Wichita eagle., 1889-08-25
THE GHAIST O. GHAIRLEE.

The incident am about to relate occurred
to myself when on a visit to an old house far
in the wilds Of Rosshire. Scotland is the
land of visions Few are the places that
have not some tradition attached to them.
Gloomy and grim stand the old houses
and there is a cause for their forbidding as
pect The sullen shadow of past crimes hangs
over them
Last autumn / was invited by my dear old
friend, the Laird o. Ghairlee, to make one Of q
shooting party assembling there Sport is
good there, if anywhere; and moreover, the
laird owned covey Of pretty daughters, who
would be sure to make things lively and
pleasant
| arrived, then, at GhairIee station full Of
hope and prepared FOR enjoyment l brought
with me my guns and my beloved violin,
without which never travel
Ghairlee itself is curious old house; the
passages run about it in an extremely com
plicated fashion, up one step to room, down
two steps into it, and SO on. The hall is a
portion of the old tower; the walls of i'm
mense thickness. Many additions have been
made by different lairds, long since gathered
to their fathers.
did not sac all this the night Of nv ar
rival-in sooth, ii was so dark that | could
distinguish very little as the dog cart spun
up the avenue; but | did notice the black
mass on my left as we turned very sharp
corner round block Of buildings, and on my
right, a sullen roar as if angry waters boiled
over in torrent TO dash upon rocks i'll the
dark depths, far, far below.
The next moment we drew up before the
door, barred and studded with great iron
nails. Light was pouring from the hall, and
the laird stood in the doorway surrounded
by bowling bodyguard Of terriers.
whist, dogs! Come in, ladder
And my old friend gathered me into his an
cestral hall with highland hospitality. We
passed up low stairway, and across a thick
ly carpeted corridor furnished with strange
pieces of antique orknsnship-frowning
cabinets and carved chairs from which uncan-
ny faces leered in the freight. The drawing
room was at the far end and there were again
two or three steps leading to it alone. BY
the side Of these steps and against the wall
stood a fine old press Of marguerite, quaint
ly inlaid ard used, rs | afterward learned,
for the slowing away Of odds and ends, Of
nothing and all things. 1t was here that my
violin soon found a place, and laid it, in its
modern embroidered case, by the side of
quaint old lutte about which was twisted
faded, moth eaten ribbon.
This, said the 1aird's pretty daughter,
touching it reverently, 'has a history We
keep it here-pretty as it is-because none of
Us like to look on it, But all this be-
longs elsewhere in my story
Report had not exaggerated tho charms of
the old laird's daughters. Four Of them he
had-the youngest, a charming child-the
eldest, already appropriated. But there re-
manned the adorable second and the exquisite
third, and after day Of painful uncertainty
fell before the first of these two who was
called by the tuneful name of Mavis, and
who had musical fever akin to MY own
Together we trilled and tunlmed and turned
leaves and played love songs and nadrigals,
serenades and sonatas, and when we did not
play we talked music, and when we did not
talk music, we talked--ah WE'LL suffice it to
say that the days hurried by and the weeks
few after them and / had been a guest at
Ghairlee nigh on to a second month, and my
heart belonged to Mavis
The cream of the shooting was over and
the party much diminished. One or two men
only remained beside myself, and g pretty
young woman-a reighbor of the lairds who
had come for a two weeks visit. We were
gathered in the drawing room and somebody
asked for music. ] went cut to the fire
lighted hall to the old cabinet to get my
violin, and Mavis went with me. We linger-
ed there, alone, for a moment just for the
sake OF lingering. 1t was then MaviS spoke
about the lutte took it in my hands and
as l did so, thin, farawGy wall of melody
seemed 20 sweep pest Us and lose itself in the
dinneSs beyond the glow Of the freight.
What was thati" asked, sharply Then,
seeing that Mavis only tremblod in reply, l
added, quickly: Il must have Jared the old
thing
Put it down" said Mavis; 1t is uncanuy.
We never touch it 1t belonged to the Ghaist
o Ghairleem
ITO the shaist!" cried l, neutrality-suspicious.
not altogether heartily-for though l GER
tainly did not believe in ghosts, there had
been something IN that waiing strain TO set
ones nerves on culver; you Scotch laSsies,
forsooth. must stu believe III your ghaistsl
There was never decent hluided Highland
body without a ghlist il his castle! You
must introduce me some day TO yoUrsl" And
SO, laughing and teasing her TO bring back
the roses to her cheeks, If, indeed, could, |
led her again to the drawipy room, whore a
merry crowd and an hour or two of my be-
loved music with my dear violin soon chased
the Ghaist o Ghairlee from MY thoughts.
Ny rooms were in the tower-in that sans
black pile Of stone round which / sweT- on
,he evening of my arrival and my windows
looked out over the torrent which roared its
way ceaSelessly from rock to rock 10 a shud-
dering depth, and then tore or in dark
sullen stream.
hade Mavis good night with a hurried
pressure of her little fngers-for they al
stood around us in the drawing room and
she did not offer 10 so out into the hall. and
then sprang lightly up the steps, humming
a strain of the bit Of Beethoven we had been
going over
Tie large corridor was illuminated by
lamp. \ smaller passage led away from it
end my room opened into this paSSase-uow
in profound darkness There were candle
sticks on a table st the head OF the fiEht OF
steps, but after found out the way TO my
rooms and had grown accustomed TO it,
rarely stopped TO light one Tonight l made
no exception TO this custom, and went swing
ing down the passage tswSrd my door
had found it, and was about 70 turn the
handle when saw before me, a few feet dis
tant, a man crouching. with his ear close
G5AAAASL NAS val iSNcA WIN NY door. he
slowly turned his head and stared straight az
IDs. a more evil expression had never en-
countared, 50 full was it OF threatening hate
and devilish purpose
l soood fascinated, watching the man
Presently, with hand outspread feeling along
tle wall, he began creeping toward me; at
the same moment the dismal bowling % a
do ~-rc~7rtly in one az the roor,S ha~--,s
krdible. This sound and the action on his