Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-10-15
THE old MANOR House.
By LADY DUFFUs HARDY.

| ohio iIilio, lolliuS uo"h "uu oPAoauti
over the valleys in one white wave {
wintry ice; the old gray manor--a so
itary house, bewildering nest Of gs
bles and chimney stacks, standin
among the foothills, wrapped in an al
mosphere of it's own grayness--looke
| gloomier than ever, staring with it
hundred CLASSY eyes upon the desolat
scene without.
Curious stories were atloat concern
inn the ancient homestead an,
legends CLEANED from the waste of ages
| and generally believed in solemn faith
One fact IS certain, that no elder sol
for four centuries has succeeded to tn
property, the last direct heir who in
herited died in the year 1910. His lif;
had been o scandal, % tissue of petit,
crimes and vices. beyond the reach 0
law or justice, crowned at last by sac
rilege, the least pardonable of all sins
he had fled from the altar, pursued by
the priestly curse, and as he gallope(
recklessly across the hills, his horse
stumbled over tree stump, and in the
morning he was found stiff and stark
staring at the blazing sun.
From time to time throughout these
centuries, a shadowy horseman had been
seen galloping over the hills at sunset;
at least, so said tradition, which was
firmly believed especially as a living
member of the present community has
''seen it with his own eyes," Since the
death of this Sir Hugh, as | have said
before, no direct heir had ever inheri-
ted the estate; it has lodged about be-
tween nephews and cousins.
The present possessOr was collateral
descendant, Col. Hastar, widower
with an only daughter, bright spark
ling blonde scarcely out of her teens,
whose vivacious spirits lighted the
gloom that chung to the old mansion,
and could not even let the hidden echoes
be at rest. She and her father stood on
this special morning at the west window
looking out on the white wilderness :
he was wrapped up from head to foot,
and was pulling on his sealskin gloves.
A sound of bells broke on the frosty air
and q sled, drawn by pair of splendid
housekeeping horses, drove up to the
entrance door.
II am sorry to leave you alone, my
pet" said the colonel, Shut must 90.
You see the business is important, and
| don't suppose by any possibility / can
return home before tomorrow evening.
Pm afraid you'll be very dull"
"Sot at all papa. On the contrary,
shall quite enjoy rambling about this
queer old place. Who knows what
mystery | may bring to light before you
come back 2"
In another moment the bells were
juggling merrily, as the sled was driven
rapidly over the untrodden snow.
Colonel Hastar had only lately sue
ceeded to the property, and Gerty had
only been IN the house about a fortnight
so there were plenty of unexplored
hooks and corners, cubboards and cham
bers, which would afford occupation
for her leisure hours during the dreary
day. She started on her first rambling
expedition over that portion of the
house which had been least inhabited.
She peered into wlcked-looking clos
BUS, drew an old worm eaten box into
jhe light, and rumaged over it's con-
,ents consisting of old dry as dust
'archments and papers, crumbling to
lecay, like the hand that traced them
ago. She soon got tired of
his occupation, and found that ramb-
ing over the ancient mansion was, af-
er all, dull, dreary work. So she stroll
ID into the corridor or picture gallery, |
md, toldingher arms behind her, march
ID up and down, reviewing her dead |
ncestors with a critical eye, some
ines making her observations which |
we're not always of the most compli-
lentary character, aloud. An impo-
ing assembly they were, all in the pic
uresque attire in which they had sew
rally lived. 1t was strange to observe
ow the family likeness died away for
and then came out again
tronger than ever. This was particu-
arly the case in the resemblance of a
cry young and beautiful woman dress
d in the costume Of Charles |, to the
Dung lady who now regarded her.
hey were the same gray eyes, creamy
and even the contour of
ice and figure were the same; it look
d like Gerty Hastar in masquerade; in
eed if she had let down her long curl
Ig tresses, You might have Thought