The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1879-01-01
THE WHISPERED STORY.
BY THOMAS DUNN ENGLISH.

By THOMAS DUNN ENHLISll
They told me the house was haunted.
Nothing had been seen in the shape of
an apparition by those who resided there;
there was no terrific disturbance, no
bright and mysterious light, but there
was a general belief that the house was
haunted. The ghost was well behaved
ghost, and modest. On inquiring OF one
who had slept there, | learned that he
had heard nothing except a confused
murmur, sound of low, indistinct
speech, as Of some one trying to speak
while suffering under aphony. 1t Was
laboriOus whisper of which word now
and then was audible. [ asked MIN
what words, and he told me that two he
remem bered-''tails" and ''boat" but no
others. The only thing remarkable
about that was that others who had slept
there had heard the same words. That
gave me, | was quite sure key to the
matter and | smiled. [ concluded the
purchase of the house that very day. 1t
was cheap enough. Nobody would live
in it, and it was rotting through disuse.
The owner, who needed ready cash, was
glad to get rid Of his profitless property.
The house itself was comfortable man
sion, that cost SIC, 900 to build, and the
ground rather more than three acres, had
been handsomely laid out in trees and
shrubbery, though now overgrown with
brambles. The architect assured me
that 81 500 would put the house and
grounds in order, and add modern con
veniences. So | bought it for 81 900
down, and had the necessary repairs
made, their cost overrunning the estimate
u, ~. u III
tanned a handsome and convenient dwell
ing on the banks Of a noble river, with
the tiny denesne sloping to the south
west having picturesque views on either
baud, and in a good neighborhood. The
night before my family were to remove
to it | took up my lodging in the house
alone, having had pallet laid down in
the library.
suppose the stories l had heard,
though | had laughed at them, made
their impression on my mind. Such
things always do, in spite of reason. A
vague feeling of uneasness fills US in
the presence OF mystery even though our
curiosity or our pride gets the better Of
our terror, and we probe the thing to the
bottom, or try to. That may account
for my restlessness, for | was restless and
wakeful. | had been busy all day in ar
ranging furniture, and in directing the
men at work on the grounds, in the lat
ter case handling the spade and mattock
myself quite often, and was thoroughly
tired. Yet l could not sleep. 1t was
10 O clock when [ turned down the light |
so that it only gave faint glimmer and
lay down. Eleven o'clock came, and |
twelve, and | still tossed ON my couch |
with open eyes. When the echo of the
last stroke of the bell of the church in
the neighborihg town Of B = died away,
| felt there was something or some one
in the room. | sprang up, turned the
light on full, and grasped the loaded re-
volver which lay on the lbrary-table. |
There Was no one there certainly that L |
could see, and the door was locked and
| laughed at my alarm. The next mo
ment, as | threw myself in the great arm
chair, | felt there was some one close to
me- Just then there was a low and la |
bored whisper at my right ear. The
words were distinct, though family ut
tered :
Let me tell you my story
/ sprang up ard looked around. Moth
ing there. 1t appeared to be magma
awake? l was undoubtedly, The whis-
per came again
= You must listen"
felt that to be true. The thin, lev,
forced whisper held me by spell. |
could not have moved had flames burst
out around me- Body and mind seemed
nothing more. Then the whisper re-
I n. RI
lowed word for word, and can write it
out, again and again without varying
word or letter.
1t was three miles above the cataract
As stood upon the river bank L could
see, even at that point, with what swift
ness the Niagara was hurrying toward
the fatal plunge. There was skiff tied
to root on the bank, and as it afforded
me seat stepped in and sat down in
the stern-sheets. There | played with
my hands in the stream and listened to
the distant, incessant roar of the boiling
waters. As | sat there l thought of my
young wife hundreds of miles away, |
whom | had left few days before to at
tend to some business in Canada, and |
whom was to rejoin the next day, hav.
ing taken this point on my way homeward-
/ sat there with my eyes half-elosed,
and then, throwing myself backward,
was lulled to sleep by the monotonous
noise. How long | slept do not know,
but piercing shrek, rising above the
duh roar of the falls, awakened me.
looked around. The boat had broken
loose and | was far out in the stream and