The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-07-07
THE HAUNTED CORRIDOR.

Il don't believe word of itr' said
Aunt Rebecca.
The wine-like glow of sunset yet illu-
mined the great bay window; but the
rest of the apartment was already en-
shrouded in the gray shadows of twi-
light, in whose misty indistinctness the
huge chairs of carved oak looked like
gigantic monsters from some foreign
shore. From the walls frowned down
dark old family portraits. and the crim-
son hangings above the arched doors
waved restlessly back through the vast
corridor
Il don't believe a word of it, repeat
ed Aunt Rebecca, with more emphasis
than before. a ghost story indeedr'
Tell me about it, Violet" said Young
Hazelwood, to whom the deep bay win
dow, with its far-off prospect of snowy
hills, veiled in gathering twilight, to
say nothing of pretty Violet Orme's
close vieinage. We're infinitely more at
tractive than the more modern regions
of Alnwick Place.
lit is not much of story" said Vio-
let, flushing up to her very eyelashes at
the sound of her own soft voice, "only
years ago, long before my great grand
papa built this house, the site was all
one unbroken wood, and there was
tradition that beautiful girl was mur-
dered by her lover. Her grave, they
said, was beneath the foundations of
this house; but l scarcely credit this part
of the legend.
'.Of course not" interrupted Miss Re-
becca. with a toss of her false curls. 81
have no patience with the relics of old
superstition.
what are you looking for aunt?
Have you dropped anything? Shall /
call for Harris to bring candle?" ask
ed Violet, moment afterward, coming
to her aunt's side.
Nothing, nothing" said Miss Re-
becca, with little embarrassment in
her voice. ''Come-don't stay here anv
longer in the biting cold, unless YOU
both want a weeks medicine and doc
tors visits
''lt is not cold, Aunt Rebecca," plead
ed Violet land the starlight is so beau
uful on the stone pavement. just let
us wait until that fiery planet mounts
little higher"
But a peremptory summons from
Colonel Orme himself, who had lust
walked from comfortable nap beside
the glowing fire in the library, to sort
of vague wonder us to where Rebecca
and the young people could possibly
be, speedily settled the matter.
.Never mind, Violet" whispered
Charles Hazelwood; "by and by, when
your father mas gone to his room and
Aunt Rebecca is busy with her curl pa
pers in her own special dormitory, we
can have a starlight stroll through the
ghosts territory
Violet gave him an arch glance as
she tripped after Aunt Rebecca into the
hall which led to Colonel Orme's brill
iantly lighted library.
II wish Captain Hazelwood wouldn't
remain out there" said Aunt Rebecca,
anxiously He will catch his death of
cold; and besides
Besides what. Aunt Rebecca?n
Violet" said the maiden lady, Il
wish you would go down and see if the
housekeeper has prepared that posset
for my sore throat. that's good girl.
think | shall go to bed.
Violet went to execute her aunt's be-
hests.
How peacefully the distant hills and
valleys slept in their snowy mantles that
glorious December night. 1t reminded
one of lovely painting executed with
brushes dipped in liquid pearl, and
shaded with pencils of glimmering sill
yer.
At least, so they seemed to Charles
Hazelwood as he stood in The deep re-
cess of the gigantic bay-window, nearly
Il I.x-f ha ho f,1 a1
dor of whose tarnished embroidery car
red the mind unconsciously a century
backward on the stream of time. But
then Charles Hazelwood was in love.
The tall, old-fashioned clock in the
hall was striking u, and the colony of
crickets under the hearthstone were fall
ing into dreamy, sleepy sort of chirp.
as if their small lungs were fairly weari-
ed out, when Aunt Rebecca emerged
from her door. treading on tiptoe and
carrying dim light in her hand.
Now. Aunt Rebecca, in nodding false
curls, lace couture, and eighteen-year-
old style of dress, was very different
sort of parsonage from Aunt Rebecca
with her head tied up in silk handker-
chief, her false curls laid aside, and a
long, white dressing robe enveloping
her lank figure, and the latter was by
no means the more progressing of the
two.
Probably some such con seiousness
swept across the good spinster's brain,
for she shuffied with accelerated rapidi-
ty past the solemn eyes of the grave old
family portraits on the wall.
Il am sure / dropped them some
where here, " she murmured. passing in
front of the bay-window. How pro-
voking. There goes my candle out.
But believe can find them. however;
the starlight is so bright. Mercy upon
Us! What is that? The ghost-the
gaostr' And Aunt Rebecca fed skriek-
ing down the corridor, her hands clap
ped over her eyes. before which was inn
printed the appalling vision of tall
figure sweeping past, all in white. with
a crimson stain at its paliid throat
The house was aroused into instan-
taneous commotion; lights flashed into
brightness at the various doors, and an
eager circle of inquirers surrounded
Aunt Rebecca, who evinced strong
symptoms of an intention TO go into
Mysteries.
at glided past me like gust of
windr she shrieked. replying at hazard
to the questions rained down upon her:
..all in white. with that dreadful mark
of blood upon its throat. It's a warn
ing-I know its a warning that |
haven't long to live, Oh, what shall
do-what shall l do?n
..But 1 don't understand what you
were doing out in the Ghosts Corridor
at this time of the night interrupted
u ~ ~ l.