The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-08-08
THE DUKES HOUSE.

i,',,as via;,,,,v ssood an ancient aud ducai
nai.ce which had not been occupied Iof
many long year. and, like otner pu'ia,nss
left TO decay. had the reprfation % pcIns
haunted. There certainly were sIanae
sights and sounds to be seen anu neatu
sometimes by those who were near .ne
Mace at dusk and after dark, but u was
never looked into. I bad attained an ugc
when ghosts or hobgoblins ana such IKE
rubbish did not terriiy or trouble me- !
was married. man, the father OF srVerai
children. when a cousin came 10 WISH Va,
who was highly delighted With our pretty
town. and knowing her TO DC very cleVer
with her pencil, asked her to paint me one
or two scenes in the Leighborhood. rus
she willingly consented to 90, ana we sai'
Iiei forth to fix on what should be her hrst
plcture. She thought the view from me
Dukes house, as it was called, wouid oe inc y,
best. told her she dared not trust herseii
in there. for IL had been uninhaDited LOT
the last century, and was haunted. one
laughed, and said she did not DelieVe III
ghosts: she was not so much frightened at
the dead in>solitsry places as at the living !;
and her curiosity being excited, she wanted
TO explore the old building. SO, while she
went for her easel and materials, got the
KEYS from an old man who lived In The OLD
courtyard OF the ducal residence.
we walked through the rooms, admiring
their old grandeur, the lofty marble columns
standing on marble heartbs each side OF the
fire place, supporting the grained ceilings,
with coats-of.arms and other devices carved
I'M marble between them. The tapestry
round the walls smelled mouldy, but was
in a wonderful state OF preservation, and no
worse than when, q boy, twenty years De-
fore. had ptied the ladies who worked so
hard to cover the rough stone walls. My
cousin selected room for her first sketcn,
and, as | was leaving, | advised Der 10
| lock the door after me- to guard against ln-
| trusion but she objected TO this, saying
she never locked herself in any room, Tor
fear OF sudden illness but IL would lock
the door on the outside, and call for her ms
| | came from the bank, she would be much
happier to know she was secure from IN
| terruption. After some hesitation 1 con-
sented TO do this, and with the key IN my
pocket went to business.
1t was just closing time, AVID l was locking
I'D the strong room when the manager drew
| nv attention to a matter which involved u
proiracted search OF papers-a searcn,
however, which happily proved successful.
| All other thoughts having been driven from
my head by this unwonted piece OF business
| | reached home, and as / mechanically
took out my latch.key and went into the
house, still in revere, | was met by my
wife, who asked why | was so late Tor din
ner and where Mary was.
"Mary !" / exclaimed; ~ forgot all
about her," and catching my hat of the
| peg again rushed out, speeding as last as
| [ could 10 liberate her, and bitterly lament
| ing my folly for locking her in.
| 1t was quite dark when got there, ana
had no light; but felt out the key-hole,
unlocked the door, and tramped loudly up
the stairs. / called her, but received no
reply. Going into the room 10 which bad
left her, gazed into the recesses, and found
her huddled up In corner.
"Mary, my poor, dear child" eXclaim-
ed. will you ever forgive mel"
"Hush, hush for PHYS sake, hush ~
said she in whisper.
"Why did you not answer me when l
called your" replied.
| felt her whole frame culver, and then,
as was assisting her to rise, she fell on me
in fantng fit. had no light, not even a
| fusee in my pocket, and no one was within
call. At length thought OF the water she
had for her work; it might revive her il
could find il. | laid her down gently, and
cropping about for the water, sprinked her
| face, which had the effect OF bringing her
around.
Hurriedly rising, she exclaimed: ooh,
come away. Take me out OF this horrld
place !"
began to rally her about the absurdity
OF her fears. and her telling me in the
morning she was not superstitious. .
But she interrupted me by saying: :"
have seen no ghost. We are in den OF
horrible thieves aud murderersl saw two
| bodies dragged up stairs, stripped OF every
thing, with justa shirt around them. Oh,
come out OF the place or we shall be the
neXt. Even now they may have heard US,
ana they will murder u.s." .-.
| | asked her il she had not got drowsy
| whilst waiting for me in the gloom Of the
afternoon, for it was Noyember, and
dreamed it.
"Oh, mol" she replied; 81 did not
dream; and horror-stricken as l was, when
the rufians descended the stairs again
crept silently up to see II could find out
anything; and, oh, horror, | shall never
forget the sight. Do let us 60"
| must confess felt little creepy and
nervous, but was myself agaln in moment.
Feeling her trembIe, and fearing another
swoon, began descending the stairs with
| her, when light below shot up 10 us. She
clutched me convusiyely, but was reas-
sured by hearing my wife's voice calling
out:
Frank! Mary! Where are your"
"Here," | said E" all right"
"Indeed," she replied, 81 think it al
wrong to give me such fright"
| We had reached her by this time, and by
the light OF the lantern she had brought she
caught sight OF Mary's blanched face.
| To my wife's interrogatOries respecting
Der illness the poor girl assured her that
she was not i'll, but terrified.
81 will tell you ALL" she added, "when
get home."
| She began:
"After you left me | worked on for a
long time, until, feeling hungry, l looked
at my watch and found 1t was past 2
o'clock. / then ale my sandwiches, and
after taking a turn through some OF the
rooms, settled into work again. l bad not
been long thus occupied when was aroused
by strange, irregular noises which seemed
to come from the landing above. l then
awoke to the consciousness that l had been
hearing tue scuffling Of feet for some time.
The scuffling commenced again, and got
up. moved cautiously to the door, which
was aiar, and looked out just 10 time to see
an old bag disappear in doorway above.
and the door closed softly behind her. |
stepped up and noiselessly opened the door,
and peeped in; but to my surprise the
room was empty. walked In to see il
there was any other door through which she