Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-02-08

..
per the better. I, for one, am hungry after
our long drive" ..,..
Never had the Earl and Geraldine parta-
ken of more cheerful meal than this home
ly but appetizing country supper, set out by
Judson in the most approved style. No stiff
ness or reserve cast an unpleasant restraint
over their conversation. And no one would
have supposed, from their demeanor, that
ghost-hunting, or rather ghost-laying, was the
object of their expedition! Geraldine had,
in fact, forgotten for the time, all about the
ghost. She felt, this evening, buoyancy OF
spirit to which she had long been stranger,
though she did not inquire Of herself the
cause. In this simple and secluded dwelling,
she felt in some way drawn nearer to her
husband than when surrounded by the state
" magnifcence Of their splendid and luxu-
riious home The little inconveniences they
had to put up with, the contrivances they
we're obliged to make, we're so many sources
of. pleasure to her, since they necessarily ban:
ished all formafty, and created a.delightful
familiarity and freedom Of intercourse be-
tween them. Never since her marriage had
she felt SO happy; consequently she had meyer
vet appeared to such advantage. And the
Earl found himself wondering, as he looked
at her across the table, and caught the sparkle
Of her smile, how be could have ever thought
her SO very plain! ,..5
They retired at an, early iour, for their
drive had been fatiguing one. Geraldine
had arranged for Alice to sleep in little
chamber opening into her own, an arrange
ment very acceptable to the latter, who telt
rather timid in her new quarters, little dream
ing, however, how much greater cause for ap-
prehension her lady had; for Geraldine, OF
course, breathed no word in her presence, rel
ative to the real reason of their visit to the
cottage. .....-.. ..#.
Fortunately for all concerned, the night
passed without disturbance of any kind. On
the following morning the Earl strolled oyer
to the village, and Geraldine and her little
maid, after accomplishing some more i'm.
provements in their temporary abode, walked
together around the premises on tour of In
spection. Everything was in tumble'down
condition, but picturesque enough to delight
an artist-broken fences half hidden in clus.
tering vines rooaess outbuildings with gay
autumn flowers nodding in at the windows
hedge-rows that had not been trimmed tor
many year; here and there lovely bit of
woodland, or a stretch of grassy sward cross
ed by ripping stream; and over all the
glorious, October tints of vivid scarlet and
orange and russet brown, mellowing and
blending in harmonious contrast, ia the warm
sunlight and the crisp autumnal air. To the
orchard they went, where ripe apples and
pears strewed the ground in unregarded dis
order, or bent the laden branches beneath
their weight flushed and juicy, waited vainly
to be plucked from their stems. r.-
"See, Alice, what quaint old moss.grown
we'll" said Geraldine, pausing near the corner
of the fence. II wonder if there can be any
water in it now. 1t must be empty, | think,
because the top is fastened down with such a
great heavy stone. See how the chain has
rusted, and the moss has crept all over the
roof" -. ~.,.. ~ ......a... 8. a.--.,.:
II don'tlike the looks of it, my lady," said
Alice, who had not an artistic eye. "What's
it fastened up that way for ? 1t looks like
something was hidden inside" >..'.. e
"What could be hidden there? 1t is fas-
tened up because it was dangerous, suppose"
replied her mistress. "Any one walking near
it in the dark might so easily fall in, if it were
left without cover" .......
"It's an awful ruinous place anyhow, amt
it, my lady? Shall we stay here long, do you
think?' ......
II cannot tell exactly-probably only for
few days. See, there is the little cabin
where the old woman lives " ho kept the keys
Let us go there and ask how her husband is
to-day"
They emerged from the orchard through
gap in the fence where gate had once been,
and crossing the road, stopped at the door of
a dingy little shanty, in front of which the old
dame sat spinning. She rose to drop curt:
sey to her grand visitor and asked her would
she please to step in and rest herself a bit?
"Its poor hole to ask you into, my lady,
but tries to keep it clean" she said, apollo
getically, as Geraldine stepped across the
threshold. On bed in corner of the front
room lay the old man with the rheumatic"
his wrinkled, and it must be owned, forbid.
ding face, distorted by pain. Geraldine ap-
prOacQeQ nltu, auu III d Aluu touo AnduiAoo
after his health.
"It's bad enough-bsd enough, my lady,"
he answered, in mumbling tone mo won
der, though when the cold draughts blows in
on me through all them cracks in the walls,
and through the broken winder over yonder.
Its bad thing for the rhuematlz' is a
draughty ROOM"
"Could it not be made more comfortable?
I should think the agent. or whoever has the
place to look after, might attend to it," said
Geraldine.
"The agent! He don't trouble his self
about the likes of US. He don't look arter
the place no how, my lady. May be if the
master would say word to him it might be
different"
81 shall mention it to Lord Desborough,"
reioined Geraldine eff the agent does not
do his duty, no doubt he will put some one
else in his place"
"There amt many as likes to live about
here no how" said the old man. "There's an
evil spell hanging around, and it scares 'em
all away"
"An evil spell! What do you mean?"
asked his visitor.
"Foks say as how the place is haunted,
nv lady. don't know nothing about it my
self. | never seen nothing, only but once,
and that was of dark night in the orchard" "
"And what was that?" eagerly asked Ger
aldine.
"A white 6gger, my lady, as I seen crossing
the fence close by the old we'll across yonder.
MY old woman she says to nae, "John, it's a
sperrit, and don't you have no words with it.
So | shut the wiuder in and didn't look out
no more, and that was the last of it."
ftAd.. /. L., y oo;d A l;no In q fairfield zRhis.