The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-03-16


"Oh, WE'LL" I rejolned, 'if that 10 the
case and there is aobodyb leave save
yours to ask, Pm willing enough TO sleep
at the house and thank You, too, for your
kindness" ....-
So it was arranged that ! should pass
the ensuing night within the walls of an
empty mansion, and until it was time to
retire thither, I amused and edited my
self by friendly chat with the old man
and his spouse, both of whom were vast.
ly communicative. At ten o'clock / and
my host adjourned to the house, which
stood ut a very short distance from the
lodge. l carried my bag 'and my COM
to, a candle and some frewood and
matches. The chamber to which he con-
Quoted me was comfortable enough, but
by no means profusely furnished. 1t
contained a small truckle bedstead, two
chairs and washstand, but no attempt
at pictures or ornaments Of any descrip-
ton. Evidently it was an imprompsu
bedroom.
NV entertainer in few minutes kim
died cheerful fire upon the old-fash-
oned stone hearth. Then, after arrange
ing my bed and placing my candle on
the mantlepiece, he wished me respect
ful goodnight and withdrew. When he
was gone l dragged one Of the chairs TO-
wards the fireplace, and sat down to en-
Joy the pleasant flicker Of the blaze. l
ruminated upon the occurrence OF the day
and the possible history of the old house,
whose sole occupant / had thus strangely
become. Now | am of an inquisitive
turn ofmind, AID perhaps less upt than
most men to be troubled with that un-
comfortable sensation which those peo-
pie who are its victims describe as ner-
vousness, and those who are not as cow
ardice Another in my place might
have shrunk from doing what l pres
emily resolved to do, and that was to e1-
plore before going to rest at least some
part of this empty ole house. Accord
ingly, took up my candle and walked
out into the passage, leaving the door OF
my room widely open, so that the hre-
light streamed full into.the entrance of
the dark gal cry, and served to guide me
on nv way along IT. When had once
progressed for some twenty yards | was
brought to standstill by encountering a
large red baze door, which evidently
shut off the wing in which my room was
situated from the rest of the mansion,
and completely closed all agress from
the corridor where | then stood. L
paused moment or two in uncertainty,
for the door was locked; but presently
my glance fell upon an old rusty key
hanging from n nail. likewise rusty, in q
niche OF the wall. l distracted this key
from its resting place, destroying as l
did so the residences of a dozen spiders
which, to judge from appearances,
seemed to have thrived eYcellently in
the atmosphere of desolation which sur
rounded them. II was some time before
| could get the clumsy old lock to act
properly, or summon sufficient strength
to turn the key; but at length perSever-
ance met with its proverbial reward, and
the door moved slowly and noisily
on its hinges. Still bearing my candle
| went on my way into second cor
rider, which was literally carpeted with
dust, the accumulation, probably, of the
ten years to which my host had referred.
AL around was gloomy and silent as
a sepulchre, save that every now and
then the loosened boards creaked beneath
my tread, or: ONE .nisanthrophical ami
NAL, startled from their hermitage by the
unwonted sound of my steps, hurried
across The passage, making US
he went tiny trail III the thick furry
dust. Several galleries branched from
the mainway like tributary streams, but
| preferred to steer my course down the
central CORRIDOR which finally conduct
ed me to large antique-looking apart
ment with carved wainscot and curious
old paintings on the panelled walls. l
put the candle upon the table which
stood in the centre of the room, and
standing beside it took a general survey.
There was au old mouldy looking book
case in one corner Of the chamber, with
some old mouldy books packed closely
together on few of its shelves. This
piece of furniture was followed out, cres-
cent-wise, at the base, and partially con-
cealed carved oaken door, which had
evidently in former times been the
means of communication with an adj
iolning apartment Prompted by Gu
riosi;y, | took down and opened few:of
the nearest books on the shelves before
me They proved to be some OF the
earliest volumes of the Spectator books
of considerable interest to me, and in ten
minutes | WIS quite absorbed in an ar
ticle by one of our most noted masters OF
literature. / drew one Of the queer high
backed chairs scattered about the room
toward the table and sat down to el'loy a
"ieast of reason and flow of sonl." rs l
turned the widowed page, something
suddenly fell with dull flop" upon the
paper. 1t was drop of blood! stared
at it with a strange sensation OF mingled
horror and astonishment. Could 1t have
been upon the page before turned it?
No; it was wet and bright, and presented
the uneven, broken disc which drops of
liquid always possesses when they fall
from considerable height. Besides
had heard and seen it fall. | put the
book down1 on the table and
looked upward at the ceiling, There
was nothing visible there save the gray
dirt Owe l looked closely at the hid
eous biotch, and saw it rapidly soaking
and widening its way into the paper,
already softened by age. As, of course,
alter this incident | was not inclined to
continue my studies of Addison and
Steele. | shut the volume and replaced It
on the shelves Turning back toward
the table to take up my candle, my eyes
rested upon "A full.length portrait I'M
mediateiy facing the bookcase. 1t was
that of young, handsome woman with
glossy black hair coied round her head,
but, i thought, with something repulsive
in the proud, stony face and Swallowed
ewes. l raised the light above my head to
get a better view OF the painting. As
did thi.. it seemed to me that the cour-
tenance of the figure changed, or rather
that Thing came between me and 1t,
1t was momentary distortion, as though
a Gust OF wind had passed across the por-
trait and disturbed the outline Of the
features-the how and the why | know
not but the face changed; nor shall l
b,rrnr IF fha look