Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-08-23

minds you know. Ard would they be
more wonderful or mysterious than this
moonlight is?"
Miss G. Anna smiled in reply and
stepped out into the great hall that ex-
tended the breadth of the house and be-
| gan ascen ding the wide staircase which
led. with Gignitied, square cornered turn,
| to the upper hall. Before she reached
this her sister came runn1Hg after her.
an3 together they entered their rooms.
| These opened, the one into the other, on
the the south side OF the hall. First Was
| Miss Lilian's, and, just outside her door
the continuation of the staircase led to
the large open attic above. At the
southern end of this was a small room,
supposed to have been once used as re-
treat from the sevages, or by smugglers,
| for their dark purposes. But as 2 few
| deserted ears of seed corn dangling from
a blackened rafter testified it had been
more lately used for purposes domestic.
Leading down from this small room, and
connected with it by q once small unno-
! ticeable door--now prominently hung
with leathorn hinges-was the secret
staircase referred to by Miss Lillian. It
was built beside the chimney and had con
nected with the cellar by means of trap
door and movable ladder, both long since
vanished. There was theory among the
people OF the town that from tie cellar an
underground passage had led to the Glen
| field river, q little more than hundred
rods distant.
! The sisters prepared for the night with
a little conversation. Miss Lillian was
! thoughtful; Miss G. Anna sleepy. The
latter made some final observations re-
garding the probability of Maria's hav-
/ ipg forgotten to put the oatmeal to soak,
| and no further sound issued from her
room. Equally silent was the snug nest
OF Miss Lillian. But she was not sleeping.
The moonlight was so brilliant that the
very color of each article in the room was
apparent, ana the moon seemed to have
brought again to her mind Old tales she
had heard of those who after death had
revisited its glim pses. Even the vigorous
figure of Halieck Dubeaux had given place
] to these shadoWy ones.
An old New England house Uhat has
stood through Indian warfare, with the
wind shrieking around it, like a faint echo
of earlier and fiercer cries, may well cali
forth uncanny thoughts. These with a
/ company around, and roaring fire, may
give morbid pleasure. But, with silence
around, and no fire, their invoker is apt
to become their victim. When Miss
Lillian finally fell asleep the clock had
struck II.
Her next memory is of having starte
up With the instructive feeling that she
must listen for something. Perhaps the
town clock lad awakened her, for, as she
listened with straining ears, the first stroke
Of rang out on the tempestuOus night
air. It ceased. But for the wind, all was
still. Miss Lillian remained in the position
she had first taken, raised slightly on one
elbow, with head stretched towards the
door. Every pulse In her body seemed to
be pounding about her ears. She won
dered in vague way, if they would not
prevent ner hearing that for which she
was listening. And what was that? she
did not know. It was absurd; she woulc
speak to her sister and shake off this
nightmare. She knew that she was awake
But her mouth was dry, even 30 speak was
impossible for her, she could only listen
And listen she did, seemingly frozen into
this attitude.
What was that? It sounded like tht
stealthy shutting of the door down stairs
Was it the wind? That does not, habitual
ly, shut doors carefully. Indistinct ideas
of horrible things ran through her con-
fused mind. But she could not move
heart and arteries could beat faster, thai
was all. Yet in spite of these she heard
| something else; metallic ilngling came
| from some quarter. But than this there
was also q nearer sound-that of sur
pressed dumping step on the stairs. Il
reached the top and paused.
! How she summoned energy she did not
know, but to listen better il seemed to
her-Miss Lillian at this point had some
how got from her bed to the door. She
caught at the handle, and not having been
latched the door swung open. CEnging
to 1t she stood with eyes now straining
| as well as ears. The sound was coming
on again. It seemed to her like someone
trying to walk silently in noisy shoes
But she saw nothing in the long nail
which was not dark, although the wind
clouds dlmmed the moon from time &c
time. The dumping approached, and
suddenly from below, sounding loud above
her bounding hearts din, she heard the
door into the lower hall open and up the
stairs came the jingling sound.
Before this reached the upper hall the
nearer sound was by her very door, at the
foot OF the stairs leading TO TIE attic. She
saw nothing till lowering her glance to
the floor she beheld rushing by her and
| up the stairs, In frantic haste, pair of
ancient pointed toed shoes, nothing more!
| No form, no spec6ra! light, even appeared
above them. But awful in their very
EN- ss-awful-becaUse propelled by
some unseen power, awful, because OF
! their human haste and activity, they
rushed on expressing IN each step the
! despair of one who makes a wild dash for
! liberty.
| There was d tirmness, an elasticity in
! each one of these steps that suggested
youth aud appealed to the girl that stood
2taring stiff with horror, as resembling
one of those she knew.
An added slckening thrill passed through
her nerves, md seized by an unreasoning
impulse, she rushed up the stairs after
them. Behind her with increasing speed
was coming the jingling sound. The
shoes dashed into the chamber at the
southern END of the garrett and were des-
cending the secret staircase-the girl FOL.
loving uncertain OF her safety-when the
pursuing sound, which know she eeIt to
| be that of spurs, came into the little room
and ceased. Still she descended, sick
with fright, total darkness around, the
shoes just ahead of her.
| Suddenly there was q shutting; she
sprang back at the sensation of proximity
to this thing. The shutting sound was
over almost instantly. 1t was that made
by feet trying vainly to cling so sup
port from which they are in the act of
stepping confidently to another support
below, which too late they find wanting.
/ They then make this momentary futile
| effort, CHASTITY in its despair. A soBnd
told that the shoes hGd fallen to the cellar
| bottom.
Miss Lillian dropped back, half stupefi