Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-09-15
UNCLE HUGH'S SECRET.


.nu oppressive, and wearied almost beyond en-.
ouIahce. III Uncle Hugh had had his way, every
VISITOR 70 Mount Graham would have come all the
way oy carriage, but fortunately it was beyond
even MS power TO enforce that What he could
uo ne mao done, however. Several years before
mere had been a prospect OF having a railway
sta'ion within ten miles OF the place The very
Idea made Uncle Hugh frantic. Tooth and nail
ne fought IL, and, alas, was successful The rail-
way was turned aside, and though the struggle
had LETT him Strengthened In circumstances almos
impoverished, do not believe that he had ever
felt one regret
As the carriage swayed and jolted along. and
the old coachman nodded on his box with full
faith in the tlme-tried fidelity OF his fat horses
tried 10 oeguile the tedum OF the way by recalling
the Incidents OF the one summer which had spent
with Uncle Hugh In my childhood.
Mount Graham was quaint, old-fashioned
place. built long before the Revolution. and the
queer stories which were told about IL had been
the romance OF my childhood. or course it was
peopled by ghosts OF every shape and hue. There
must have been regular colony OF ghosts, for
there was one devoted 10 every spot In the house
from cellar 70 attic. There was the spectral car
rage, which Was heard but never seen, TO stop at
the 'front.' doc In the middle OF the night. A
British oricer 3Alnted one bedroom, and a White
LADY another. ~ would be interesting TO know
whether they ever met and upon what terms they
were In privately Black Nancy held possession
OF the garnet, where she sill groaned and clanked
her chains as she had done a hundred years be-
q
and negroes stalked promiscuously through the
passages, for both Indians and negroes mad played
a part In the early history or the house. IL
was before the Revolution, when the country was
still an unbrOken forest, that old Colonel Graham
conceived the Idea OF building homestead here
he went himself TO select a SITE and lett gang OF
black men behind him, with provisions enough 10
last through the summer and autumn But, alas!
the winter came down that year with unprece-
dented suddenness and severity shutting In the
poor black men TO what seemed certain death.
The cruel cold banned ali efrorts and the negroes
were, perforce, lett to their fate. In the spring
col Graham went TO the scene OF the tragedy. lie
had expected 10 hear only the moan OF the forest
and the dash or the waterfall He heard these,
indeed, but mingled with them were the ring of
hammers and the elamor OF cheerful voices He
had expected 10 md ten moldering skeletons,
perhaps with the mark OF the cruel tomahaWk
and Jollest darkteS that his eyes had ever rested
upon Instead OF nghting the Indians they had
fraterniZed with them, and as soon as the weather
allowed red and black men together went cheer
fully TO work upon the new house. And that was
why ghostly negroes and Indians stalked anicably
through hall and corridor.
The house was plain one enough-a long, low,
rambling building. with plaza whose roof ex-
fully shaded with grape-vlneS and trumpet-creep-
ers- Inside all was queer and cramped, according
10 our modern ideas. The rooms were tiny, and
opened oddly out OF each other by narrow folding
doors The ceilings were low, some plain others
crossed by huge beams There were deep cush-
Toned window seats In the Small-paned windows,
which still bore upon their faithful transparent
breasts the name OF by-gOne bellies Miss Polly
and Miss Betty" had been dust for many a long
year, but the names which their admirers had
scratched upon the fragile glass were as fresh as
the day they were cut And there was not
decent closet In the house. That, OF course, was
quite absurd, but L ncle Hugh never could be made
10 see IL.
at served my fathers, and It will serve me-, he
slightest alteration.
The furniture suited the house. There were
great harcloth-covered sofas with frames OF solid
mahogany, some with brass trimmings Others Gu
rlously carved into the form or scaly dragons.
There were bureaus with claw feet and brass han-
dies on the drawers. and great clumsy 1our-post
bedsteadS with heavily carved legs and shrouding
curtains The tallest man could not open the up
per drawers OF the bureaus or step into the beds
unaided- Therefore step-ladders were provided,
small Dut massive mahogany affairs, beatty car
peted, and made to serve a double purpose as the
top lifted up and showed a receptacle for night
Clothes There were stir-backed chairs and spin
dle-legged tables, tall slender cande-stands, and
faded satin bags suspended beneath, and all the
rest OF the odd old furniture, which In these days
would Set collector mad with longing, but at
which We privately turned up scornful noses
Ihere was not much fault 10 be found with the
garden, Tor all it was prim and old-fashoned
sy. Never were lines and catalpas so fragrant as
those which oyerhung IT. Never were there such
beds OF nllies-of-the-valley and vioets and peri
Wrinkle as grew 1T their feet In June it was a
true garden OF delights, when the catalpa show
cred It's delicate, tea-like fragrance from all its
vl0let-veined bells, and the lines ralned scent
from their golden tassels. and the roses made the
place glow with their splendor, as they rioted
sweet-william and mignOnette, holly hooks stately
and tall, dusky waIi-fowers, purple pansies STOCK
gllles and all the rest OF the dear Old floral
friends No modern plants were ever allowed In
Uncle Hugns domain. .
There was one spot which always excited our
curiosity IL lay exactly In the center OF gar
den, and eQualed In space four or nve OF the
hover beds For years no spade had touched IL,
and IL was a mere tangle OF weeds In curious con,
trast with the rest OF the trimly-kept uarden.
Every one wondered about II, OF course A few
were even bold enough 10 ask questions but met
"a AZ mr. hast .ltr.
Uncle Hugh
Ny nrst special remembrance OF this plot went
our happiness and well-Oeing REQUIRED that We
SHOULD have a garden Of our own. Philip was
PniliP Graham, Uncle Hugh's great-nephew, who,
VITA MS brother and sister, was also spending the
summer at Mount Graham This uncuitivated
spot struck NE as entirely suitable for a garden,
and We went 10 WORK at II with a Will
How pleased Uncle Hugh Will be when he sees
said Philip, as we paused a moment to rest.
Just then Uncle Hugh came in sight-a stately
inquire In the dress OF his youth, 10 which he still
chung. He was walking with his head bent down.
and ais little queue stuck out curiously above his
hlgn stock As he came near US he looked up, and
al sight OF our occupation an expression which We
had never seen before flashed over his face 1t
was mixture OF surprise, Ind. nation. and In
credulity, curiously blended with what seemed al
most liz terror.
What are you doing there, children?- he cried
In stern voice. such as We had never heard from
HIM before. .'Come away this Instant. Never SCI
loot In that spot again Do you hear?'
But why, Uncle Hugh7" asked Philip, stand
Never mind why" said the Old man, stamping
lis foot "Come away this instant, and never 20
there again-neverI-
We came away, too thoroughly frightened at
Uncle Hughs most unwonted out burst TO think OF
reoeling. Two days later a stout fence Surrounded
the place. Philip and were deeply hurt for it
was the nrst time that Uncle Hugh had ever by
worn or deed, shown the slightest dstrusJ OF any
one OF US We heard him murmur as he looked at
the fence: "Ihe children could hardly have found
was sarer.n
The next scene In that visit which remembered
We'll was the rainy day when We children mad 10
ainuse ourselves witnin-dOors. game OF hide
aho-seek was In progress, and Philip was the
seeker. Nanny and / went on toyet her and tine
place IN which We elected TO hide was under Uncle
Hushs great four-post bedstead Nanny lined
the ruined valance carefully, and crept In whack-
ing my mead Violently as i did 50 against some
LONG black object thickly studded with brass nalIs
"A treasure-oox,' said Nanny, who was always
romantic.
Just then hash OF lightning Lit up the room
Through the cnink In tue valance the liyht fell
upon the box, and scrambled out with a yell OF
terror. Had II been ghost should have thought
little OF IL, but comm was q real tangible blood
curdung horror. We flew downstairs our eyes
starting from our heads and plunged into the
very arms OF Philip. Our story burst at once
from our trembling lips. and Philip listened with
the overpowerfng gravity or his twelve years.
Its queer enough" he SAID when we had IN
lshed; but III tell you what it is. you'd better not
Talk about IL People say now that Uncle Hugh
how they would go on! He's a bully old uncle TO
Us, and we're bound TO stand by him through
LICK and thin so mind, not q word 10 any
body