New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1885-12-23

that Charlie was the one loved bet
ter than all the world, better even
than my sowndear father; for Charlie
C4rruthers and were engaged, and
were to be married in about q wears
time. 81 s+s
Twas not quite 90 years ofage, and
he was a few years older and a Lieu
tenant on board III. M. S. Hecla.
Charlie had gone to spend a week
with his father and mother in Scot
land, and was to join us at Everton.
Grange.
One bright morning therefore, my
father and / left London on our way
to Berkshire. It was very cold, but
the clear, piercing air only sent the
young blood dancing through my
veins, until felt 1 must sing for very
Joy, and was almost sorry when our
journey drew to close, and, driving
up the chestnut avenue, we saw the
lights in the Grange windows, spark
ling like myriads Of tireaies, through
the Winter twilight.
It was such a dear, coy old house,
partly built in the latter years of
Charles the Seconds reign, but added
to, spoiled and improved by succeed
ing generations Of the Austen family.
It was built of grey stone, and was
long and low, with mullioned windows
and solid looking chimneys.
My uncle always kept both house
and grounds in perfect order, which
prevented that dreary .'moated
grange look so many old places &C
quire if they are at all left out of re-
pair. One wing alone could be said to
look at all ghostly, and this wing con.
tanned the so-called haunted or red
room TWAS in fact the Oldest part
OF the building, and it's faded, time
stained walls had witnessed the
births and deaths of many genera
Itions of the Austen family. It was
used as my play-room when as child
| came to spend part OF my holidays
at the Grange, and my toys, l re-
member, were always kept in a certain
deep closet near the old-fashioned fire.
place. And oh! with what glee used
to rush up the stairs to my favorite
room, and still more favorite closet,
and commence overhauling my treas
ures, especially examining my dolls,
to see that they were in good health,
and had been we'll cared for during
my absence.
| made little histories and romances
for myself out Of my dolls and other
toys; in fact, loved them with the
love OF an imaginative child who,
from being brought up with no brothers
or sisters, and few companions of her
own age, had made q little world for her.
self among her wooden playnnates. My
baby cousins felt were far less clever
than my dolls, and a certain Miss
Elizabeth, Il doll who occupied the
highest shelf in my cupboard, and who
rejoiced in broken nose and various
other defects, l believe considered far
superior to the whole of the human
race.
From these familiar associations the
room lost all it's terror for me, and
though l constantly heard the SER
wants talking about the ''ghost," and
though none of them with the excep-
ton of the old nurse would venture
near it after shutdown, I did not mind
going there at all hours; and as my
aunt and uncle very wisely took (or at
any rate pretended to take) no heed
Of the superstition, livery soon began
to look upon the Red Room very much
in the same light as I did any other
part OF the house.
/ made nurse Alison tell me it's his
tory one night about year previous
to the commencement OF this story,
when [ was paying my usual visit to
the Grange
"Well, Miss Nellie" began the old
woman, as sat on low stool at her
feet by the fire in the children s nursery,
.'now the little ones are gone to bed, I
don't mind telling you all ] know
about it. Sir John and My Lady
don't like it mentioned before them,
as it makes them stimorsem' like
after dark: My grandmothershe used
often to tell the tale how Sir Robert
Austen brought home a young wife
from foreign parts She remembered
seeing them when she was a child.
He was middle-aged man, she said,
with lines across his brow, and
dark bushy eyebrows, which he had
way Of knitting together while he was
speaking. She, poor lady, was deli
cate-looking little fairy-like thing
barely your age, my dear, when he
first brought her here. Everything
went smooth enough at first; but he
was moody, ill-tempered man, jeal-
Gus Of every thing she set her eyes on.
Her mother forced the poor soul to
marry Sir Robert, I've been told, and
she had already given her heart away
to some Italian nobleman. Anyhow,
Sir Robert led her an awful lite, and
after her boy was born she just pinned
away like a shadow. Then one night
(they had some words together,
| believe, not long before) she
tried to escape through the little
glass door which led into the
garden. Some said the young Italian
lord was to meet her, and they had
planned to 60 away together. Any
how, Sir Robert-whom every one
thought was away from home-it
seems, had his suspicious, for he fol-
lowed and stopped her just as shewa
going down the pathway by the water
fall that leads to the park. The SER