The Red Cloud chief., 1876-06-01
THE HAUNTED CHAMBER,

THE HAUNTED CHAMBER.
Don't think me childish, Graham, but
indeed / can't 60 into that room in the
left wing"
The speaker was apretty girl of eight.
cen. and a bride of three weeks, who
thus expressed herself to her husband
on the day after her arrival at his plan.
tatiOn home, a grand old estate on Coop
er River, i'm South Carolina, which had
been in the Lindsay family for many
generations previous to that of its pres.
ent owner.
what is so terrible about that room,
Lucy?" asked the young husband, with
a fond smile.
20, Graham, after you were gone out
yesterday. and old Martha was showing
me over the house, she stopped short
when we came to that room. Nothing
would induce her to enter it, she said,
and then she told me a frightful story
about a young lady who came here as
a bride many years ago, and was muir
dered in that very room by the quadroon
hOusekeeper, who was afterward hung
for it. The widOwercommitted suicide
and old Martha declares that the three
ghosts haunt the room. She saws that
she herself has seen them, and that the
young lady is a very sweet, sad-lOOking
shade; but that the other two have their
faces i'm the backs of their heads, which
l have heard the negroes at home, also,
say indicates evil and unhappy spirits.
OF course, / don't believe all this, but ]
can't help feeling a horror of the room
Don't 60 into it, then, love-" said
Graham, smiling. The house is large
enough without us using that particular
apartment; and / will have it bricked
UP if you say So"
20, no, you need not do that" said
Lucy; 'but is there any truth in old
Martha's story, Graham?"
I'm afraid there is, dearest" he re-
piled; "but the tragedy occurred a great
many years ago; and you need not let
the thought of it trouble you, for 1 as.
sure you there is no quadrOon, nor Octo-
room, nor any other kind of Don be.
hind the scenes here now to disturb
your peace"
30, Graham, as if l could imagine
such a thing of your
well, 1 don't know. Little women
are very apt to get foolish notions into
their heads when they are left so much
to themselves as I shall be obliged to
leave you, now that l have this new
Overseer, upon whom I must keep nv
eye until l have proved him trustworthy
But 10y the 10y, that cousin of yours from
st. Louis is coming to visit you. How
o will she be here?"
Next week." said Lucy, land she'll
be a charming person to have with us
She is the most perfectly beautiful wo.
man l ever saw, and full of life and
spirits"
is she much older than you 2" asked
Graham.
About ten years. Let me see, to-day
is Wednesday. WeNwill have her with
us next Monday evening"
Accordingly the following Monday
Mr.. and Mrs. Graham Lindsay drove in
their handsome family carriage to
Monks Corner, the nearest railway sta
ton, to meet the expected guest.
THAT is She" cried Lucy, delightfully."-,
as she espied lady standing alone upon
the platform, and in a few minutes she
was impulsively kissing her cousin.
Claudia, this is my husband. Allow
me to introduce him. Graham, Mrs
Levin"
Graham Lindsay bowed respectfully
to his wife's cousin, and after speaking
flew words of welcome conducted her
to the carriage, placed Lucy in also, and
In little less than an hour they were
driving up the long avenue that led to
Lucy's new home. 1t was a large. old.
fashioned mansion built of brick, rough
cast, and had been standing firm and
stately since the old colonial times.
What a delightful aspect of home
pervades everything" said Mrs. Levin.
As Lucy conducted her upstairs to a
arge luxurious bedchamber. furnished
In true Southern style, with a bright
wood-fire burning in the ample chimney.
I'VE will have dinner in about an
hour" said Lucy, and 1 will send nv
maid Sylvie, up to you immediatelv.
Half an hour later, as Mr.. and Mr.
Lindsay sat together in the DRAWING.
room, Mrs. Levin entered.
Graham rose, and suppressed an in
voluntary start of admiration. as no
drew a large armchair forward for her
and well he might be thus affected
Claudia Levin was in the full.blown
perfection of early prime, with every
natural advantage enhanced by careful
study. In height a little above the me-