Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1879-05-24
A GHOSTLY FEUD.


cA'seohce, Nv" ""'u b"'V ""s" W."
difficult Of belief Is II that spirits which
have quilted their early life In tho I'M
restrained indulgence Of angry and ma
lcvolent passions can yet exercise such
IN influence over tho corrupting clay,
which they apparently loft behind them,
as to violate the sacred reposo Of the
tomb and terrify md appal the living
Such circumstance certainly occurred
Mt Xix HILL in Lincolnshire, and was
long the theme Of conversation In TINT
county. Xix Hall had been in pos
session Of the II. family for hundreds of
years; ut the time of which nm writing
tho ancient line had dwindled down to
two individuals--the old Squire, IN pres
ont possession, and his only brother and
destined successor, who was unmarried
and very little Younger than himself.
The hall, which had once been 50 full Of
life and gayety, had become tho abode
of sorrow and gloom, In consequence Of
O the early death Of the Squrc's young
daughter, his only child, aud tho heiress
Of all his possessions. This death, fol.
lowed In less than year by that of his
his wifo, to whom no was deadly attach
ed, Ind quito broken down tho old
Squirc's hcaltl, and happiness. The lady
and her daughter were deposited In tho
family vaultsamid the tears and regrets
of tho villagers, by whom they were
much and dcscrvedly beloved. For
years tho Squire Ind no intercourse
whatever with his brother, between
whom and tho Indy of the hall there had
been u lifelong fou'l; the hatred on her
part had been that Of a passive nature,
rs she was never heard to mention his
namc; but on his, of tho most abusive
md virulcnt kind, which made his cx-
cluson from the hall mn absolute noces.
sity. The cause Of this hatred could
only be guessed ut, even by tho most
curious, as none was ever assigned by
either party. When the old Squire, after
his double bereavement, became almost
hcart-broken, the good pastor Of the VII
lage, whose friendship with the family
had existed for fifty years, effected u
meeting md thorough reconciliation
between the long estrangcd brothers,
and the younger one took mp his abode
once moro In the house of his ancestors.
Only ono condition was madn---that tho
nameof hls deceased sistcr-in-law should
never pass his lips A year passed away.
The old Squire, soothcd and comiOrted
by tho companionship of his early play
fellow, began to recover both his health
aud spirits; but at this timo u malignant
fever broke out IN the village.
Among iis victims was The sqnire's
brother, who during his whole life had
known neither sickness nor disease. lie
was Frustrated Mt once and never rallied
Tho good minister before mentioned,
who we'll knew the family history, IN
moved by that fear Of infection which
made him u solitary watcher, took his
stand by the bed of the dying man, and
valnly cndcavorcd to draw his thoughts
to tho eternity which was fast opening
before him. His pi0us words fell upon
dull, christening ears, but us he touched
upon the duty of forgiveness and eau
tiously nllnded to his well known hatred
Of the deceased Mrs. II, the effect
was appalling; all apathy vanished, and
though u few moments before apparent
~ passed tho power Of speech, yet now
the sick man broke out into fierce I'M
precautions, and by last supreme effort
raising himself up in the bed, cxclaim-
cd:
III know that am dying; but mark
my last words, if, when am dead, You
dare to bury me in the same vault with
that accursed woman, the living rs well
M the dead shall hear of mcw
He fell back with frightful oath on
his lips and expired. The horror-struck
minister kept close in his own breast
this dreadful death of one he had known
30 long, and thought it more kind as
we'll as prudent to keep the poor Squire
in ignorance of his brothers last hours.
As was tho invariablo custom with the
family, tho body, after lying in state for
time, was consigned with much pomp
and ceremony to the family vault, and
was placed next to the collins of the
Squire's wife and daughter. That very
night the villagers living near tho old
church-yard were disturbed by dolcfui
shricks and cries proceeding from the
vault--a noiso of strife and struggling
and blows, as if of enemies engaged in
clcsc fight. The next morning ut day
light the strange tale was carried to the
rectory, and tho good clergyman thought
it best, under the circumstances, to dis
close TO tho Squire his brothers last
fearful words md threats, and to sng-
gest the opening of the vault. To this
the Squire, greatly shocked, consented,
and the vault was unlocked and entered
by party sent to examine into tho
cause of the strange noises heard tho
night before. Ascene perfectly inexpli-
cable met their eyes. The collins of the
Squirc's lady and daughter were lying
in u far corner of the vault, the young
girls coffin across her mothers, as if to
protect it. Close to them, standing erect
and menacing, was tho coffin Of the
Squire's brother, so recently and decor
OrSly placed upon tho black trcstlcs.