The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1888-08-11


"Scnd II 10 x. Y. H., postofiicc box lti,'
answered the tall stranger, and then, with
nit another word, stallfcd Gwuy from thC
Office
"Who Is that man, TobyI" tho nstouudcl
editor asked, watching tho rcccding torn
through tho window
81 don't know nobody knows" Toby
answered. "IIc's tho mysterious man who
lives In the big house on the hill"
CHAPTER III
BUNB DIABOTJCAL vEHsE-rOIITICAL snBI
TIOHs.
Alloa spranR 10 hls feet and haatcncl Il
the door. Twilight shudcs werc deepening
into darkness, yet Ec could distinguish the
outline Of tho tall man hurryinR up tbo-hill
side rOnd. There was something 10 fas
cinating IA tho mystcry surrounding tho
stranger that Allen felt "A strong inclina
tiOn 20 follow and learn more Of him
"Toby, wore you over ia that BtOnc house
ON tho hilli" hc asked
"No, sir" Toby answered.
"Whnt do you know about it'"
"Nuthln' much" was the cvasivo TO
sDonsc.
:" Docs ho often como 10 the yillagcr
Mo-
"Wen, II you know any thing abouttbosc
people tell II 10 me"
Toby shrugged hia shoulders, cast un un.
easy look about him, and said
"'Taint much know, and faint much
want 70 know
"Tcil mo just what you do know, aud all
that you've heard OF H."
"Pvo bccn 10 tho house two or ttircc
times" said Toby, IA au awc-insprng
whisper. " But thar's great high wall
all round n, 30 one can't see inside. Tommy
Miles Onco pccpod through tho backyard
wall, and says hc saw tho prctticst girl lac
ever set eyes ON In his lifo Pooplo say they
Kill folks up at that big house"
"Whcn was tho house built" asked
Allen, hoping 20 bring tho boy buck from
speculation, 10 answer facts.
~ duno," Toby answered "Twas long
afOrc was born"
"Do You know who ltIllt it'"
"No. I've hocrd ma say II was buiit by
somo rich people who hvcd there long ago,
aud then left"
How long have these people lived hero
Toby"
TITS only bccn "a fow months since they
como back tho last timo They wont hCv
nothin' TO do with us, an wo'uus don't hcv
bothin' tO do with 'Cm"
y
"No 'un knows. Tho house hud been
vacant. except two old people stayed there
and kinder TUX kccr o. H. The man was
Cross an wouldn't talk nuthin' but French,
nm the old woman was deaf and dumb The
boys used 10 try 10 git IN the orchard, but
tho old fclcr came out with gun an sworC
In furrcn language at 'cm, an skccrcd 'cm
40 bad they wouldn't go nigh H.. Then
thar's been some awful sights seen thAr o
nights" concluded Toby, shuddcring.
What wore thcy"
swell, Tommy Mites said ne hoped hC
might drop dead If 'twasnt so lIo was
co1nin' home through tho woOds ono night,
nm thought he'd risk comm by the rock
house When ho got nigh n. no hoard "A
awful scrCumin' list like somc one was bo-
in killed, nu every wiudor Ia the house was
n great bazo ~ hight He snid hQ.d swear
no Vuw woman stnudin' az windcr with
wings jlst ruady Ia ~ whom somc uu pullcd
her baClI Then odd Dobbs went by thcrC
cue night an saw the blinds nu' curtains
all ubluzo hlSl, an pooplc ilyiu' around tho
collin"
"Who ~ this man Dobbst"
"lIo's un old fcllor who lives cut A. 'Cy
Vpuntry OF farm
Docs hc drukp'
Like a fish"
hI guess he hOd been drinking that ouy
which accounts for his secing tho wonder
ful sights at the old house,
He says twas Spirits" said Toby,
Doubtless IL was; but tho spirits h
drank before leaving town"
"Thar's others who'vo sccu strang
sights up thar, Mr., Gray returned Toby
| after few moments pause.
"Thcrc II somc dCCp mystcry about IN
house and people who live thcrr, but who
| once understood you will find nothing ~
pcrnaturul about H. Why do people her
object TO talking shout that o'd house on tn
hill"
"Cos Its haunted" said Toby with
shuddcr, "uu' 1t drives people AWAY fror
tho Pint Evcry body says II IL hadn't
been fur that old house ON the hill we'd
| had boom hero long ago"
Allen dismi,sod Toby for tho day, lcClSc
| the office and went tu hs boarding house
his mind fun e the strange mystHy O
which he could learn so little.
Next day TouCy Barnes entered with
smilc on his face, and u bundle ot manu-
script under his urm With uu air OF tr
umph, he said;
"Just let mo rNld you what Two 90
hcrc,"
~ um prC0scd for time, Mr. Dapcs,
pleaded the editor "l. ave u aud lN m,
read IT ut my lciauN'."
ooh, no, il will not tu',c kug," ypllc,
Toucy, with "a commanding smilo.
"But You don't intend rcaliag all that {,
me-"
=" II won't take hong
"My time is very prccioua now. Ever,
hour lcsc this morning uust | 4 talCI
from my sleep tonight
II was useless - CNnpstutltc. \ CuuutrN
editor can rut, Ike tho city editor send
clerk or oi'lcc 10y ~ TIL, with thcpmhitiou,
author who i1 b'h enough 90 invade hi'
saucium. IL u4ually a. 50 unfortunate "a,
10 b. acquainted with ~ literary BspIraut
and csCapC from - p'csnull iaiCrvIcw IL i'm
possible TonCy Barnes was certain IN,
editor would not discover The beauty In his
poetry unless the nuthCr read &, himself
and gave u the proper cloCutiouary cyabcl
hshmcnts IL was NO use to argue that nc
could not read 10 % every body, and that
newspaper poetry ~ 10 ho read ana uo
heard; hc was determined, and Allcn was
forced 20 listen.
"Thcrc are several pieces here" said IN,
poet, with cruel smile "Lct nae SCI whict
l VIII rCal first"
Allen had NO choice, aud ut last the author
seemed 10 have found one that suited for
beginning, and, spreading u out on his knee