Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-15

heavily and unluckIly. So things went on
until the third child was born, and a fort
night afterward a servant from the Hold
rode through the village late at night on his
way for the doctor, and stopped a moment
to tell the news that there was terrible
scene up at the Hold, for that during mo-
mentary absence OF the nurse, Lady Carne
had stabbed her child to death, and when he
came away she was raying wildly, the efforts
of Sir Edgar and two of the servants hardly
suficing to hold her.
"After that no one except the inmates of
the Hold ever saw its mistress again; the
windows in one of the wings were barred,
and two strange women were brought down
from London and waited and attended on
the poor lady. There were but few other
servants there, for most of the girls from
about here soon left, saying that the screams
and cries that rang at times through the
house were so terrible that they could not
bear them; but indeed there was but small
occasion for servants, for Sir Edgar was
almost always away. One night one of the
girls who had stayed on and had
been spending the evening with her
friends, went home late, and just as she
reached the house she saw white figure
appear at one of the barred windows.
"In moment the figure began crying,
and screaming, and to the girls surprise
many of her words were English, which she
must have picked up without anyone know
ing it. The girl always declared that her
language made her blood run cold, and was
full of oaths such as rough sailor men use,
and which, no doubt, she had picked up on
shipboard; and then she poured curses upon
the Carnes, her husband, the house and her
descendants. The girl was so panic-stricken
that she remained silent till in minute
~, oro6 ut fho M, ,14yr-
and by main force tore Lady Carne from her
hold upon the bars.
"a few days afterward she died, and it is
mostly believed by her own hand, though
this was never known. None of the serv-
ants, except her own attendants, ever en-
tered the room, and the doctor never opened
his lips on the subject. Doubtless he was
we'll paid to keep silence. Anyhow her
death was not Sir Edgar's work, for he was
away at the time, and only returned upon
the day after her death. So, sir, that is
how the curse came to be laid on Carne's
Hold"
1T is terrible story" Mr.. Gulston said,
when the old clerk ceased; "a terrible story,
1t is likely enough that the rumor was true,
and that he carried her off after capturing
the vessel and killing her husband, and per-
haps all the rest of them, and that she had
never recovered from the shock. Was
there ever any question as to whether they
had been married."
"There was question about it-a good
deal Of question; and at Sir Edgar's death
the next heir, who was distant cousin, set
up claim, but the lawyer produced two
documents Sir Edgar had given him. One
was signed by Jack priest, who had, it
was said, been one of the crew on board Sir
Edgar's ship, certifying that he had duly
and lawfully married Sir Edgar Carne and
Donna IneZ Martos; and there was another
from Spanish priest, belonging to a church
at Porto Rico, certifying that he had mar
ried the same pair according to Catholic
rites, appending a note saying that he did
so although the husband was hereto, be-
ing compelled and enforced by armed
men, the town being in the possession of
force from two ships that had entered the
harbor the night before. As therefore the
pair had been married according to the rites
of both Churches, and the Carnes had DOW
erful friends at court, the matter dropped,
and the title has never since been disputed
As to Sir Edgar himself he fortunately
only lived four years after his wife's death.
Had he lived much longer there would have
been no estate left to dispute. As it was, he
gambled away half its wide acres"
"And how has the curse worked?" Mr..
Gulston asked.
I'm the natural way, sir. As I was say
ing before, it has just been in the natural
way, and whatever people may say, there is
nothing, as have heard the old parson Law
down many time, to show that the poor
creatures wild cravings had aught to do
with what followed. The taint in the blood
of Sir Edgar's Spanish wife was naturally
inherited by her descendants. Her son
showed no signs of it, at least as far as 1
have heard, until he was married and his
wife had borne him three sons Then it burst
out. He drew his sword and killed a SER
want who had given him some imaginary
ofense, and then, springing at his wife,
who had thrown herself upon him, be
would have strangled her had not the SER
wants run in and torn him off her. He, too,
ended his days in confinement. His sons
showed no signs Of the fatal taint
''The eldest married in London, for none
of the gentry of Devonshire would have
given their daughter in marriage to apCarne
The others entered the army, and one was
killed in the Low Countries. The other OBJ
tanned the rank of general, and married and