The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1884-10-16
JACKSON OHIO, THURSDAY OCTOBER Is, 1884

y
open wide, as doors sometimes will,
Spontaneous, we look up with quick
ening pulse, half expecting to see some
ghastly spectral shape glide in, ad-
mitted by invisible hands. Should
sickness be in the house, and thu an
gel Of drath-who knows ?-be brood
ing with dark wing over our dwelling,
the nerves, strained by anxiety are
more than Usually susceptible Of i'm
pressions. | was gathering my pa
pers together aud preparing to steal
upstairs past the sick-room, glad TO
escape from the pervading chilliness
and gloom, when the door opened.
Not, this time, Of itself; for there
the picture of abject terror-stood Car
roll the footman. He was as pale as
ashes, shaking all over; his hair dish
evelled, and clothes apparently thrown
on in haste To my alarmed excla-
nation, What is the matter?" he
was unable, for minute, to make any
reply, so violently his lips were trem-
bling, parched with fear. At last |
made out, among half-articulate
sounds, the words "Ghost, groans'
"Oh," | said, what nonsense! You
have been having a bad dream. You
ought to know better, you who
My homily was cut short by groan
so fearful, so unlike anything | had
ever heard or imagined, that [ was
dumb with horror.
"Ah-h-h i-there it is again T. whis-
pered Carroll, dropping on his knees
and crossing himself; while vehe-
mently humping his breast, he, as
good Catholic, began to humble with
white lips the prayers for the dead.
Up the stairs through the open door
the sounds had come; and after few
minutes, they were repeated, this time
more family than before.
Let us go down and try to find cut
what it is,' | said at last And in
spite of poor CAROLS misery and en-
treaties, making a strong effort, took
the lamp from his trembling hands
and began to descend the wide stair
case. Nothing was stirring. In the
great dining-room where | went in,
while the unhappy footman kept safely
at the door, casting fFlghtend glance>
at the portraits on the walls. as usual.
As we went lower down. the groans
grew louder and more appalling.
Hoarse, unnatural, long-drawn-such
as could be imagined TO proceed from
human throat, they seemed to issue
from the bowels Of the earth; and to
be re-echoed By the walls of the great
dark lofty kitchens. BEYOND these
kitchens were long stone passages,
leading to cellars and pantres and SER
wants halls. all unused and shut up
since the mansions palmy days; and
into these we penetrated, led by the
fearful sounds.
All here was dust and desoIatio
The smell Of age and mould was ev-
erywhere; the air was chill; and the
rusty hinges Of the doors shrieked as
they were pushed open, soaring away
the spiders whose webs hung in fes-
toons across the passages and brushed
against our faces as we went along.
Doubtless, for years 10 foot had in
vaded this dank and dreary region,
given over to mildew and decay; or
disturbed the rats, which ran scam
pering off at our approach. The groans
seemed very near US now, and came
more frequently. II was terrible, in
that gruesome place. to hearken to the
unearthly sounds. | could hear my
agonized companion calling npon ev-
cry saint in the calepdal 10 take pity
upon the soul in pain. At length
there came groan more fearful than
any that had been before 1t rooted
us to the spot. And then was utter
silence!
After long and breathless pause,
broken only by the gasps of poor Car
roll in his pafoxysHl of fear, we
turned, and retraced our steps toward
the kitchens. The groans had ceased
altogether.
ut is over now, whatever it was,
said. ''All is quiet; you had better
go to bed.'
He staggered off to his room; while,
chilled do the marrow, crept up
stairs, not little shaken, must con-
fess, by the nights doings.
Next day. was bright and f1ne. My
bedroom looked to the street; and
soon after rising, | threw open the
window, to admit the fresh morning
air. There wag little stir outside
The porte c0chere gates were wide
open, and large cart was drawn up
before them. Men with ropes in their
hands were bustling about, talking
and gesticulating passers-by stopped
to look; and boys were peering down
the arehway at something going on
within. Soon the object Of their GU
riosity was brought to light. A dead
horse Was dragged up the passage. and
after much tueging and pulling,
Was hauled up on the cart and driven
away.
1t appeared that at nightfall of the
previous day the wretched animal was
being driven tn the knacker's; and
straying down into our archway,
while the man who had him in charge
was talking to friend, he fell over
some machinery that stood inside,
breaking a limb, and otherwise fright
fully injuring himself. Instead of
putting the poor animal out of pain
at once. his inhuman owner left him
to die IA lingering death in agonies;
and his miserable .groans, magnified
by the reverheration of the hollow
and echoing kitchens, had
been the cause of our nocturnal
alarm
Carroll shook his head and looked
ncredulous at this solution of the
mystery, refusing. with the love of
lis class for the supernatural. to ac-
,ept it. Though years have since
hen passed over his head, tinging his
ocks with gray, and developing the
,risk, agile footman into the portly,
yhite-chokered, pompous butler, he
will still cleave to his first belief. and
toutlv affirm that flesh and blood had
Taught to do with the disturbance :