The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-12-31
Gae gntdItqeacfr.
oalesl No.. Is nd q roar.senh slrsst.
ANTOINE MOREALI.
A Tale of Other Days, by Chri,tophsr IL. p
.EPWorth.
[Copyrlght, ia3j, py 5. 5, NcLule,I

that led up to the door Of my new home,
when | sliShted from my horse at the
gate, and looked around mo, It was 9
small dark cottage, with plantation Of
tir trees bshind it, and four crossroads
meeting just in iroat. At the junction OF
.hcse ToAda a stone CEogs was planted,
which mad evidently been standing for
nsny years, as it was oYergrown with
moss and lichsn, and on one Of the arms a
robin had build her nest"
looked upin establishment, The house
OF which the writer spoke, was my tenn
porary homeland there, just beyond the
gate, were the four crOss-toadF, the stone
csOss, and some remains OF the robins
nesI, still swinging in the breeze !
What did it mean2
'S0me strange tauCies took possession oil
my mind Us gsZod around and noted this
popularity in the landscape Attic cross.
ing Of four roads, | had always been told
n my childhood, II was customary to
bury the criminals who had suffered the
full Iigor Of the law, 1t seemed that
could imagine, lar down beneath tnat
cross, the form OF u dead man, with u
sake thrust through bic heart. When !
esned over the gaze aud cav long ana
dalroW mound az its foot, was certain
dat 1t was 50, though, vt the same time,
common Renge taught me 10 the contrary,
aud MAIDS me- smile AZ my folly"
| laid down tue paper and looked out at
he RIone CTosg, pha daisies we're growing
hlckly all around il, but at It's loot they
seemed spIingIng from trenCh-theii
eada were lower than those around them
went cut bOldiy-iOr the afternoon sun
EGs shining in the sky-and gathered
lOme from each place, The stems were
like in length. This irTegularty, there.
fore, must proceed from some other cause
and that, Iho sinking Of the grave where
hoIght Of hin then with the stake driven
through his heart. came back and
oegan to read sgain.
"But was not 10 be driven from my
purpose bya grave, ! had entered that
solitude IN search Ot peaCe--and In the
ow.roo!ed CottaSe before me 1t might be
iound. uniasteDed the gate, wondering
as did 20, Nhose fingers had touched 1t
as;, End went up through tho tall grass to
The huuac. The door was fastened with u
,usty paddock, Of which had the key. Il
cleaEed diemally as entered, and the
hresbolh, sloping suddenly downward,
sent me headlong into the room. A thou.
ana pchots sounded through the old
house 90 fell upon one knee.
"When the noise and dust had subsidized, |
| struck a match, liglted email pocket
aper which lcarried with me, and looked |
around. The room in which l stood was
large and gloomy The walls were pam
eled, and painted dark green tho case
menus were shattered the door loose and
CreAkipg beneath my Step, aud the air full
4 floating oo6.webs, that hung from thu
walls and ceilings, sWaylDg about with
every breath Of wind. Several large rate
ran scro,s tho floor as stood there; a
great toad sat close In the corner, blinking
At the light, and fat, blosted spider, fell
from the ceiling upon my goat. brushed
him of with + ghudder, and passed into
the next ROOM"
looked over my shoulder. Yes, the
E,iter had dCgcrlbed the roon faithfully.
" wgs he zane now, though the rats aud
tliv toad were gone, aud ttu nplutrH weO
mad been bruahed away. But III the inner
,uom-tho room WHICH had chosen as
ny fAvorite nook for reading and study
what would no discover there2
at WNs much smaller than tha other
lighter and more cheerful. Through the
broken easements came the perfume Of
the red roses which grew outside, and the
moonlight fell in broken patches on the
n1or, This room was also paneled, but II
waa painted prettily-gome like delicate
tint, that was more liko dOys color than
anything else can call to mind, while the
floor looked like clean green marble. In
this room inund the few articles Of fur
niture which bad oIdered-a table, some
chairs, a stove, q bookcase, Rnd my writ.
inc deck. flung myself down in an ecey
chair that stood by the window, and in
hnled the ireGranGs OF tile roses while
surveyed my new domain.
suddenly my eyes CHANGED upon an
object which made me start and cit up
right In my chair. My little tapor was
burning on the table opposite me, anc
above fright above it-R face seemed
growing out Of the panel to confront me
A dark, Bvarthy Italian face, with long,
snaky locks Of black hair falliug around
tho hollow cheeks, with piercing, evil
black eyes, that Beemed tolook me through
and through. A dull rod glow seemed to
nervade the whole face, as Il fire was kin.
died behind it-snd through the ltpu, bali
parted in Rsrdonicsm ilb, Isaw the CLEAN
Of white, wOlii.h teeth, 81 arp and regular,
"kor i moment sat mOtlOhlesG, and
heard my own heart beat. Then | mus
tered Couraged to take up the lamp aud
pezs at tho thing still nearer. Pshaw II
was only q picture, painted on the panel,
and tho dull, red glow wps owing to SEINE
arrange fancy OIL. the artist. lie lad made
the background both lurid and murky,
and iue DHIe face stood ont from II In bold
Ireliei. / Giehed a sRh d insfsble relief,
when found Whist II really wac, and went
out to care for my horse, who began to
Ineiah epl stamp impSHently. tgaw him
IsaielybebtOTed for the night, aud coming
back found my own bulall cot placed In o
bedroom which opened out Of that which
contained ths picture, and which dIgni.
fed With the name OF study:
at VAS rot lGto when l extinguished
my taper and laid down to slsep-hut the
moon had mounted high In the heRyOne
before had closed my eyes. ] had never
Thought myself fAnCilul or imaginative |
man my nUryVn, had always supposed,
were proof againbt oil danger, seen or I'm.
spen--yet come strange preBenLiment
haunted nc, aud that face was close beside
ne all tho time. 10 me II seemed as the
lsce Of o hend.
II do not know that should have slept |
till daybreRd had II not been for neigh |
from my horse, who always seem reStlesS
Strange az II may seem, that sOothed me
With 4 sense Of companionshlp and safety |
I-Rnh found the response 80 much |
neeied.n
Tho picture Of tho Italian face had
never been removed from tho pansl on |
which II was painted, got up from my
seat In the open door, llor 40 the story |
progressed dare not read Il In tho hou'e),
and went In To- look at II. Many timO
had II startled me, but never 60 mitch NJ
then. A new eSpfeSgion seemed stamped
upon the iaCe--the lufid glow deepehed
aaI JaSknNad md Tho Ihin lIt,h atrilpd