Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-06-19
THE HAUNTED CORRIDOR.

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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 q word of itr' re-
peated Aunt Rebecca, with more en-
phasis than before. ga ghost story,
indeedn'
''Tell me about it, Violet" said
young Lakewood.
1T 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 q tradition that beau
tiful girl was murdered by her lover.
Her grave, they said, was beneath the
foundations of the house, but / scarce
ly credit this part of the legend"
OF course not" interrupted Miss
Rebecca, with toss of her false
curls II 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, q moment afterward
coming to her aunt's side.
Nothing, nothing" said Miss Re-
becca, with a little embarrassment in
her voice. 'Come-don't stay here
any longer in the biting cold, unless
you both want weeks medicine and
doctors visits"
1T is not cold, Aunt Rebecca, "
iN1o - 1<rl4
beautiful on the stone pavement
But a peremptory summons from
Colonel Orme himself who had just
walked from q comfortable nap beside
the glowing fire in the library to a sort
of vague wonder as to where Rebecca
and the young people could possibly
be, J." speedily settled the matter.
'sNever mind, Violet" whispered
Charles Hazelwood; ''by-and-by, when
your father has gone to his room and
Aunt Rebecca is busy with her curl
papers in her own special dormitory,
we can have q starlight stroll through
the ghosts territory!'
Violet gave him an arch glance as
she tripped after Aunt Rebecca into the
hall which led to Colonel Orme's bril-
iantly-lighted library.
Il wish Captain Hazelwood wouldn't
remain out there said Aunt Rebecca,
anxiously ''He will catch his death
of cold; and, besides
Besides what, Aunt Rebecca?n
Violet, said the maiden lady, Il
wish you would go down and see if the
housekeeper has prepared that pOsset
for my sore throat, that's good girl
I think [ shall 90 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 a 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 in love.
The tall old-fashioned clock in the
hall was striking twelve, when Aunt
Rebecca emerged from her door, tread
ing on tiptoe, and carrying q dim light
in her hand. Now, Aunt Rebecca,
IN nodding false curls, lace couture,
and 1S-year-old style of dress was q
very different sort of parsonage from
Aunt Rebecca, with her head tied up
in silk handkerchief, her false curls
laid aside, and 4 long white dressing
robe enveloping her Iank figure; and
the latter was by no means the more
prepOssessing of the two. Probably
some such consciousness swept across
the good spinster's brain, for she shut
lied with accelerated rapidity past the
solemn eyes Of the grave old family
portraits on the wall.
Il am sure l dropped them some
where here, she murmured, pausing
ID front of the bay-window. How
provoking! There goes my candle out!
But l believe / can find them, however,
the starlight Is so bright. Mercy upon
Us! what is that. The ghost! the
ghostr'
Aunt Rebecca fed 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
crimson stain at its pallid throat.
The house was aroused into instantan-
eous commotion, lights flashed into
brightness at the various doors, and an
eager circle of inquirers surrounded
Aunt Rebecca.
1T gided past me like a gust of
wind!' she shrieked-''all in white,
with that dreadful mark of blood upon
its throat! It's a warning-I know it S
a warning that l haven long to live
Oh, what shall | do? What shall
doP"
s.But L don't understand what you
were doing in the ghosts corridor at
this time of night" interrupted Col.
Orme, staring at his sister.
swell, 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