, 1889-02-07

and could hear IL distinctly. That's old
BILL" ! said, "and | will 20 up and tell
him that have sought shelter in his
house and hear him play the air Of the
song that his sweetheart used to sing for
HIM" Again | took light from the fire.
place, entered the hall, ascended the stairs
and knocked at the door. There was no
from the crack under the door. knocked
again and still no answer. / questioned
whether ] shobld enter without welcome
from within, but after repeated attempts
ana failure to receive any response, I
determined to open the door. pressed
the latch and pushed forward.
The light was suddenly exit Quished in
my hand, the breath of q charnel house
pressed heavy In my face, almost smother.
ing me. and the violin was silent. could
see nothing. All around me was utter
ing rapidly the terrible odor that came
from the room, and quickly. know not
how, descended the stairs and entered
the room with the FIRE in IL. I seated my
self on the bricks. A peculiar sensation
pervaded my whole being and strange,
tiresome sickness was on me. The story OF
Will Devine, his love and his obscure life,
together with every imaginative fancy that
] could connect with my all but pleasant
surroundings, stole through my brain. Al
together miserable, resolved to leaye the
place. During the cessations of the wind
could hear that awful ''tome" of the vio-
lin, that sounded like dirge In the night.
| endeavored to shake of the strange feel.
ing that had taken hold of me, and nerv-
Ing myself determined to visit again the
room from whence came the sickening
odor.
Securing light ascended the stairs,
but more slowly than before. The light
ming and thunder began again, and it
seemed as If the scattered remnants of the
storm clouds were passing over. One by
one pressed the steps and reached the
top. My light WAS again extineuished.
The door had left open and the same
odor was coming from the room, but MT
10 strong as before. l scarcely dared to
turn backward. The lightning flashed
twice In rapid succession, and | beheld
with horror In one corner of the room o
skeleton In the Rarb of y man, and in an
other an old violin. / saw no more; I
cared to see no more. But turning about
instantly left the room, took my saddle
across my arm. mounted my horse and
rode of rapidly.
looked back and saw, plainly discernable.
and standing in the door o man with q
candle in his hand, holding it up about
even with his head. With my back to
the house, and spur in the horses side, I
placed distance between me and this
strange sight. arrived al Forsyth about
an hour and half later, and in the morn
ing related my nights experience to many
of my friends, some OF whom were given
TO doubt, while others tried to explain
away the mystery.
have visited the locality several times
since, and while in conversation with the
negroes that live about the place have
heard many strange stories told concerning
the old house and the things seen there,
one of which | give. 1t is said that at
exactly 8 oclock every evening there APP
pears at the window where Bill the
Fiddler used to sit and look out
upon the grave in the churchyard,
a man with candle in his hand. He
waves the light three times slowly across
the window, and there can be
seen coming from the graveyard woman
dressed as bride. They meet at the
out and they enter the house together.
this time every evening, but has never
been seen leaving it. 'Tis said that
the old violin is being tuned at
all hours of the night but no
tune has ever been heard from
it since the death Of its owner.
do not know how much of truth lies
in these stories from the negroes OF the
settlement, none Of whom will, for any
consideration, occupy the house or enter
it, day or night; but do not desire, for
my own part, again to experience the ter
rors of that solitary night spent at Hal
loway bend.