Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1886-10-28
A Midnight Spectre.

A Midnight Spectre.
At the age Of twentysix | went to
live in Il graveyard, and I offer this
circumstance as proof that | was not
Il nervous or superstitious person.-
Had | been either, | would have &C.
ected a less grue- some dwelling
place.
l do not pretend that I preferred Il
graveyard to any other place Of resi-
dencc. On the contrary, if | had been
questioned on the subject, | would
have said that cemetery was Il good
enough place for dead man, but it
was not good enough for a live one;
nevertheless there were considerations
strong enough to induce me to 90 there
to live.
knew the sexton t. the village
church. This man and his good wife
lived in a cottage in the cemetery,
and they suggested that | should have
my board and lodgings under their
roof. | was a young barrister then,
without much practice or income, and
was obliged to economize. owned
very large library, and required more
room than the hall bedroom that is the
usual habitatlon of the "single gentle
man in lodging houses, The sexton
offered me two roomy apartments and
my board at so low ii figure that | was
glad to accept his terms.
had an almost Overwhelming de
sire to save money. Not that was
naturally pcnnrious, but | had a strong
incentive in Miss Ethel Hartley. |
had been engaged to Miss Hartley for
many months, but had not Vet been
able to offer her home. All Of my
energies We're devoted to one ob ]ect--
i, G., to earning a home for the woman
who was to be my wife. | reflected
that my cheap lodgings would help me
to accomplish this object, and would
have cheertully consented to live IN 3
charnel house, if by SO doing could
have FASTENED my wedding day.
It was the sexton's duty to dig the
graves, to keep the grounds in order,
and to protect them from vandalism.
In order to facilitate his labors his cot
tage had been built in the middle Of
the cemetery, and was Oh little knoll,
from which lie could command view
, of the surrounding premises. 1t was
built Of gray stone, and externally was
50 like mousoeum that it would be
difficult to distinguish the one from
the other. 1t was certainly not 9
cheerful place, and the vaults and
graves about it gave it An air of lone
some solemnity that | will not attempt
to describe.
| had a suspicion that Ethel would
disapprove of my removal to the SEX
ton cottage, so did not mention the
matter to her until all my arrangements
had been made. ] did not wish to be
persuaded to abandon it.
The sex ton had assured me that |
would find his "a nice, quiet place,
where | could read and study without
being disturbed by any noise of any
visits from my neighbours He made an
effort to be jocese, and assured me that
| would find EN- heap less trouble
some than any other neighbours
was indispo3ed to be critical Of my
new quarters. My rooms We're large,
clean and airy, my food was abundant
and wholesome, and mine host aud
hostess were thoroughly respectabe.-
But there was one thing about the cot
tage that | seriously dlsliked, aud that
was its name. | do not mean its repu-
tation, for that WAS above reproach;
but it had been named, Death LODGE
| cannot imagine why this name had
been given to the only place in the
cemetery where Death was rot present
and where living creatures existed.
As | had feared, Miss Hartley dis
approved Of the change | had made in
my lodgings, lrecited all the advan~
tages to b. derived from it, but she
could not be convinced of the advisa.
blllty of such Il move.
"Your sexton is not the on y aspect
able person who takes charge Of lodges
she insisted, when gave his good char
4ctcr as one Of the reasons Why had
entered hI5 hon c, ''There arc Other