Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-05-31
CHAPTER II.


previous chapter. My parents had both
died, and Patricia was married and living
WIN her husband in provincial town.
My career at the Museum had been a
prosperous one, and | was now intrusted
Win more responsible and better paid
once. The tenant Of No. IL Welham
square had Just given me notice OF his
lhtentlon TO depart from it, and it oc-
CURED TO me that it would be interesting
TO follow what seemed to be the family
destiny and try living in the house myself,
to say nothing OF the fact that it was
admirably suited to my requirements. |
telt tully capable of confronting any num-
ger OF ghosts, and my wife was neither
timld nor superstitious. Accordingly
AT t1e beginning of the new year we
established ourselves, with our two
Daoles and nv sister Ellen, who lived
with US, in Welham square, greatly de-
Hghted with the proximity of my work,
with the solid masonry, spacious apart
ments, and roomy passages OF our new
abode, and with the remnant of ighteenth
century fashion and grandeur which
seemed to peryade the neighbOrhOod.
In Welham square we lived prosper
ously, without any kind of disturbance,
for upward of six months.
In the course OF July my wife and the
children lift home to spend a couple OF
months at the seaside. intended to Join
them when the time came to take my 6oli-
day, and in the meantime l staId in Lon
don, going daily to my work. Ellen STAYED
on with me to keep house in the absence
OF her sister-in-law.
One evening, four or five DAYS after
my wlte's departure, / was sitting in my
study, large room, with door leading
into the drawing room and a heavy cur
tain hung over my side of the door. 1t
was past IL; my sister had retired half an
hour before, and the TWO maids who were
left in the house We're presumably in bed
and asleep. | was therefore surprised to
hear heavy and somewhat slow footsteps,
apparently those OF large man, ascend
ing the stairs from the ground floor. The
front door knew was locked and chained,
nor had l heard any one ring. The steps
paused for moment on the landing out
side my door, and then l heard the in
truder proceed 10 go up the next flight Of
stairs leading to the bedrooms on the
second floor. l spraug up, seized a candle
and opened the door. AS / stood on the
threshold of my room l seemed to hear
footsteps as of a man heavily mounting
the stairs at the top OF the flight leading
up from my door. But, though | held the
light above my head, | could see no one.
Everything wore its usual aspect.
walked quickly up the stairs, but nobody
was visible. l searched all the empty
rooms, but with no result. / called up
Ellen and the maids, but none of them
had seen or heard anything. l am ashamed
to say that made specially rigorous in
vestgation of large room aC the back of
the house, which We used for a night
nursery, and which tradition declared To
have been the abode Of my Inflated kins-
man, Ronald Massey. | then Went down
stairs and completed my search OF the en-
tire premises. Everything was in order,
and at the end of an hour | went back to
my study and my book rather annoyed
with myself for having spent so much
time In so truitless an exploration, and
determined to think nothing more about
the matter.
1t was the next night after this that l
suddenly started up very wide awake
with conviction that somebody was lin
my bedroom. | seemed to hear still ring
ing in my ears the sound of a lOug-drawn
human sigh. l sat up, trembling with ex-
element, ant looked about in the dim
twilight Of da IN in late July. | could see
no one, but did not feel alone. The feel-
ing of suspense became unbearable. /
jumped out of bed and walked with nerv-
Gus determination to the window, where
turned round and faced the room, such
light as there was being behind me. l saw
no one. Again l walked across the room,
and as ! did so | ielt Enthusiastically that
wave of air that meets one walking in the
streets When some one on foot passes close
10 him in the opposite direction. I seemed
TO feel the light Craze OF passing sub
stance against my nightgOwn. | was
dimly conscious OF faint, indescribable
odOr. calling up recOllections of time of
life long but indefinitely passed. And
while | stood fixed to the spot with sur
prise and horror, my heart beating yio-
lently, heard distinctly four long, heavy
steps passing from me toward the win
dow. The floor creaked under their weight.
The next instant | felt that was alone.
But 1t was not until long after the morn
ing was as light as noon that / fell asleep
again.
| awOke much troubled in mind, and
doubling whether | should not, like my
fathers. be compelled To leave this un.
canuy dwelling; but, when in some meas
ure restored by breakfast, determined 10
say nothing to my sister at present, but to
wait and see whether the situation would
in any way develop itself. Ny resolution
was fated to be put TO the test sooner than
| expected.
did not get home that evening till close
upon dinner time. When / entered the
drawing room Ellen greeted me w,th, ION.
Edward! whaCd0 you think has happenedg
skies Is deau!N
Now, Skies was a gray parrot belonging
TO my wife. He Was So called because
when he first came % US IL was aiii med
Of him, perhaps rather libdlOuslY, that.
like the hero of Mr.. Calyerley's poem, be
.shabitually swOre." He certainly did
from time to time blaspheme somewhat
L was secretly not altogether sorry
90 hear OF his demise. 50 | answered
with much composure, "Did the cat eat
hmD
NO" said Ellen; she died in the most
horrible cOuyulsions"
/ went zap 10 gat ready for dinner,
more OF how % prevent my wife
from replacing Skies by another clamOr-
Gus bird than of the manner Of the lost
ones death, but IN the course of our meal
it, occurred to me that his fate was an
odd one.
CHOW did skies come TO have conyul-
siousi' ! asked.
"Why, 10 was most curious answered
Ellen. ~ was going 10 tell YOU about 10.
/ was ia the drawing room writing letters,
and suddenly / heard a tremendous
screaming and ilapping, aud J looked up,
aud there was Skies turning over aud over
IA the air, and pecklne aud clawing and
Tapping his wings AMI screaming, and be-
fore could get 10 him be suddenly twisted
his hend right round two or three times
anu tlmbed down dead 0u the il0or."
But do YOU mean" said, 'that be was
.Hat NHFHHHa -