The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1880-06-26
From Chambers Journal
THE DUKES HOUSE.


| was born in an old chartered and
very picturesque town IN western
county, III whose vicinity stood an ancient
/ ducal palace, which had not been occu-
i pied for many long year; and Ike other
I buildings left to decay, it had the repu-
/ tation OF being haunted. There certain
+ " were strange sights and sounds to be
+ heard sometimes by those who were near
/ the place at dusk and after dark, but it
was never looked into. The uneducated
were two superstitious and frightened;
the better class were too busy or too in
dolent: and we had no rural police in
those days to trace out the causes. 1t
was great pity for such a fine Eliza
bethan structure to fall TO ruins. | re-
member 1t strong and beautiful man
sion, with It's lawns and terraca gardens.
and as many windows as there are days
in year This | doubted when child,
! and often got the nurse girl to walk
around the house, to count them with
me; but we never attained our object:
for if the sun got overloaded, she would
be sure to see a ghost at some gloomy
window, and rush of, leaving me, terri
tied, TO follow The old residents had
died out, the title having become extinct:
and around it had sprung up mills and
factories, which prevented the anstoc-
racy from living in it. The mill owners.
too, preferred being further away from
their counting houses and smoky chin
neys. Besides, it must have been a
very rich man who could put it IN decor
atlve repair and keep up such an estab-
hslment. In those days our merchant
princes were content with very modest
dwellings,, such as many middle class
man nowadays would deem it iarogatory
70 live IN / am writing Of i slow and
sure age; we are now living in "a fast and
reckless one.
But to my story. l had attained an
age when ghosts or hObgoblus and such
like rubbish did not terrIfy or trouble
me. | was married man. thu father Of
several children, when a cousin came to
visit rs, who was highly delighted with
our pretty town; and knowing her To be
very clever with her pencil, | asked her
to paint me one or two scenes in the
ncighborhood Tins she willingly con
scented to DO. and wesailed forth to fix on
what should be her first picture. She
=
AS it was called-WOuld be the best
told her she dared not trust herself in
there. for it had been uniuhabited for
the last century, and was haunted. She
laughed, and said she did not believe in
ghosts: she was not 50 much frightened
at the dead IN solitary 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 ma
terials, [ got the KEYS from an old man
who lived in the old courtyard of the
iucal residence.
We walked through the rooms, admir-
ing their old gardens, the lofty marble
columns, standing on marble hearths
each side OF the irepl0ces, supporting
the groined ceilings, with coats of arms
and other devices carved IN marble be
tween them The tapestry round the
walls smelled moulIy, but was in Won
derful state Of preservation, and no worse
than when a boy, twenty years before, |
had pitied the ladies who worked 50 hard
to cover their rough stone walls. My
cousin selected q room for rtirst sketch;
and as [ was leaving, / advised her to
lock the door after me, to guard against
intrusion: but she objected 10 this, say
ing she never locked herself in any room
for fear Of sudden illness; but if | would
lock the door on the outside. and call for
her as | came from the bank, she would
be much happier 10 know she was secure
from interruption. After some hesita-
ton | consented to DO this. and with the
KEY in my pocket, went to business.
II was Just closing time, and | was
locking up the strong room, when the
manager drew my attention to a matter
which involved a protrantej search OF
papers-a search, however which hap
pilv proved successful. All other
thoughts having been driven from my
head bvthis unwonted pIeca OF business,
| reached home. and as | mechanically
took out my latch-key and went into the
house. still IN a reverie, I was met by my
wife. who asked why l was so late for
dinner, and where Mary was.
Mary" l exclaimed: 4 forgot all
about her" and catching my hat off the
peg again. I rushed out, speeding as
fast as [ could TO hherate her, and bit
terIv lamenting my folly for locking her
in.
1t was quite dark vhea I got there,
and had noIght: but felt out the key
hole, unlocked the door, md tramPed
loudly up the stairs | called her. but
received no reply Going into the room
in which l had lett her, | gazod into the
recesses and found her huddled up IN Q
corner.
MARY, my poor dear child, | e1-
claimed will YOU ever forgive me?
Hush, hush. for PHYS sake, hush.
Sba said IN a whisper
"Why did you not answer me when l
called you?' | replied.
Il did not hear vou until now, Oh,
l have seen such fearful sights.
Ifelt her whole frame CULVER, and
then, as [ was assisting her to rlse, she
fell on me in a faiuring 1t. | 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 he1