The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-12-25
THE GOLDEN BELL,
A CHRISTMAS STORY,
ny MARQUlsE. DI LANzA,
copyrighted, 1855, by 8, s, AcClure,l

ny MARQUIsE. DI L4NZA,
Copyrighted, 1855, by 8, s, AcClure,I
December was certainly a strange tim
Of year in which to move from one hous
to another, But the dcCtor's orders wer,
imperative, 1t was absolutely neCeaasr!
that my wife, who had long been battling
with serious illness, should enjoy tn
advantages Of a climate somewhat warme
than that OF New York, aud yet not 81
far south as to be eneIvRtlng, DR., An
drews suggested a quiet spot in a SECLUDED
valley where the surrounding hills woult
shut out the bleak winter wind, and thu
enable Minnie to regain her lost strength
The doctor, Rs 1t happened, knew a place
exactly suited to cur requirements, l
had been the home Of his own boyhood
and late in the autumn he and I visitec
1t to see il we could find an unoCcupiet
dwelling Of which to takO immediate pos
session.
On inquiry, fortune Ogain favored me
A large edftlce, firmly buIltot gray stone
was at that time vacant, II was sltuateC
beyond the confines Of tho village, Low
down in deep hollow, and attached 10 Il
was q spacious park, Toe real estate agen!
70 whom we addressed ourselves informed
US that the present owner OF the estate
was travelling in the East, and would be
too glad to secure q reliable tenant for 9
few months. DR.. Andrews was perfectly
familiar with the establishment. IL
former proprietor, a man named Mayhem,
had been o personal friend oil his, We
inspected this house together, and finding
1t admirably adapted TO my taste, | rented
It at once. Not being willing to go there,
however, without proper medical attend,
sncs for my wife, and having ascertained
that no physician Of note resided in the
neighboEhood, requested DR.. Andrews
to accompany us to our new abode and
remain there at any rate until alter the
holidays. To this he readily consented,
and a lew days before Christmas we and
our servants were comfortably installed in
the stone house.
On the second floor was q lofty apart
meut stilly psnelled In oak intersected
with heavy moldinga. We had selected
this particular room for q coSy sanctum
in which to read and converse. Il more
over communicated with my wife's bed
chamber, and the doctor and as We cal
beside the ire in the evening, could be
on hand In case the invalid required at
tention,
We were seator thus on Christmas eve
The door leading 10 Minnie's apartment
was alsr and we could hear at intervals
die monotonous tones Of Lucy, the maid
who was reading aloud 10 her mistreRs
Andrews aud smoked and ohatted, q
was our custom. The day had been In
clement, predicting, we feared, astorn
for the morrow.
For a short space the doctor and had
la2ed into the fro without speaking
Presently he aaid deliberately,
"0i course you know that old Mayhem
was murdered, or supposed 10 be?"
"You mean the uncle OF the presen
owner Of this placer No, have hearC
nothing Of the kind"
"WeII, it happenelBeyer years ago
one OF those mysterious incidents tina
seem deatined never to come 10 light
mysterious crimes, l might say; for al
thou0h there WAS no actual evidence forth
coming to show that Mayhem was tn
victim OF foul play, his unaccountable dis
appearance naturally limited at murder
lie was man Of tina most regular habits
and was living here'alone OF the time. o.
certain day, he ate his dinner as usual
came upstairs to this very room and wa
never seen again alive or dead. One o
the servants, o Chambermaid, pasainl
through tho hall late In the evening
thought she heard noise here. But shl
was unable to describe what sort OF noisl
| 1t was or whence II may have proceeded
The old man had q nephew to whom th'
property, after the death Of Mrs. Mayhem
had been willed. Suspicion attached 1t
seli to the young fellow and he was arrest
ed. He proved an alibi, but in spite Of |
public opinion has always been agains
him. myself thoroughly believed him Il
DO his unCle's murderer.
The doctor leaned forward to poke tn
~ hope" I said with pretended anxiety
you are not going to inform me that thi
house Is haunted"
INo," replied the doctor smiling, "no
| to my knowledge, at any rate"
'lshould like nothing better than 7
commune with ghosts" resumed
"But II you value your peace oil mind
Andrews, / advise you 10 say nothing I
Minnie Of what you have just told me-"
Hardly had these words escaped m
when the ringing Of bell In the roof
startled US. There was something 9
weird and uncanny in the sound that th
doctor and regarded each other
Trembling Arrangement. The fact that "
could see the bell shaking and tinklin
high up in q corner Of the oaken wsinsct
| did not add TO our Composnre. II was
bell Of the ordinary shape, hung on q THO
wire and cleaning In the semi.obscurit
with an irrldescent golden hue, hR
often noticed II before and had even n
marked to the doctor that II was a quee
gort OF bell and In an odd place, He sol
Iit had been put there by old Mr.. Maybe
for the convenience OF his wife, who ha
died several months before bis disappear
ance. She had occupied the room MOI
used by Minnie, and our present aittln
room had belonged 10 her maid.
When ! had recovered partially fror
Imy astoniBhment Of hearing the bell liz
glc, my first impalse was TO advance
| nv wife's door aud look In. She wa
living on couch beneath tho Chandelie
with Lucy stlll OF her side. Both wer
VlanOing toward me az entered.
"What bell was that, Charles, aud VIII
rang E7n asked Minnie.
nThat 10 what l came 10 aud out"
answered, "Blnce II was the bell In Ii
next room and can only DO rung tror
here"
''But neither Lucy nor l rang H." cal
my vile perplexed.
"Yet The handle OF the bell ls here
Mrs, Levitt" remarked the doctor, wh
had followed close behind me. "Ii6ten I
He advanced 70 the wall and pulled th
handle vigorously. Instantly We hear
the clear tones Of the golden bell, bu
this time tho peal was more iofCible an
Iesounding, and being also the nature
effect OF q natural cause, did not alarm ii
No sooner, however did the doctor NOV
away from tho wall than tho jerky fair
tones were waited In anew from tie Of
ting room. This pfotcsdtie and eniRmAt