The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-05-30

wished that I had never seen the Thatched
House.
! Then it was that my ears became gradually
open TO the dreadful murmurs that were rife
in the house; then it was that learned the
story Of the weeping lady, and of her footste ?
on the stairs. OF course I would not believe
though the humping of my heart, if CHANGED
to cross landing, even by twilight, belied tbs
the courage of which boosted. forbade the
servants 10 hint At sueh folly rs the existence
of ghosts, and warned them at their peril not
to let whisper of the kind disturb my aunt.
On the latter point believe they did their
best to obey me.
Aunt Featherstone was a dear old, cross,
good-natured. crotchety, kind hearted lady,
who Was always needing to be coaxed. She con-
| sidered herself an exceedingly strong minded
person, whereas she was in reality one of the
| most nervous women have ever known. /
verify believe that, if she had known that story
/ of the footstep, she would have made up her
! mind to hear it distinctly every night, and
would have been found some morning stone
dead in her bed with fear Therefore, as lopg
as it was possible. 1 kept the dreadful secret
from her ears. This was in reality, however, q
much shorter space of time than l had
imagined it to be.
About the middle of November Aunt Feath.
erstone noticed that was beginning to look
very pale, to lose my appetite and to start and
trernbie at the most commonplace sounds. The
truth was that the long nights of terror which
passed over my head in my pretty slee ping
room off the ghosts corridor were wearing out
my health and spirits, and threatening to
throw me into fever; and yet neither sight
nor sound of the supernatural had ever dis
turbed my rest-none worth recording, that
is +; for, of course. in my paroxysms of ~akeful
fear, fancied q thousand horrible revelations
Night after night lay in agony, with my ears
distended for the sound of the footstep. Morn
ing after morning l awakened, weary and
jaded, after q short, unsatisfying sleep, and
resolved that / would confess to my aunt, and
implore her to fly from the place at once. Bnt
when seated at the break fast tai BILE my heart
invariably failed me. l accounted, By the
mention of a headache, for my pale cheeks,
and kept my secret.
Some weeks passed, and then in nv turn
began to observe that Aunt Featherstone had
grown exceedingly dull in spirits. " Can any
one have told her the secret of the Thatched
self. Bat the servants denied having broken
their promise; and 1 had reason TO think
that there had been of late much less gossip
on the subject than formerly. was afraid to
risk questioning the dear old lady, and so /
could, only hope and surmise. But was dull
aud Aunt Featherstone was dull, and the
Thatched House was dreary. Things went on
in this way for some time, and at last q dread
full night arrived. had been for o long walk
during the day, and had gone to bed rather
earlier than usual, and fallen asleep quickly.
For about two hours slept, and then 1 was
reused suddenly by slight sound, like the
crsaking of q board, just outside my door,
With the instinct of fear started up, and
listened intently. watery moon was shining
into my room, revealing the pretty biue-and
white furniture, the pale statuettes, and the
various little dainty ornaments with which I
had been pleased to surround myself in this
my chosen sanctuary. 1 sat up shuddering
and listened. Ipressed my hands tightly over
| my heart, to try and keep its throbbing from
killing me; for distinctly, in the merciless
stiffness of the winter night, 1 heard the
tread of stealthy footstep on the passage
outside my room. Along the corridor it crept,
down the staircase it went, and was lost in
hall below.
1 shall never forget the anguish of fear in
which passed the remainder of that wretchsd
| night. While covering into my pillow, /
made up my mind to leave the Thatcbed House
as soon as the morning broke, and never to en-
ter it again. I had heard Of people whose
hair had grown gray in q single night, of grief
or terror. When glanced in the lookin E-glass
at dawn. almost ex peOted to see white head
upon my own shoulders.
During the next day I, as usual, failed Of
courage to speak to my aunt. desired one O
the maids to sleep on the couch in my room
keeping this arrangement a secret. The fol
lowing night !. felt some little comfort from
the presence of a second person near me bu
the girl soon fell asleep. Lying awake in fear
full expectation, was visited by repetition
of the previous nights horror. heard th,
| footstep second time.
suffered secretly in this way for about 6
week. had become so pale aud nervous, tina
was only like a shadow of my former self