras."
"But let me also do this. Noble
cannot must not be refused.
Why need i fear? Are not friends ali
around me?"
Your friends cannot preserve you
from the demons"
+" Demons / far them not. With
nv trust IN God and the holy saints,
how can the evil one injure meP
"I implore you not to think of this. !"