Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-11-26

shut mysterlously, footsteps resound
through the silent corridors, lights,
illumined by no visible hand, suddenly
burn in the windows, while over every
mirror in the house the shadowy form
of woman, clothed in white, with long
black hair hanging below her shoulders,
would be seen--would pass-disappear-
ing in one place only to appear the next
moment in another.
It happened, however, that one day q
young hunter Of noble family, a stranger
guest in one Of the neighboring castles,
was led, in the excitement of the chase,
up to the very gate of the deserted man
sion. The deer which he wss pursuing
rushed by him into the very ruins, as
though it were taking sanctuary. The
young man, by name Kurt Won Stein,
had heard some curious legends as con.
nected with ruined castle on the height,
and possibly, half from curiosity and
half because he was hot and tired with
a day of specially poor sport, he dis
mounted and led his horse, tired like
himself, through the brambles and
bushes that had overgrown tbs ruined
gateway, into the grass-grown court
yard.
GA curious place, to be sure" said
| the young man, seating himself for q
moments rest on fallen mass of brick
work overlaid with soft moss, and letting
his horse meantime Craze at his will
from the rank growth of the court yard.
GA very curious place. Looks as if no
one had been here for a hundred years.
| wonder VIII ,ther this can be the haunt
ed castle my uncle was speaking about
only the other night? Ifso," he added,
81 wish to goodness the spirit lady would
have the hospitality to welcome me to
her domains, and offer me a drink of
something this hot day" And as he
took off his hunting cap to air his heated
brow, his thoughts reverted lovingly to
certain glass tanksrd in his uncle's
house, which, when filled with yellow
Strasbourg beer, was about as pleasant q
sight to Kurt Won Stein as the world
could offer.
After while the idea occurred to the
him to the castle, he might as we'll pay
his respects to tle owner of it, whether
she were phantom or not.
A turret stair, broken and worn, was
close at hand to the spot which he had
chosen for resting place. Twilight was
beginning to fall as he rachel the castle !;
how, suddenly, darkness seemed to have
come, and as he mounted the winding
turret stair she noticed that lights were
already showing through many of the
windows of what appeared to be a less
ruinous part of the building than that
by which he had entered.
"Thst is all right" said Kurt to him
self, 81 was wise to try my fortune
i here. A supper, or even bed, would
/ not come amiss to me, for | scarcely
know how | shall find my way back to
my uncle's house tonight. But at any
rate shall get some directions, and per
haps, if the people are not overhospita-
BILE, guide home"
q So saying, he made his way up the
staircase, and knocked at a door which
was at the top of it. The door opened
noiselessly, as though by an unseen hand,
and admitted him into long corridor,
lighted and adorned with white marble
statues From this he passed into a
suite of rooms hung with tapestry, and
strewn with freshly laid rushes, with
| few carved settees and chests of furni.
ture. Still he met no one.
! Next he came into great hall, on the
walls of which hung number Of antique
portraits, while in the center of the
/ apartment was table spread as if for
supper.
"This is very curious" said Kurt to
himself. where can the family be
gone TOT However, one comfort is,
they've got something to eat. I think
I'll wait here and give them chance of
inviting me- ~. ...a
So saying, he sat quietly down at one
end of the table, which was laid for two
persons. Scarcely had he done so when
the door of the room opened noiselessly,
and lady, young and beautiful, but
with somewhat sad and pale.face, en-
tered.
Kurt rose, and at once began to make
apologies for his unwarrantable intru-
sion. The lady waved a white hand
toward him, and bad him be seated.
"Say no MORE" she said, in sweet,
sad voice. 81 expected YOU" ,
There was evidently some mistake
here, thought Kurt, but as the mistake
seemed to mean a good supper, he was
not unwilling to fall into it. He at
once took seat at the table, and the
lady took hers opposite him.
She was certainly very beautiful, he
thought, as he looked again at her over
the trimming wine cup. The wine, too,
was excellent; SO was the whole repast-
st which the lady waited upon him with
her own fair hands the only popularity
about it being that neither bread nor
salt was to be found upon the table, but
Kurt Won Stein was too much of a gen
tleman to notice the omission, though he
certainly enjoyed his supper the less by
reason of their absence.
At length the young man ventured to
ask one or two questions of his kindly
hostess. May / inquire he said, are
you, fair lady, the daughter of this
house7'
Yes" was the answer, given, as it
seemed, sadly and low.
"And your parents2"
UThey ara there - said 8 tho Iodv