Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1879-04-17


ering tapestries of colonial days futter-
ing in the storm-flled air that came rush
ing through the broken easements.
Slowly onward they went, led by the
strange power whose influence they felt,
but which they could not see, and at last
came to the great room that finished the
suite. The door leading to this they had
left closed when they visited it in the
morning, but now it was thrown wide
open. They distinctly remembered
closing it, and looked at each other in
astonishment.
"The servants never come here, and we
fastened this door," said Millicent.
Yes, but we are being led you know"
II know it, and will 20 on to- the end
They passed through the open door
way, and Simon held the lamp high
alott.
As the light flashed along the walls, a
cry of surprise escaped them.
The wind had torn away the faded
hangings with which the room was deco.
rated, and its force SCENE to have open
ed heavy, narrow panel door, whose
fastening-bolt had rusted loose. This
door was fitted to match the wall, and
opened on a flight of steps leading
up. So closely had it been set that no
one unacquainted with its locality would
have thoug ht that it existed.
Simon led the way up the steps, and
soon they came to small chamber with
thin slit in the wall to admit light and
air.. A curtained recess was at one end,
and as Simon Berkeley drew the tattered
damask aside shudder of horror thrill
ed them.
There amid the Wondering fragments
of rich cloth and linen lay skeleton, the
deshless skull enveloped in a mass of
shining, golden hair.
my God who can this be7" gasped
Simon
II do not knew; but see, here is writ
ing on the WALL" said Nillicent, whose
glance had turned from the CHASTITY pic
ture.
Simon followed her look, and saw, cut
by some sharp pointed instrument, sever
al long lines of writing. The letters
were the quaint characters of the olden
times, and dampness had caused the
broken s1rfaco to gather dark-green
mould, while the rest of the wall was yell
low, thus making the letters stand out
in bold relief.
The writing, when deciphered, read as
follows:
II, Millicent, the daughter of Simon
Berkeley, founder of this house, feeling
that death is near, write these words:
II am the first person porn IN the
Berkeley mansion, and in it lived, see-
ing no one but the two old servants and
my father for nineteen years. I never
saw my mother to remember her, for she
died when was q babe. Twas never al
lowed to 60 beyond the orchard wall, and
did not do so until was 10 years old.
Then one day, rambled into the wood
north Of the house, and there met q young
man.
HE said that his name was Harold
Mortimer, and that he was distant rela-
tive of our family, my father being at
enmity with his people. lie had come
to see him to try and make peace, but
had been coldly repulsed. During his
visit he had seen me, and he determined
to speak to me.
"He was very handsome and very kind,
aud we met frequently after this. Then
he told me of love, and spoke of going
| away, and f0und that his presence was
dearer to me than life, and that I loved
him. We knew that my father would
never consent to our marriage, and
plighted our troth in secret. We could
get no one to marry us, he being a strang~
er. and there was no minister near, so l
took my mothers Bible to the woods,
and with our hands clasped on the sacred
book, we knelt and swore to he husband
and wife from that time, till God should
part US by death.
~ had happy week, meeting my bus-
band every day, and then my father
found us together. He said some hard
and cruel words, and tainted. When
grew conscious again I was in this
room, and here I have remained ever
since. Where my husband is 1 do not
know, though from some strange visions
that have come to me, think that he is
dead. Were he aliYe he would find me,
for love can unlock all prisons.
"Nine months after T was brought
here my baby came, and for one year
was happy. My father was the only per-
son I saw. He attended me when sick,
never speaking to me, but bringing food
and clothing. At the end of the year he
took my baby away, and have never
seen it since.
"Tbat is more than eight years ago.
| have kept the time by marks on the wall
My father has visited me every day until
five days back, and have had no TODD
since. He has never spoken to me,
though ! have prayed for his forgiveness
and he has seen that I was growing weak:
er all the time.
II feel that I am dying of hunger and
thirst, and am too weak to call for help
with any hope Of being heard. do moi
know why he should SO cruelty let me
perish here; but if die, shall see nv
husband and my baby. May God bles:
them and my father, and forgive me if
have sinned. "MI11IcENr."
Simon Berkeley had died five DAYS be:
fore this was written. When his daugh..
ter died cannot be told. Doubtless God
ende q her suferings very quickly ate,
she wrote out the record of her sad story
I This hard old man, who had kept he,
q prisoner, had not intended that she
| oAOU1N VIC kXU9S% OUs OS0u CQ1lle0 11S
heart ere he could reveal her secret pris.
ON.
Bereath the writing sthod a heavy
oaken chest. The iron of the lock was
rusted away and when. Simon had finish:
ed reading the first MiIlicent's story, he
stopped and opened this. It contained
caskets and little sacks falling to pieces OF
old age, and these held gold ane Jewels
the the fashion 1 and; and coinage being oenturie.
i When these lay revealed, the stranne,
ceiling that had led them on slowly faded
away, and the wind that had ragged out
side the building began to die away.
| ut is the aowry Of tile dead Millicent
and she has given it to you" said Simon
tThere is more than enough to redeem
the land, and make Berkeley house hi
grand old home it once VA. IL & y !
I She chung closer to him.
i ut will help you, too, for we have n,
need to wait to be married now" sh,
said, "and We will be so happy that tn