The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1884-06-19
THE HAUNTED CORRIDOR.

THE HAUNTED CORRIDOR.
Il don't believe word of itr' said
Aunt Rebecca.
The wine-like glow of sunset yet illu-
mined the great bay window; but the
rest of the apartment was already en-
shrouded in the gray shadows of the
night, in whose misty indistinctness
the huge chairs of carved oak looked
like gigantic monsters from some for
eign shore.
II don't believe word of itr' re-
peated Aunt Rebecca, with more en-
phasis than before. "a ghost story.
indeedw
Tell me about 1t, Violet" said
young Hazlewood.
..It is not much of story" said
Violet. .'only years ago, long before
my great grandpapa built this house,
the site was all one unbroken wood,
and there was Il tradition that a beau
tiful girl was murdered by her lover.
Her grave, they said, was beneath the
of the house, but | scarce
ly credit this part of the legend"
''Of course not" interrupted Miss
Rebecca, with toss of her false
curls. Il have no patience with the
relics of superstition.
"What are you looking for aunt?
Have you dropped anything? Shall |
call for Harris TO bring a candle?"
asked Violet, moment afterward
coming to her aunt's side.
Nothing, nothing" said Miss Re-
becea, with q little embarrassment in
her voice. ''Come-don't stay here
any longer in the biting cold, unless
you both want a weeks medicine and
doctors visits.
.'It is not cold. Aunt Rebecca,"
pleaded Violet, land the starlight is 50
beautiful on the stone pavement"
But peremptory summons from
Colonel Orme himself. who had just
walked from comfortable nap beside
the glowing fire in the library to sort
of vague wonder rs to ''where Rebec"a
and the young people could possibly
be-" speedily settled the matter.
s.Never mind, Violet" whispered
Charles Hazelwood; "by-andby. when
yolu father has goneto- his room-and
Aunt Rebecca is busy with her curl
papers in her own special dormitory.
we can have IL starlight stroll through
the ghosts tcrritoryn
Violet gave him an arch glance rs
she tripped alter Aunt Rebecca into the
hall which led to Colonel Orme's brill
nghted library.
Il wish Captain Hazelwood wouldn't
remain out there" said Aunt Rebecca,
"He will catch his death
of cold; and. besides"
'Besides what, Aunt Rebecca?"
''Violet," said the maiden lady, Il
wish You would 60 down and see if the
housekeeper has prepared that posset
for my sore throat. that's good girlp
I think | shall @o to bed.
. Violet went to execute her aunt's be-
hests.
How peacefully the distant hills and
valleys slept in their snowy mantles
that glorious December night! 1t re-
minded one of Il lovely painting exc
cuted with brushes dipped in liquid
pearl, and shaded with pencils OF
glimmering silver! At least, so they
seemed to Charles Hazlewood. But
then Charles Hazelwood was i'll love
The tall old-fashioned clock in the
hall was striking twelve, when Aunt
Rebecca emerged from her door, tread
ing Gu tiptoe, and carrying 4 dim light
i'll her hand. Now, Aunt Rebecca,
in nodGine false curls, lace coitfure,
and 1S-year-old style of dress was a
very different sort of parsonage from
Aunt Rebecca. with her head tied up
in a silk handkerchief, her false curls
laid aside, and 4 long white dressing
robe enveloping her lank figure; and
the latter was by no means the more
preDossessing of the two. Probably
some such consciousness swept across
the. good spinster's brain, for she shnf-
fled with accelerated rapidity past the
solemn eyes of the grave old family
portraits on the wall.
81 am sure | dropped them some
where here" she murmured, pausing
in front of the bay-window. ''How
provoking! There goes my candle out!
But | believe can find them, however.
the starlight is SO bright. Mercy upon
us! what lis that! The ghost! the
Aunt Rebecca fled shrieking down
the corridor, her hands clapped
over her eyes. before which was i'm
printed the appalling vision of tall
figure sweeping past all in white. with
d crimson stain at its paliid throat.
Tbe house was aroused into instantan-
cons commotion. lights flashed into
brichtn, ,ess at the various doors, and an
eaGer circle of inquirers surrounded
Aunt Rebeccd.
.It glided past me like a gust OF
windrS she shrieked-"all in white,
with that dreadful mark of blood upon
rs throat! It's warning-I know it 8
a warning that l haven't long to live.
OH. what shall / do? What shall
dosr'
.-Bnt don't understand what you
were doing in the ghosts corridor at
this time of night" interrupted Col.
Orme, staring at his sister.
"Well, if you must KNOW, said Miss
Rebecca. with little hysteric sob. 81
dropped my false teeth there, just at
dusk. and didn't like to look for them
there, with Violet and Captain Hazel.
wood standing by; and so-and So
..Oho! that's it. eh?" said Colonel
Onne, laughing. Upon my word
Sister Becky, you are rather oTer-par'
ticular for y woman so years old.
"Only 40, James" interrupted Miss
Rebecca with shrill accent OF indig'
nation.
..But the ghost?" inquired young
Hazelwood, who had just arrived Oh
the scene of action, with rather {
flushed brow and embarrassed air
Upon which Aunt Rebecca gave way tt
the combined influences of her broth
er's unkind remark and the fright o
ghost-seeino, and fairly tainted, with
out further notice. According to tht
usual custom of womankind on suci
occasions, Colonel Orme and all thu
,tAer gentlemen were hustled out int
be hall, while the victim of the female
O. eieials was deluged with Eau de Col
oe me, stiaed with burnt feathers, an'
VI .orously treated with hot flannel.
She's coming to, poor dear crea
turee'' was the final verdict hurled a