The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-10-12
THE LADY OF BLACK HALL
An American Ghost Story of The
Nineteenth Century.

from hill to hill, and the swollen streams
dashed headlong, taking rocks and fallen
branches in their course to the James.
Amid all this distracted nature an OBJ
server might have seen the two lamps of
the Amherst stage coach cleaning like
bleared eyes through the rain, as that
numbering vehicle, drawn by a powerful
span Of bays, dashed along the mountain
road en- route for Lexington.
Suddenly a bright, young face peeped
out of the coach window, and a girlish
voice cried:
"Driver, how near are we to Com
modore Deyelin'sF'
"Be thar in JUS tree minutes, Miss.
It's dat are big house on the hill yonder
all ablaze like"
A moment more and they were driv-
ing into the grounds. Again the i'm
patient girl essayed to look forth, but
receiving a cold dab on the cheek from
the wet leaves, she fell back impatiently
and listened to the heavy, wet boughs,
as they brushed the top and sides of the
coach.
Suddenly the stage stopped, old Nico-
demus jumped down in the mud, with a
lantern in one hand, and finging open
the door with a flourish, said loud enough
to wake the seven sleepers.
"Comadore Divilins, Missi'
There We're only two sleepers within,
however, but they opened their scared
eyes wide enough for seven, half expect
ing to see a highwayman, but, being re-
assured by Nicodemus' bobbing wool
head and smiling black face, they laid a
contented hand on their pocketbooks and
babe farewell to the young lady, who
quickly leaped into the mud, and, pick
ing up her dress, ran up the broad steps.
Nicodemus followed with her trunk, and
taking the quaint brass knocker, repre-
senting a coiled serpent, in his hand, gave
a long, loud knock, which echoed far and
near. There was a sound of feet running
to the door--it opened-lights dazzled the
young traveller, and, amid silvery laugh
ter and ordinations of delight, she was
clasped in the arms of her old school
mate, Lena Develin.
"The north and south have met" said
the commodore, and the little traveller
turned to behold a superb looking old
gentleman, with a long. silvery beard,
white hair and fine, dark eyes, who held
out a arm hand, saying:
"Welcome to Black Hall, Miss Grace
Bring Miss Howard in to the fire."
said Mrs. Develin, appearing in the parlor
door.
Although Grace had never before met
her friends family, their warm greeting
made her feel very unceremonious; so she
ran with a smiling face to meet Lena's
sweet, dove faced, little mother, who adj
vanced, radiant in welcoming smiles.
Just then Lena's brother Bob opened
the front door. He was a quiet looking
fellow, with miscellaneous brown eyes,
who, when introduced, bowed shyly,
blushed q trife, and strobe on to the din
ing room, shaking the rain from his
SLOUGH hat.
Now come to my room and get on dry
clothes" said Lena. you look wet and
cold," and she led Grace up the broad
staircase.
"Jesse," addressing a colored man,
"bring up Miss Towards trunk"
Everything was new and strange to
Grace; the dark, wide halls, the colored
servants, who peeped at her c~uriously,
and lastly, Lena's room, with its dark,
paneled walls, heavily curtained win
dows and bed, and the great wood fire
on the hearth.
sob, how lovely!" exclaimed she,
throwing herself into an easy chair, but
on second thought springing up to caress
her friend.
"You dear darling, I haven't seen you
for six months"
Sand I've been shut up here all that
time" replied Lena, who was a tall,
quiet blonde.
"Well, now, 1 should really have en-
joyed that" Grace replied, tossing her
damp wrappings owe the back of a
chair, "because ! adore old houses, and
trees, and romance, and ghosts. Oh!
have you any ghosts here?'
"Well, yes, we have what they call a
haunted room in the rear part of the
house, but none of us aver slept there OF
saw the ghost"
"Oh, do tell me about it. Is there a
story connected with itP"
Eyes, quite a little a Just
drop into that chair close to the fire and
I'll tell you the story"
Then, taking Grace's hand, she began:
"Years and years ago, Grace, my
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., who was
an artist, came over from England and
settled in this house with his bride, a
very young and beautiful girl, who had
been hastily married to him by her faith
er to prevent a match between herself
and a young Lord Somebody who wa
her fathers enemy.
''This hard hearted relative Of mine
married her against her wishes, and
then carried her away, almost broken
hearted, to a strange country, and into
this gloomy old house. He was double
her age, and jealous as he could be OF
her former lover, whom he thought was
separated from her forever. But it
wasn't SO, Grace. That young Lord
Somebody swore that he would rescue
her yet, If he had to murder her hus-
band-so he started at once for America,
where he spent a long time in vain
search for his lost love-"
s'FIe must have been awful plucky,"
interrupted Grace, with dilated pupils.
sob, yes. he was-but listen. One
day Camilia-that was my great-great-