The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-09-17

lDRS on the WlnuOWs were OF crimson,
and added to the warmth On the
wall we're pictures, and vast screen,
painted with many foreign devices,
stood near the fireplace.
Then Joseph led me to a room ad-
joining with padded furniture and a
bed heavily draped.
"'IIow is it that have never seen
these rooms before Z
"The truth is Joseph said, they
were not IN fit condition until | and
my wife set about cleansing them and
preparing them as you see.'
"'And what is your design ?"
Master Herbert, here you can be
in great comfort, now that the weather
is cold and stormy, and the bitter wind
and the roaring of the sea will not
reach you.
"'Good fellow said !, you are very
kind. | will take possession of them
at once
"After this l sat up often late, but
no more noises or spectres alarmed me,
and so the change pleased me vastly.
What books l needed got from the
library by day, and to say sooth, was
not sorry to be rid of that place for
time.
"About the end of March | had
come, IN my reading, across a quota
| ton from Thomas a Kempis, which it
seemed to me, was a false one, and |
was restless to verify or correct it.
The book was in the library, and it
was on the stroke of IL nevertheless,
| resolved to take my light and go for
the volume.
81 had crossed the hall and was
turning into the corridor which led to
the library when light flashed at the
door of that mysterious room. step
ped back and withdrew under the stair
way. Presently heard footstep
and saw light dancing and Pickering
on its way from the library. Then
there came from the corridor land evi.
IDENTIFY from the library clad in the
garb of Captain in His Majestys
navy and bearing a lamp, the spectre
of ny dead brother George.
81 was spellbound The spectre
passed toward the kitchen and vanish
ed. While wondering and trying to
recover my presence of mind, a light
flickered in the rear, and soon the
spectre of my dead brother reappeared,
bearing the light i'll one hand and in
the other-an enormous beef pie The
spectre went down and disappeared in
my library.
"This thing as 1 SAID before, set me
thinking. Did ghosts suffer hunger7
Did spec,res eat beef pie Did dis
embodied spirits need candles to see
by?
"The next morning l sent Joseph on
an errand. When he was gone l went
to his pantry and searched it well.
Hidden away in an old trunk l found
a bunch of large keys. l went round
carefully by the front of the house and
tried these keys on the door of the
cellar. found a key that fitted the
lock. Down ten steps and another
door, which none of the keys would fit.
felt over it and found that there was
grating foot and half square in
the upper part.
AT midnight | went once more to
the cellar door and opened it. AS l
did so saw light shining through
the bars already described and heard
voices, many and loud. | had no
fears, for knew they were voices of
this world, and moreover l plainly
smellcd the worldly odors of gin and
tobacco"
81 peered in at the grating. Thirty
roughly clad men sat at huge table,
on which stood black TASKS and glasses
and candles burning dimly in the
nozzles of empty bottles. The men
were smoking, drinking and talking
loudly, and at the head of the table,
dressed in the garb OF a Captain in
His Majestys navy, sat my dead broth
er, George.
81 was staggered and cold shudder
past over me. Just then my dead
brother George thumped the table
with his lett hand, as he had thumped
the table in my library.
"Silence ! he cried in gruff tone.
I'm going to sing "Mollie Jones'"
81 lost my presence of mind, and
sorely distressed to see such reckless
levity in ghost for the old super
stition had once more seized me), | put
my face close to the grating and cried:
$50, George, George how can You
be so wicked ?"
SIN an instant the lights vanished
and there was absolutely silence. l
hastily crept up the steps. closed the
door and locked it, and made all speed
to my apartments.
"As | lay in bed | had strange
thoughts, but before | fell asleep ! had
made mp my mind what to do. After
breakfast next morning, / said to
Joseph
"I'm going to visit the cellar of the
hall, and | wish you to accompany
me-
"He appeared thpaderstruck. AT
length he recoverea his self-possession
and said:
"Master Herbert, you are not strong,
and IT, cellars have not been opened
fe- years, They are not clean, and the
1odors may oYerpower you"
IF they are not Clean" replied,
''let us know it as soon as possible and
have them purified"
"But don't know where the keys
are" said Joseph,
"We will hunt them up"
81 went into my bedroom and pro-
duced the keys of the cellars. Joseph's
eyes almost started from their sockets.
Come" said !, "let us see what we
can do"
"Joseph offered no further objection
and followed me in silence. Taking a
lamp went first to the cellar under
the right wing, for there my interest
chiefly rested. Joseph was evidently
astonished at the ease with which the
door opened. On entering, there stood
the rough table As had seen it through
the grating. On it were black TASKS
and pipes and glasses. Along the
sides of the cellars were arranged
scores of small kegs. evidently fnll