Weekly Chillicothe crisis., 1884-06-05
BURIED ALIVE.

"Wclcomc home, ALI, my bOy!'
My brother graSpcd my hand rs he
said these words and did not release
it until he had led me up the time
hOnored steps Of our ancestral home
and began to assist me to unfastcn my
grcatcOat.
"And how are you, my lad?' he
continued, without giving me time to
reply TO his hearty reception. "Why,
you look rs brown as Il berry and Ger
tainly none the worse for your fifteen
years nabobism.'
| had Just returned to England after
having endured the trying climate of
India for fifteen years, and had hast
cncd ut once to the old mansion where
| had been born, and which was, at the
time of my story, in the possession of
my eldest brother Stephen. Our fam
lily bear the honorcd name of Stanley,
and are Il younger branch of the noble
house of that name. They had been
settled for many centuries in Il wild
part of the Northwest Riding of York
shire, upon IN estate that was very
beautiful from an artistic point of view,
but very poor from pecuniary aspect;
and consequently many generations of
younger sons had been forced to push
their way in the world rs | had. My
half brother Stephen was twelve years
older than | was, and had always re-
gardcd me with an affection more
fathcrly than brothcrly, dclighting in
giving me pet names; and even when
years of foreign travel had tanned my
originally fair complexion and silvercd
my hair, was amused by the way in
which, upon our first meeting after
many years, he ignored the present,
and kept up the old manners and say.
ings which had characterized him whcr
| was boy at Stanley House,
A substantial rcpast was provided
for me in the old dining-room, and
after | had done justice to it, and the
gray-hcaded butler (who had olliciatcd
in my fathers timo) had brought il
the wine, Stephen and | were soor
deep in conversation on topic,
peculiarly interesting to me.
$50 you think the old place i.
changed?' he said musingly, in reply
to remark that had fallen from me
ave not noticed it; but it may be, i
may be-"
"Indccd it is, Stephen" said; ian,
think you are allowing the best par
of the house to fall into decay. Now
in my fathers day the west wing''-
"Hush!h he cried, interrupting m,
with startled look in his eyes
"Don't mention that, for heaven
sake? She loved those rooms.n
In moment had graspcd his hand
"Forgivc me, Stephcn!' | exclaimed
as the terrible past flashed across m,
mind, and | saw | had opened an OLE
wound.
"Therc is nothing to forgive, All
my boy he said, looking into tn
bright fire with an anxious, trouble,
face. "You could not know of all tn
horror of that terrible time
"Indecd could not; for | was but
boy when went to India. NcvcrthC
less, | had heard sufficient while ther
of my brothers unfortunate marriag
to convince me of the pain which an
allusion to it would give him. ha
heard how he had married a bcautifu
girl, and how fondly he had loved her
and how, after three months OF MAJ
ricd life, she had deserted him. Wit
whom or whittier she had gone no on
knew; and her name had become n
most n forgotten sound at Stanle
House.
changed the subject of convcrs;
ton, and tried to make him forget TIL
unpleasant rccollections which m
words had raised, by relating some {
the most amusing adventures that ha
{ befallcn me whilst abroad; but, thong
he listened with interest, and SCENE
to try to shake of the gloom that ha
settled upon his mind, he never quit
regained his wonted cheerfulness du
= ing the remainder of the evening, IN
retired early to rest, cxcusing himse
by saying it was his custom.
Among the evils of civilization whiC
my somewhat stormy passage throug
!, life had taught me, that of late hou
| was by no means the smallest; an
= knowing il would be useless for me
} turn into bed before midnight, Iput c
my hat, lit another cigar, and strollC
into the grounds to get breath
fresh air,
l. 1t was u fine summer night. III
-, moan was shining brightly from u clci
starlit sky. | knew every foot of Il
u ground and visited many of my favo
;, ite haunts, and it must have been aft
t II o'clock before | began to think
n returning. My cigar had gone o.
when l reached the bottom OF the lor
!, avenue of trees, and beginning to fe
chilly l walked somewhat quickly t
u ward the house, crunching the gray
:. beneath my feet as / went. As DIRE
n near the front door my attention W
n attracted by the sudden appearance
= a man bearing lantern, who had eN
L IDENTIFY heard my footsteps, for
: stopped and awaited my approac
y At first thought he was one of h
Is servants, but upon drawing nearer
}, was surprised to find it was my brothe
d | fastened to speak to him, when,
- my great astonishment, after glancil
u at me eagerly he turned away witho
81 any sign of recognition and hurri
n rapidly in the direction of the desert
n west wing. My first intention was
d call out after him, but upon secol
l. thought | decided not to do so, fol
. was persuaded that he had seen al
u recognized me and that perhaps Il
% company might not be desired, so
st entered the house and was soon in b
" and asleep.
The next morning when came doy