Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1880-09-09

tthtss skl i EMBER 8, 1880.
q the 'DHke's.' / bave the KEY in my
pocket. and 4 wish 10 satisfy myself,
'snosTsw Il may be 500 Iate.
bee Jon believe bIary's storys p
" snlQ. s IS Bes sl4gsfesa S. hsk
Wei I an bound to believe II: but
9 = not mufderers or ghosts, and IiIl
md oal before Teome back. Bot don't
go y s,nsiiI sstuin or you win Be send
'ng mya Rise alaet neg and I'll nill d.
aend ons qaiet
rnn -
81 - arm in breakine d promise
Fof That kind; and IL will be forgiven
when | plead anxiety tor your safety'''
Agreed, !" | replied. "Bul we must
have light. And il 60 into the
kitchen for my bulls eye 1t will create
suSPicIon there, and the news will be
csrried into the parIor."
81 have one at my lodgings, he SAID,
'and it's on our road; we can call and
get it."
We accordingly did. and Tom sug-
gested our taking PAIR of pistols. in
case Of need. firmly believe Tom
hoped for brush with the villains.
Arriving there we walked around
the house before entering and peered
into every nook We could find. At
last we directed our glance to the up
per regions. and about half way gp the
circular tower We could discern a light.
This was the wing Mary had chosen
for her sketch. Tom could see IL too.
So we determined upon entering, and,
If possible, solving the riddle. As We
reached the second landing-it was a
noble staircase, with its carved balus-
trade-we heard voices and humping
as if beating heavy substances against
the walls. When we came to the
story whence we saw the light on the
outside Tom produced his lantern TO
find the door, for so well did It ct that
We could see no crevice OF light to
guide US; and having quietly opened it
we peeped IN, but all was dark.
We entered, but it was empty, and
the tapestry being stripped from The
walls showed nothing but The rough
stones. All was now so quiet that it
really seemed as though we had dis
turbed demon phantoms at their revels.
i said 10 Tom, What can be the
meaning of this Z"
When, just as he was going 10 reply,
the noises commenced again, and we
stepped outside and listened attentive
lxy A. lna4 t.. ...-......4.1 . ia. = a
these inches which looked pannelled
out for statues must be a door,"
We examined the one carefully next
the room we had just left, and sure
enough up came secret spring. Tom
put his light out of sight aud put has
hand ON his pistol. / very gently
pressed the spring, when il noiselessly
opened sufficiently for US TO see into
the room. There was the old bag still
at her brew, and one man with knife
dismembering the limbs Of his victim.
lie stopped his work TO address some
being out of sight, and we, having seen
enough, quietly closed the door, darted
down stars and soon reached home
Tom was always very pale, with large.
dark eyes, and when be entered the
room where my wife and Mary were,
his look told in q moment where We
had been.
"Yes.'' | said, in reply to their que
ries, "we have been there, and have
seen enough 10 oappalthe stoutest heart"
Here ] caught Toms weil-dIssemLied
look Of alright, and could control my
self no longer. flung myself on the
couch and roared with laughter. 80. p.
laughed so long that my wife began
totiink my brain was turned. She looked
al Tom, but he kept his countenance
and continued his idiotic stare. Atlast,
seeing they were frightened, | gasped
out. Murder will out! The corpses
were pigs-scalded pigs-and the hag
was the old woman that sells such
splendid black puddlngsr"
When took the key back to the old
man ! asked him why he had hls butch
er-shop at the top OF the OLD building.
"Oh, sir" he replied, don't tell on
me. You see, sir, make a little BY
letting IT very cheap 10 these people
] should not be allowed were il known.
They use that room because no one
knows of it, and they are unmolesied.
rcan show the house without showing
that room to the strangers who visit The
town. / used to make good bit by
showing it ~ former times, but very few
come TO see it now"
] never hear of haunted houses now
but ! think of the pIg-killers.- Cham
bers' Journal.