Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1881-09-17
A HAUNTED ROOM.

~ -@4==z-.s....4=.z= !.
HA0NTED ROOM. @A
/. "What are you girls talking
liabout?'' I inquired one afternoon
as, entering the parlor, found ny
two sisters conveEsing excitedly.
"It's all Uncle Bob," replied mJ
younger sister; Sf.if any enc likes t.
make another uncomfortable, it il
he.v
"What is the matter now?"
laughed, throwing myself upon a
couch. "He is a good fellow enough
in his way"
"And has one of the prettiest and
most amiable of daughters, eh,
Ned?"
sfYou are right there" I answer.
ed, cody, though feeling my cheeks
tinge. AZ 9ua Ia
"Then you may find some inter
est in her letter, just arrived" pro-
ceeded Lucie with equal slyness.
"a letter from Maud!H j exclaim-
ed, springing to my feet. g" Where
is it?n 3..l '. go l4. -. -, ,.s..'1.. z y s.
"Where is it, indeedln pouted Lu-
Gle. s'It is sent to me, and is strict
ly confidential"
"Nonsense! Maud would say
nothing she did not wish nle to
know.1
"Yes," laughed Kate. '.that she
loves you" n isIH 4a 5t8
"Bah! she told me that months
ago when / confded to her similar
secret"
s'Still your Uncle Bob good in his
way , although he will not give his
permission to your marrige. But
there! Here is good news as we'll
as bad. Maud writes that Uncle
Bob has at last given his consent
on one condition.
"He has really consented!O | cri-
ed. "What is the condition? That
/ turn a Swedenborgian?"
"No; but this: You remember, a
year ago, having had an argument
with him respecting the existence
of ghosts. He maintained the pow
er of the departed spirit to return to
earth. You irritated him by treat
ing the idea with scorn, and not on
~ declared your willingness to sleep
in the most haunted chamber to be
found, but made very rash asser-
tion that ou would lay the ghost
You nettled Uncle Bob much, for,
although he does not believe in
ghosts in the vulgar sense, he does
in the theory that the air is full of
the spirits of the departed, who,
find a mortal en- rapport, can make
themselves visible"
''LucidIy put, Kate; but what has
this in reference to the conditions"
"Just this: In the house Uucle
Bob now inhabits, is, according to
his statement, q haunted room,
where no one is able to remain an
entire night"
ssI know it. He swears he took
Merton Abbotts because of the cham
Der alone"
Exactly. You have often desir-
ed to test its ghostly renown, but
Uncle Bob has denied, declaring he |
would not be answerable for fright
ening you out of the little brains you
possess"
tTrue, Uncle Bob was ever COM
"But good in his way " inter-
.upted Lucie, maliciously.
"Well, he says if you now sleep
n the room, and lay the troubled
ipirit,' you may have Maud directly
Ter trousseau is ready"
"Neverr'
cit is true. Here is the letter."
Eagerly l read it, kissed it once,
vice. / had loved my cousin Maud
ome time, and now there was IL pos
ibility of soon calling her my wife.
)nly a haunted room-a shadOWy
presence divided! Uncle Bob, it
must be owned, was strange char
lcter. Cynical and sarcastic, he
eemed to take pleasure in annoying
'thers, while he hated his opinions
o be thwarted. Still / was not
wrong in avering that he had his
,ood parts, though his attacks were
leVeled at myself.
Uncle Bob had lately inherited
Merton Abbotts, an old, rambling
ountry house, standing in its own
rounds and surrounded by almost
forest of trees. By invitation my
listers and / were to spend a fort
light there, and, on the afternoon
ollowing the receipt of Maud's let
er, we started.
swell, Ned" said Uncle Bob, his
right gray eyes cleaning from be-
cath his shaggy brows, Il hear
rom Maud that you are on the Qu5
iUe to accept my conditions"
81 am, SIR"
s'It's shameW broke out Lueie,
acked by Maud.
"My dears, it isn't compulsory,
hucklel Uncle Bob. He can re-
Use if he likes"
"But he doesn't, " / said.
"GOod. Now / propose that we
ass the eyeningin telling ghost sto-
ies."
Despite feminine protest, Uncle
lob kept his word. He related the
lost creeping tales he knew; told of
0rpse lights and candles burning !
i'm, and capped off by reading the
lost thrilling and wondrous ghost
5ory ant--Bulwer's "Haunters
nd Haunted"
swell, Ned" he chuckled, when :
,e prepared to separate for the night
have / shaken your nerves?"
"Not whit, sir" I replied I
!
"GoodI If you Jay the ghost you
lall take Maud with my blessing
he! heI he!" he eackled. "By the I
'ay, should the. spirits come too
r0ng, Ned, I've had the room OPP
Dsite prepared, to which you can
eat retreat"
ssI'm sure he has connected some {
iek." Whispered Lucie. SHE'LL
lay the ghost himself; but I'll keep
watch on his door,"
I laughed at the idea, and, as
as ever had been in my +
fe, I entered the chamber. Now,
lost haunted chambers are large,
ltiquated, wainscoted and dark,
ith four posted bedsteads and fun !
al hangings. This, on the contra
!, was small, cheerfully papered, !
ith d bright French bedstead.
here was nothing ghostly about !
ssI wonder if he is tricking me?v !
reflected, as shut the door. =
1t closed so exactly that it could
OF be easily opened, which assured
le that none could enter without q
le hearing them. Besides this, it
Olted inside. I looked under the /
ed. examined the walls and the q
'indow, which was of double glass I
ke those in law chambers, to ex-
ude the noise. 1T was fastened; no {