The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-05-14
TIE BLUE CHAMBER.

ner in TIE spacious grounds of an ancient
maRor.
The doors OF the mansion stood wide open.
The evening breeze whispered and rustled
through the branches of the huge lindens,
the shadows grew longer and longer, ink
black beneath the leafv roo; of boughs,
lighter en- the patches OF turf.
1t was . mild summer evening. still, Jet
full of strange, mysterious sounds; the soft
breeze foated into the doors, bearing with
it the heavy fragrance of the flowers. In the
gathering dusk the members of the groups
could scarcely sec each othe-.
Conversation languishsd, passing from.
subject to subject; no ore seemed inclined
to enter upon q lengthy discussion.
Suddenly one of the party began to relate
an anecdote of a ghost he had seen on an
evening like this. The plan was successful.
Several tales followed; but the young daugh-
ter OF the house, Anna, continued to ask for
more. 1t was go amusing to hear these mar
vslous stories, imagine the white and black
specters moving noiselessly in dense shadow
or dazzling moonlight, feel strange horror
chill her blood. and then lean against her
could not endure Candidate Hollis way of
takirg these stories; bis scornful comments
tore ugly rents in the dreamy veil in which
she wrapped herself
He medical student and had wit
messed many similar things in the hospital.
Ii was owing TO sickness acting upon differ
emit individuals. Either the patient when
his imagination was excited, mistook O
towel, On which the moon was shining. fer
phantom, and the shrieking of the wind in
old houses for ghcstjy cries and the clsnk of
chains or the whole affair mere hslloci-
naiion- a person In a healthy, normal con.
dillon uaver saw ghosts
The whole party opposed his view. There
wss screly some truth ct the )rtom OF all
these tales. There were thousand things
which could not be explained by natural
causes.
Anna was warmly seconded by Holsts
your ger brother, Victor who had arrived at
the hsuse with him that morning though Il
was Influenced more by courtesy TO the pretty
young girl than because he really felt any
fear OF ghosts. Hs could not bear to ave
his brother appear to place himself in such
confemPtuocs opposition 20 n pair of such
beautiful bright eyer, Nd he fought a stout
battle against bis own cow ctions
The history of such things" SAID the eau
didate. ''is contrary TO sound sense and
reason. They are miserable relics of the
darkness Of the middle ages. which can only
check progress. 1t would be an utterly
idiotic proceeding for dead folks TO walk
abroad and terrify the living. Tradition car
ries such tales from generation 60 generation
and II not subjected to severe scientific criti.
clsm they retain their vitality and are be-
lieved. 1t is the same kind of superstition as
that which makes simple folk afraid to sit
thirteen at table. In nine cases out of ten
nothing happens, and there isn't even one
person who thinks OF the matter. In the
tenth, perhaps, one OF the company dies.
which Is certainly In accordance with the
course OF nature. Instantly it is said: You
remember, you remember, we sat thirteen at
table that day. So the superstition obtains
nourishment for long time. No, thank
God, the fresh breeze oi knowledge will
sweep away all such things like dank, I'M.
wholesome fogs."
Yes, we old people must be pardoued.n
the mistress Of the house gently interposed
I'VE don't come SO much in contact with the
fresh breeze Of science as perhaps we ought.
We live, they say, wholly in tradition, and
this thlives nowhere SO we'll as in an old
mansion like this. 1t is very difficult to re-
lease ourselves from the ideas in which We
were reared, and which our ancestors bs.
ieved. am far from being what is called
superstitions; l have never been ia contact
with these strange spirits-vet not for all the
world would | sleep in the blue chamber"
'The blue chamber cried the whole party
in tones of establishment
Yves, We have hers, as in so many old
manor houses, q room that is said TO be
haunted Many hundred years ago man
was murdered thers and since then the
wants talk o. strange sounds and sights, none
of them like to psss IL after dark"
II was sitting thinking that should be de-
lighted to occupy q real haunted chamber"
said Hoist quietly. II IL sin to have il re-
main unused forever. Perhaps / can help
10 n f<,r I
WINGED shall sleep undis,urbei."
AT inst the mistress OF the house would not
listen to sDch q plan, but when the whole
party urged, ard Anna clasped her arms be-
seechirgiy arourd her neck, she q. last
yielded.
Anna thought The scheme wonderfully in
tereslirc
at is really terrible that you dare venture.
Candidate Eolst' che said: but hope You
win look really frightened when you come
70 breakfast In the morning"
Alter supper the whole party went 10 the
"blue cbsmber," which meantime had been
put ia ORDER to receive The gueet. Every cor
ner was examined with the utmost care
Inc atmosphere Was somewhat oppressive,
though the Windows were now open. The
room vas seioom ventilated, and the half
moldy sir took the liberty OF settling Ia the
furniture and curtains 1t had evidently al
ways borne the name OF the "blue cha m her y
although the thick CARPET was now faded.
The furniture Was very scanty. but what ar
.icles remained were oldfashioned. While
time bad transformed everything elsa in the
ancient MAJ or, making the stir carved chars
give way to comfortable erm-chairs. and
the old chimney-pieoes to tile stoves.
this room seemed 10 have preserved its
former appearance. II was delivered over 70
the spiriis of the past; no one mad attempted
to drag Il into the present. An article that
did not contribute least in enabling 1t to re-.
tain ito ancient character was the huge, ex.
quisitely carved four.post bsdstead which Co.
cupied large portion OF the room. The
apartment vas the last in one wing of the
manor. locking ont upon thegrove, bat 10