The Springdale news., 1889-10-04
such pity,nI said to Peggy. that these

 it full of ruinous breaks. "Oh! wis, but who's goin' to dust this foine furniture for nothin', ma'am, but only to see the ex- quoisite patherns"
 l did not reply to her negative question, for I knew she was right, and l could but have said, mo one,n at best.
 "There was taste here" 1 said, looking about me, and making a note of the refine ment in detail languaged forth in the fault less appointment of each stately-looklng, but silent apartment.
 "Ah yes; an the misthress had illigant taste to be shure, ma am, an the lolSes O her was not to be, found in many days roide
 After ascending two flights of stairs wo came to Sir Rupert's apartments. l Away off up here to be out O the way ov the rabble,' he said, ]" prefaced Clarkson as she put her hand on the door-handle.
 This suite of rooms overlooked the park and once beautiful lawn And 1 caught | glimpses of an artificial lake in the distance stretching it's shining length beyond the lawn and around the park like silver 1 crescent.
 "All ov these were perfectly illigant in their deloightful and palmy days, o Peggy said with sigh, as she shook the dust from
 
 gaze
 l parted the crimson silk hangings as 1 stood in the deep double window with it's narrow panes catching the afternoon glow, and looked long and silently away over the l deserted park, where the brown leaves went scurrying hither and thither in the autumn wind. Then my eyes rested once more on the artificial lake, and sweet, sad memory came back to me; the memory of row on it's clear surface once, with Lady Percival, in fairer days, and the brightness of that care-free and happy hour came back like a wave of light, only l to render the desolate transformation of the 1 present almost unbearable. l shuddered and glanced at Clarkson as I clutched the silken folds of fading crimson and turned away.
 An do ye's moinde ov the illgant days gone by, ma am!' questioned she, divining the cause of my ill-concealed emotion.
 ''Yes, Clarkson, 1 mind, 1 answered, dropping the folds of the curtain, which seemed to burn into my hand, and coming down the dreary years to Sir Rupert's last lonely days.
 "Doubtless he stood here, gazing out, per haps, and breathing maledietions on the srabble' below; or did he unbosom his ven geance on the head of lucliless guests!' 1 said, inquiringly, to Peggy, who had left 1 the window and had gone oyer to curious 1 ly-inlaid cabinet on the opposite side of the l room.
 But she vouchsafed no reply, simply mak- 1 ing the sign of tue cross and looking super stitiously around the room. Then, as if to avoid my gaze, she dropped her eyes to the 1 tesselated rug at her feet. After spending the greater part of the | day on tho upper floors, speculating and | dreaming in the long-silent rooms and | hollow=echoihg corridors, We came to the main stalrcase, leading down to thaeentral hall below. We had gone upstairs from the first floor by sort Of winding stairs. opening out of the cheery looking breakfast room. This room, the only really pleasant apartment to my mind in the Hall, had it's share of tragcal memories also, after all it's l softened air.
 But to return to the main staircase with it's heavy shining balustrade of polished oak, to which we had come The moment We set foot on the first step, in descending Clark kson made the sign of the cross and turning to me. whispered half=audiBIf:
 This is the identical fought of sfheps the master desciuded just afore he fell and died a struggliH' in the halI!n
 "Indeedl" l calculated, feeling as if were close on the promised mystery as 1 followed on down the ''idintical tioight"
 Once i'll the spacious central hail, Peggy moved tragieally aside, and pointing to q door at the left, continued 1n her stage whisper to make further developments by saying: An shure, ma am, the masthur was trying to rache that same door when he fell right here, " pointing to a particular place on the mosaic work of the floor, "an' he died, puir man, 'thout yer knowin ov any ov US.
 She ended with deep sigh and most doeful shake of her White caprut1ies; and had my little stock of courage given out, she, doubtless, would have frightened the life out of me with her strange Witchlike move ments and mysterious airs.
 ''Let me go in there, 1 said, presently, pointing to the door at the left which the hands of the expiring Sir Rupert failed to reach.
 ''I hardly belave ye know what ye are askin' ov me, me Leddy. Faith, ma am. an that's the dhrawin room, where the dead masthur lay !7
 ''No matter" I answered, calmly enough, She isn't there now
 "Ome not so shure ov it, ma'am; the spirit ov i'm, ye know.n She looked at me moment and then continued: "Ome will. in to show you the dhrawing-room, ma'am, but it's getting to be tay-toine, an, at this toime ov day, ye must remlmber, it's moighty gloomy ill there"
 "Wel, said 1, beginning to grow uneasy myself, "to morrow will do as welI.n
 s'Yes,o she assented, seemingly much re- lieved, "an' thln ye'd have to sec the gal. lery, too, am, with it's fone paintings, shure; every wan sees the gallery, ma'am.n
 This settled it, and we soon passed from the deep shadows of the central hall out through an open court, and back once more into the cozy servants quarters. Here we found old Ancil Glarkson sitting by the fire with q mug of beer for company, and wait ing for the prospective 'tayn Peggy had in view
 The next day Clarkson took large brass key from ring in the wall, and unlocking the fateful drawing-room door, bade me enter.
 It was a spacious apartment, elegantly furnished. The high backed, carved chairs and deep sofas stood in formal stiffness on either side the room, blending their dark outlines with the som0er shade of the stained oak wainscoting The two deep