Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-08-23
HALLECK DUBEAUX's INHERITANCE.
A Ghost story of the Connecticut Valley
Mass. Republican.

nOG long past, 1CuLo MISS %. anna MAIL
ming and her sister, MISS Lillian 3. Man
ming, settled in their rev home. Bat
their neg home was the Oldest of those
gambrel rooted houses that Vouch for
the antiquity of the New England village
OF GleDfeld. Ii has fascinated these birds
of passage, 'Ihe Manning sisters" las
they were collectively called) when they
were summer boarders in the old town
during the previous season. Resolving
to be no longer either summer or winter
boarders; they had bought the old house.
So this October evening found them rest
ing at last, beneath their "Summer-tree,
in what Miss Lillian B. chose to call, after
past Now England fashion, 'the living
room" The Pickering light of the open
fire, glancing over the polished andlrOns
and broad stone hearth, showing g room
with deep window seats and finally panel
ed Wainscoting. It showed also the sen
sible face Of Miss @. Anna Manning; a
woman of about 50, who wore her brown
hair combed smoothly and shiningly
back and her brown dress with smooth
and shining Iinin, at neck and waist. She
was leaning back IN an easy chair regard
ing me dltatIvely figure on the rug at
her feet. This Gid not belong to the
Indian rug, but TO Miss Lillian B. and was
extended IN the attitude of Correggio's
"ReadiIg Magdalen."
Miss Lillian was something Of an artist
herself, she had studied in Europe. Yet it
must be confessed that she attained her
greatest artistic success in draping and
posing her own pretty figure. This eve
ming she wore gown OF soft, yellowlsh
silk with a bit of rose-cOlor and rich old
lace at her dainty neck and wrists, and
the fire-hght might we'll revel in touching
her golden hair. she had been told by q
lover of hers, rather poor aud clever
New York artist named Halleck Dabeaux,
that this hair OF hers had been made TO
ensnare the wandering sunbeams. Miss
lillian had saucily asked if he meant to
refer to himself as sunbeam; for Halleck
DnbeauX had long since admitted himself
ensnared.
TO-night che was questioning herself
seriously. She had known Halleck Du-
beauz "slaays" Could their friendshi p
become more perfect? In the past sum
mer's sketching days, Haileck had again
asked such question, which twice before
she had put off answering. He begged
her to answer 1t before he should leave
for his winter in Paris. She at last found
it worth thought, and was looking pensive
and very loyable, when Miss @. Anna sud
denly exclaimed, as though she had re-
ceived o reAelation all at once:-
sect right up from the floor Lillian!
You will take deathly cold. We must
remember that country floors with coun-
try cellars under them are not city floors
with Easements below"
Miss Lillian assumed q sitting posture
straightway, remarking in an astouished
tone:-
Goodness, Nan! Won't you please
mention it, the next time you are about to
speak in that way? The mental shock
caused by your late remark has dislocate&
my cerebellUmw
"But you must remember that country
floors are not city foors," reiterated her
sister seriously.
"My beloved Man," replied the young
lady addressed, rising and gestioulatiEg
dramatically, do not know the superior
ity of country floors over those of any
city, DO they on Back Bay or by the way
of Naples? Have we not sought fer years
a floor-with a ROOF over it, of course-in
a position that should combine the Pic
turesque aud the EeonomicalY This We
have found in the country; and it has a
Manning" she continued, seating herself
on her sisters knee, THAT we don't find
fault with anything here. We only do
that about what never was here; par
exempIe-ihat ancestors that didn't have
the good taste tu settle in sixteen-some-
thing or other, and build this house for
Us, / is defendants. it wasn't thoughtful
of him, Nan. Is pains me that he could
boxa haar, - in
CAS-" interposed the elder sister, gently
cit sometimes troubles me that his de +.
soendant inherited his perversity."
Miss Lillian made a mouth and ex-
claimed; "If you are cruel I'll GO and be
come q ghost! Now, we may be glad to
adopt this plan, for it would seem more
like an ancestral mansion, if we co 10
get family ghost. You could play 'the
last leaf on the tree for the benefit CT
friends all day, and l would rattle about
the little attic chamber for their amuse
ment at night"
"Bad child!-that reminds me, your
speaking of the attic,-I brought down
those queer looking shoes we found there.
The are at the top of the cellar stairs.
Ii you want them for your studio Maria
oan brush"
mark, for her sister interrupted with
BRUSH them, my dear! I should as soon
th.ak of advising that lovely old man
met to-day to dye his white hair and
beard. l didn't tell yon about him did L?
He is M. Hilder, the antiquary, of whom
we heard last summer. | am going to sse
him tomorrow. He knows about this
house aud everything old. Perhaps he
can bring ghost to light for us-or 30
dark, IL IFS ghostship prefers. 1 shall
try 70 find out something about those
shoes. A gentleman wore them-one
sees that by the shape and size. 1 wish
their pointed toes would point TO legend
about the house,
"At any rate the clock is pointing to
oed time" remarked Miss G. Anna:
"Comer'
The two covered the embers, Miss
Lillian first lighting q candle which stood
IN an old-fashioned candle stick on the
mantle tree, although the moon made
this smaller lig hit saperfdous.
Without the broad street where the e!ms
we're swaying their graceful arms in the
rising wind, was lying IN silence. Lights
shone no longer from the opposite house.
Miss Lillian paused g moment by one deep
window, taking her sisters hand in hers.
and whispering half in sport, yet silenced
by the stiffness without and within the
house:-
Cannot you imagine the Puritan
wetchman coming down, past the church,
his bayonet catching the moon beams on
Its poiEt? If I should stay here till II
l know that he would come-not he but
but his-you know what, Nan; one doesn't
like to say it, when the freight is gone
lyon absurd girl?" responded her sister
TO look at your eyes one would believe
you to be In earnest, and two minutes age
you were talking very fiippantIy aboui