The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1889-07-27

whereabouts to the SOrrOWlng twain, but
on reflection remem bered she would never
return as they desired, nor hold converse
with any one within the environs OF her
birth place, and as she was virtually dead
to them l might as well hold my peace.
But when the conversation turned on Sir
Rupert, they had but little to offer in his be-
half although their tones were respectful
enough, could see they had not forgiven
him for the mercless doings Of an unnatural
father.
tsEca must show me the hall and tell me
the stuy,'' l said, as we sat around the
cheerful wood fire kindled in the great
chimney that filled up nearly one whole end
of the apartment. This room was so cheer
full and pleasant i'll the glamour Of the fire
ight, as I looked about me and enjoyed it's
coziness, that could not clearly connect it's
genial air with the huge, shadowy pile l
had viewed with such distrust from the
outside; somehow it seemed impossible and
I said as much to my entertainers.
''Ohl indade, an it's your own swate self
that knows nothing about this ghostly Guild
place; no, nothing at ALL
Peggy turned her chair around quickly
and faced me with this explanatory burst
of Hibernian elocution because I had vent
ured, presume, to throw shadow of doubt
ON the superstitious stories rife about
Heatherlelgh.
Facing me, she looked as much like a gen.
uine ghost as I ever care to see, in her
broad, white, rufled cap and snowy van
dyke, illumined, SO to speak, by the keen
light of her wide-open blue eyes.
:'No, perhaps not" acquiescea, "but you
must take me over the hall, tell me of the
spiritual visitors, and then 1 may under
stand it better'
THAT OF will, me Teddy, in the daytoime,
whln the spirits rest an there be no fears
ov botherin' yes Oill show you the gloomy
ould apartments.'
'Spirits never bother me,' I answered,
bravely. But my courageous and daring
sentence did not fall on Peggy's ears very
kindly, I found, for she grew excited at
once. Hitching her chair closer to mine,
and putting her shal1y hand on my arm in
solemn warning, she broke forth:
"Me Teddy, an it's yerself that;l pay for
yer wild spaches this noight in this awful
place. An yes nlver lived at Haythurleigh
naythur; an niver hearn o. the masthur
walkin' an walkin' all the long, ghostly
noight until the cock-crowin'. No, yes
niver hearn tell o. the loikes O thatV
s.Howly mother'' she began again, let
ting go my arm and dropping into an atti-
tude of resignation, "an' the masthur was
a terrible man, an outen his head for the
most part O. the time long toard the last.
An to this day, me Leddy, his ristliss spirit
be rovin through the great rooms, and
repintin' NV of his thratement Nv the proud
hearted childer. Obi save us, a-worryin'
and repintin' yet"
After this burst of the determined old
housekeeper gave in and let her have her
own way on the spirit question. saw at
once that it pleased the two old servants
exceedingly to think that Peggy had con-
verted me to their belief in spiritual mani
festations, so I consented by my silence
and let them believe as they chose. They
little imagined might be convinced against
my will. Twas not permitted to enter the
main building that night, of course not.
The masthur moight be a-walkin'," Peggy
explained, with drawn brow and confden
tial tone.
II should suppose that you would not
dare live here at all if Sir. Rupert is SO
restless. Are on not afraidP' I said, when
| found was refused an evening glimpse
into the hall proper.
"Och, no." exclaimed Peggy; 1--WE niver
bother with his part O. the establishment,
an he's too much ov gintleman to inter
the servants dingy rooms"
laughed at her view of the matter and
began to suspect that there was no spirit
about Heatherleigh that wandered at night
and dubbed by the inmates Sir Rupert.
My room was made ready for me in the
wing and adjoining that Of the old couple,
for which I felt thankful. After such a
vivid recountal as / had heard that even
ing, felt it privilege to be near fellow
mortal in the midnight watches. After re-
firing, found that my nerves were all I'M
strung and I could scarcely close my eyes.
Sleep could not
Tick took, textbook, went the great brass
clock in Peggy's room, and every vibration
echoed in my weary head Ifancied Icould
hear the tread of ghostly feet on the roof
overhead, and felt certain that the tireless
feet of Sir Rupert had stepped down and
out of the deathly shadows Of the dark,
dank yews and were now on the repintin'
promenade
Alas! if had but known just what was
fated to experience under the Heatherleigh
gables, I should have died Of fright before
another day had dawnedl
CHAPTER w.
The next morning, however, my latent
courage came forward, and in the smile of
day laughed at my trepidation Of the pre-
vious night. OF course prevaricated to
! some extent to Peggy, BY replying in the