The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-01-31
Tho IIOlinsIJ Thing.


was 'perfcctly delicious.
1t was of two stories with attics
~ great rambling old place with dim cor
ridors running hithcr and thther into the
oddcst out-0f-thc-way places.
Jennie and had gone down with rcti
nue. Of servants to snpcilntclId the cleaning
preparatory to the advent of the rest of the
family.
Late in the evening of the second day we
were sitting on the old scttec, in front of
dccaying fire, discussing various matters of
interest.
~ small lamp burned on the mancl be-
fore large mirror had been hung little
before dark.
| had just proposed going to he'd, as The
servants had done so an hour before, and
the bare, uncarpcted rooms and halls
seemed drcadfully chcerlcss and lonely.
The answer that received was clutch
on the arm.
turned and lookcdatJ Jcnnic, and shocked
as was by her ghastly facs, my eyes in
voluntarily followed her TO the glass above
the mantcl.
TO describe my terror and horror would
be impossible.
Like Jennie, sat petrified, and gazed
with eyes that seemed starting from my
head
1t was so ghastly a thing to confront usa
that hour
1t was snail, covering, dark object---a
shapclcss mass with face Of te,.thly pallor,
from which burned two great shining eyes,
a tanglc Of black hair falling almost to the
heavy eyebrows
1t crouchcd just without the open door
leading into one of the many corridors, eye
ing US with terrible intentions.
At last | shook of the terror and sprang
to my feet l snatched the lamp from the
mantcl with tho intention Of investigating
the strange object.
My hasty movement cXtinguishcd it. The
fire was too low to admit of more than a
fitful CLEAN Of light, and our sense Of hor-
ror for the moment was frightful.
Jennie succumcd to it utterly. With Il
gurgling cry she sanl; fainting upon the
scttec.
This spurrcd me to an effort.
Catching paper from tho scttcc, | tore
off piece with frantic haste, aud in spite
Of my shaking hands, succeeded in rclight-
ing tho lamp.
Then l hurried to the doorway. But
nothing was there.
Lacking the courage to pursue my invcs-
legations, l retHrncd to Jennie, first care
fully closing and locking the door.
After Il little attention Jennie came to
her senses. She looked mp at my pale face
and gaspcd:
''Wherc-whcrc is the thing2"
told her ali knew about it. and after
little we crcpt timidly up to our room.
We slept little but in the warm, sunny
day that broke the Ching" as Jennie
called it seemed far less terrifying.
The day went on smoothly enough till
near twilight, when piercing shrek from
Jennie called us to the great stairway.
"What is the matter2" l cried, as Jennie
stood gazing in white terror at the at ic
landing far above her head.
The thing the thing" she shriekcd:
and again she tainted.
Leaving her in the care of one of the ser
wants who had rushed after me, took the
others, and hurried dctcrmincdly up to tho
attics.
We searched from one end to tac other,
but found nothing.
Suddenly one of the men called out, has
tily:
:'Thcre's something shaking that roll of
canvas among the rafters thcrc!"
And with the words he jcrlcd it down,
and from its folds tumblcd little misshapcn
crcatnrc-a dwarfed humpbacl<, his un-
canny form rendered still more uncanny by
short cloak cast about his shoulders.
"You little Imp, what are you doing
here? 2" demanded the servant, grasping
him by the shoulder before he could cs-
cape.
ono harm please ?" piteously gaspcd the
mite, lifting pair Of great soft eyes to my
face. ''I'm only Drat, the little bcggar! l
amt no friends, an amt no home"
That melted my heart.
''rherc, james, let him co." intcrfcrcd;
''you hurt him u
And then, addressing this singular piece
of humanity, | said:
"Why have you been prowling about and
frightening us half to dcath9 Why"
"Pleasc'm I amt frightened you half
you've frightened me |" whincd the culpriI,
a-bg tear coursing white line over his
dirty cheeks.
'I}ut why did you not knock al the door
and ask for shclter2" | asked, with dill
entity restraining smile.
81 was afcard they'd give me pair O.
cuffs"
And now n full tide poured clcansingy
over his checks.
ga pair of cuffsl" I echoed, in amaze
mcnt.
But James here burst into laugh, ex-
planning.
Gle means, Miss, that he was afraid we'd
cuff his ears
"Ycs'm!" assentcd Drat, as gave vent
10 an "Ohl"
And then he added
81 was here fust m !"
"Oh, you were ?" laughed.
stood minute looking at him thought
fully, after which asked, slowly:
81 ''Do you think you could work Could
you make yourself useful # should keep
you, and give you q home here 2"
, "'Deed kin'm!" he gaspcd, eagerly.
"Oh, keep mem keep nc amt got no.
bodyl"
"I will, Isaid, deeply touched. 'James,
take hlm down and give him bath, and
then get him something to eat. l will 60
and try omanufactnre' clean suit of some
kind.'' 't8as aE, -
And so the Helmsly Thing became what
Jennie christencd the Helmsly Page. And
never did u more faithful servant and friend