The Penn's Grove record., 1886-01-30
. TWELFTH.NIGHT ADVENTURE.

It was a bitter night in December
when Charley and l travelled down to
Yorkshire; but we forgot all the dis
comforts Of the journey when we reach
ed Doyerscourt Manor and received
a warm welcome from Amy and her
husband, from whom we had received
an invitation to spend Christmas there.
NV sister was the picture of happi-
ness; her face told such a tale OF con-
tent that it was quite unnecessary TO
question her on the subject.
The chief staircase went up from the
hall. and opened on to a corridor which
branched off in two directions and led
to the principal bedrooms. Some OF
these chambers were reached by extra
little flights of stairs, which were rather
perplexing until one knew ones way
about the house.
One morning my br0ther-ln-law sug,
gested that we should explore the west
ern wing, the abode of the family ghost
The rooms there were small, loW-pltch-
ed. and almost bare of furniture, In
one of them stood a large old-fashioned
wardrobe filed with treasures in the
way of dresses and dress-materials.
There were satins and rich brocades
and beautiful old lace. The dresses
had formed the rousseau OF the family
ghost whose story we asked the Old
housekeeper to tell.
The legend was as follows; a niece
of the head of the house at the time OF
Cromwell's triumph was engaged to a
royalist of high degree, but the dam
sci loved a Roundhead officer, with
whom she would have eloped but for
their want Of funds. One day the girl
discovered a secret which her uncle be-
lieved was carefully guarded. This
was that the King was i'll hiding III a
secret chamber in D~overscourt Manor.
The girl knew how high a price was
set upon the head of the fugitive, and
conceived the idea of obtaining tie
money for her lover by betraying the
king into his hands. She made all her
plans, and on the appointed night let
her lover In at the door of the cellar
opening from ''the wilderness" To-
gether they wentto the secret chamber.
The girl unlocked the door, and the
inmate of the room turned round in
stantly upon his intruders, revealing
the face of the master of the house.
He had been warned that t~reachery was
afoot, and had quietly removed his
royal guest to a place OF safety, ana
himself occupied the secret room IN
order to discover the traitor. In his
rage at his nlece's base ingratitude he
turned her out of doors. The next day
she was found in the grounds, stabbed
by the ruthless hand of her pretended
lover in his fury at the failure OF the
wicked scheme. The miserable girl
arrayed as on the night OF her CRIME,
in a white dress and veil, and carrying
a lamp and a bunch of keys, was said to
haunt the western wing and staircase.
So firmly did the servants believe III
the apparition that hone of them ever
approached that wing after dark.
X
That winter was very severe, and
the gentlemen spent much of Their
time in skating. In the meantime Amy
and l were very happy together, md
ing full and pleasant occupation IN pre-
pairing a Christmas-tree for Christmas
Eve for the benefit Of the servants and
villagers. We also accomplished won-
ders in the way of warm garments,
helped by old nurse and Amy's maid
with her sewing-machine. We worked
very hard, but were amply rewarded
for our exertiOns when the evening
came, and we saw the general delight
cal ed by our presents. h,
The hall was prettily decorated, and
Amy and | donned gorgeous array,
/ aware that this would be considered a
! great compliment, and would give
pleasure to those who had few oppor,
tunities of seeing handsome dresses,
''The treen was followed by a dance III
the hall and a capital supper. Among
the servants | noticed particularly one
who had not been long at Doverscourt,
where she filed the postof under-house-
maid. 1 never could say why my at
tention was specially attracted to her,
for, beyond the fact of her appearing
somewhat sickly, there was nothing
noticeable about her. Afterwards | re-
membered how persistently she hao
stared at Amy, who vas a lovely pic
ture in sapphire velvet and diamonds,
Several times | caught the girls eyes
when she had been gazing az her mis-.
tress, and the idea crossed my mine
that she was fascinated by the CLEAN
of the diamonds. the like of which she
had probably never seen before.
We spent Christmas day very quietly
We went to church in the morning
and. we only had one guest at dinner.
Doctor Patterson, who, having missed
Amy at church, had called to inquir'
after her. He was a childless wldoweI
and consequently lonely, so it was moi
a difficult matter to persuade him t
Join our party. That was u first IN
PRODUCTION to each other. and, as Wa