The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-03-17
STEEPSIDE.
a Ghost story.
1CoNTlNUED.1

"lAllOa slTy you Ic up Uosiihoo' he
exclaimed. "Wlll We step IN now and
take somethin'2 My ole woman's
agoin' to get out the breakfast. Slept
we'll last night, sir?" he continued, as
entered the little parlor, "the bed is ryther
hard, l know; but we see, 1t does well
for my son George when he's up here,
which isns often. Ye look tired ike,
this NORM; didna get much rest, p'raps?
AMI now then, Bess, gi' us another plate
here, old gal"
l ate my breakfast in comparative 81
! lence, wondering to myself whether 1t
would be well to say anything to my host
of my recent experience, since he had
clearly no suspicion on the subject; and
amen wishing l had comported myself in
| that terrible house with rs little curiosity
as the "son George" who no doubt was
contented to stay where he was put at
nights, and was not given to nocturnal
excursions in empty mansions.
Have you any idea" said l, at last,
whether there's any story connected
with that place where l slept last night?
| only ask, added l, with feeble grin,
like the ghost of smile that had been
able-bodied once, because I'm fond OF
hearing stories, and because, as you know,
there generally is legend or something
OF that sort, related about old family
mansions"
wei. sir" answered the old man
slowly, 81 never heard nothln; but then,
YOU see, / never asked no questions.
We came here eight years agone, and
then no one round remembered tenant
At the big house. Its been empty some
where nigh twenty years, should say
to my own knowledge more than ten
and what's more, nobody knows exactly
vino il belongs TO, and there's been law
suits about it and all manner o things,
but nothin ever came of them"
"Did no one ever tell YOU anything
about us history?' l asked, cor were you
never asked any questions about 1t until
now?
"Not particularly as l remember" re-
Piled he, musingly.
Then, after a moments pause, he
added, moro briskly. GAY, ay, though,
now come to think OF 1t, there was q
man up here more'n five months back, a
Frenchman. who came on purpose to see
i. and ask me one or two questions, but |
on'y Jest told HIM nothin' rs I've told
YOU. lie was Popish priest. and SEEM
ID TO take sight OF interest in the place
somehow. l think if you want to know
about it, sir, you'd better 90 and see HIM.
He's staying down there III the village,
about a mile and half of, at the Crown
Inn"
"And a queer old fellow he IS, broke
| in nv hosts wife, who was clearing away
the breakfast; mo one knows where he
comes from, 'cept as he's Frenchman.
| see HIM about often, prowliH al.s &
/ with his stick and his snuff box, always
| alone, and sometimes he mods AZ me and
SAWS Good morning rs | go by
In consequence of this information, |
I resolved to make my way Immediately to
The old priests dwelling, and having ac-
qusinted myself with the direction in
which the house lay, | took leave of my
host, shouldcred by bag once more and
set out er route. The mir was clear and
sharp, and the crisp snow cracked pleas
antlv under my Hessian boots Us ! strobe
along the country lanes. All traces OF
! cloud mad totally disappeared from the
T skv, the sun looked cheertu!ly down on
me and my mornings walk thoroughly
| refreshed ard lnvigOrated me. In due
time | arrived at the inn which had been
named to me as the abode OF the Rev
NJ. Pierre-a pretty, homely little nest
with an antique gable and portico. At-
dressing myself to the elderly woman
who answered my summons al the house
door, inquired if l could see
NJ. Pierre, and in reply, received
a civil invitation to "steP IN,
side and wait Ny suspense did
not last long, for NJ. Pierre made his ap
pesresnce very promptly. He was tall
| thin individual, with fried looking
complexion, keen, sunken eyes and sparse
hair streaked with gray. lie entered
the room with courteous bow and IN
curing look. Rising from the chair IT
which | had rested myself by the fire
advanced toward him and addressed hln
| by name ia my suavest tones. tie IN
! clined his bead ard looked at me more
inquiringly than before. 81 Esve taken
the liberty to reques, an interview with
YOU this morning. continued |, "becauss
have been told that you may probably
be able TO give me some information O.
which am in search in regard to an ole
mansion in this part OF the country, call
ed Steepside, and IN which l spent las
night"
Scarcely had l uttered these last word:
when the expression Of the old priest,
face changed from one of courteous indif
ference 10 earnest interest.
"Do | understand you rightly, Mon
sieur?" he said "You say you slept las
night in steepside mansion|
Il did not say slept there" l rejoined
with an emphasis; Il said passed the
night there"
"B,en,o said he, drily, Il comprehend
Ard YOU were not pleased with You
nights lodging. That is So Is 1t not
MonsieurEis it not ?'he repeated, eyeins
nv fsce curiously, as though ne wer
seeking to read the expressions OF m.
thoughts there" .
you may be sure, said !, "that
something very peculiar had not &C
Cured to me in that house, l should no
thus have troubled gentleman towhon
l am, unbapply stranger"
Monsieur said he. "bcfore | begin t
answer your inquiry l will ask you Il
tell me what you saw last night q
Steepside.'
He drew from bis pocket small, ok
fashioned snuff box and refreshed hi
nose with a prnch of rappee, afte
which ceremonial he leaned back at hi
ease, resting his chin in his hand anC
regarding me fxedly during the who'll
Of nv strange recital. When hst
finished he sat silent few minutes an'
then resumed in his queer broken man
ner:
| ,Uha+ 7 ar~ ooino IN tell Won | woult