The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1877-07-27


fete was given by James on the occasion,
and Prince Henry and bis beloved and
bea utiiul sister Elizabeth enjoyed their ram
bles in the shaded walks and roamed over
the splendidly furnished apartments with
infinite pleasures. The Princess was her
bro hers guest for time, and the suite of
rooins appropriated to her were peculiarly
tasteful and elegant. They have been al
ready described, together with the looking
glass, then rarity, which adorned the bed
rool a. But after the first few nights of the
Prirtcess's occupation of these apartments,
her brother was panied to observe that the
rose on her cheeks were pale and her eyes
wandering and uneasy.
~ fear,' said he, THAT the air does not
agre with my sister. Tell me, Elizabeth,
does anything disturb you ?'
81 lenry," replied she, family smiling you
will think it strange that much as / enjoy
this charming place, am indeed ill at ease
in it, for never sleep. In vain close my
ewes; the moment l do so strange visions
pass before them, and frightful pageant
| seems presented to my view | start up and
endetvor to Danish the impression but as
often as do so my sight is always directed
towards the looking glass at the foot of my
bed end there see with my waking eyes a
sort Of a picture ofall seemed to behold be-
| fore, though | can in fact define nothing.
This appears folly, but | have in vain en-
deavored to convince myself it is imagina-
ton. | have been weak enough to day to
order curtain to be placed before the glass,
that Imay no longer be thus annoyed"
"This is singular" said the Prince mus
ing. 81 am little less distressed than your
self. Night after night, just as am falling
into sleep, it seems to me that door in the
panneling of my chamber opens; a figure
glides forth, a tall, spare woman in a nuns
habit, who comes to the foot of my bed and
gazes at me. She remains there for some
time and at length seems to disappear This
has happened from the first time | slept here
and is inexplicable."
The brother and sister then daily cOmpar.
ed notes every morning and found no altera-
tions in the occurrences which they had tc
recount, At length they began to weary OF
the constant disturbances to which theil
nights were exposed, and determined tc
leave the mansion. The Princess did sc
first, and Henry's departure was fixed fol
the third day after hers, but on the morning
of that day when his attendants entered hi,
chamber, the Prince was found dead in hi:
bed. Horror and CONSERVATION took posses
sion not only of the house but of the whole
nation. The sudden blow was felt from the
highest 10 the lowest, and general wall was
heard throughout England for the loss of the
best and most beloved prince that had evei
, promised blessings to his expectant country
For many years the mansion remained un'
r inhabited. Nothing was removed-all wa
left in the same state as when the brothe
e and sister first visited it; but gloom had nov
| succeeded to gayety and those who formerly
r used to look up at its windows in the hope o
Y catching q glimpse of gay regal party ther
e on the terraces, now. hurried past the wall
/ without looking towards them, but shud
0 dered as they approached and whispered o
D strange doubts and misgivings.
q The house at length was occupied by nev
tenants, roNother than the Earl OF Somerse
, and his infamous Countess But grea
=, change had now come over the destinies o
the favorite. A convicted murderer, con
demned, hat1d, Stunned and abhorred, h
owed to the fears or mercy of his master tn
retreat where he and the wicked companion
cf his crimes might hide their heads from
the popular Indignation after the murder o
Sir Thomas Overbury Here they lived il
separate parts of the house. having no com
, municatiOn with each other and never meet
ing, each prey to horror and despair. /
this house they are both said to have died
and popular report has long fixed in tn
; minds of all the neighborhood the belle
! that their unquiet spirits still walk throug
the deserted rooms. The shade of the Count
, ess glides along the dark passages which lea
between the chambers and has been seen t
pause before the long mirror in the blu
room and arrange her hair and dress, as sh
was wont to do in the days of her living van
ity, but as she stands a change comes owe
her figure, and when she steps from tn
apartment she appears in habit almos
conventual, dressed, in fact, exactly like III
picture which is called "The Long Nun
: and which is shown to strangers who yisi
this glade from curiosity.
Tradition says that the Countess, fndin
herself deserted by all the world and he'll
up a. mark of scorn and adherence, hate
and coutemned by her husband and a pre-
to rcmorse and horror endeavored to pu
an end to her own life by stabbing hersel
at the feet Of her partner in crime. Th
scene Of the attempt was said to be tn
small room in which is dark recess, sti
showing, where, on velvet chair, the mis-
erable and half crazed ,favorite of Kin
James was accustomed to sit for hours i
moody solitude. One day the guilty won
an, for whom he had covered himself wit
' inlamy, rushed into his retreat with her das
> ger drawn with frantic gestures, and, aft,
bitterly repr oaching him as the cause of a
= her crimes an uttering fearful execration
stabbed herself and fell weltering in h,
: blood. They had not met before for year
and this meeting was to be their last. ST
was not, however, dead, and, Carr, assiste
> by confidant, the only person he allowe
to approach him, and who was no other ths
the man VINO had sought the interview vii
= Vavasour when King James bought II
= mansion, bore the body down the back stai
- casa-the same dark and narrow outl
>, which leads from the closet which has be,
described, to a dungeon below the mo
), which surrounded the house. Her groa
y were heard by the domestics, who afterwar
spread the tale, and those very groans mi
still be Gheard in the same place 1t W
I, supposed that she recovered and was tax,
!, away to Sion, then convent, as she ney
u afterwards was seen in that mansion alive