Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va) 1886-1890, 1889-12-22

Toward tie end of a cloudy summer
day, having slowly climbed to the top of
hill thickly wooded with young pines,
saw al last the gables and towers of The
Alters. an estate which occupies the fog
~ bottom of the valley. I was coming
TO take possession of this domain, aban-
doned for forty years past to the INSULT
Gent care Of q superannuated steward by
the late proprietor. my father. who had
recently died and whose heir was.
Urging my horse forward, ! commenced
to ascend the hill The grade was steep
and the animals iron shoes slipped peril
ously in the loose gravel of the road
Under the dark and heavy sky, the pines
to right and left took on gloomy hue;
below me. blurred in the haze OF theval-
lev, rose the chateau, dark and broken
mass. which was almost hidden from
sight by the great forest about it. broken
here ard there with open heaths and
reed fringed pools Of q sickly greenish
hue remembered that my father had
ALWAYS evinced a great distaste for The
Alders: the very name made him shudder.
\ cold, drilling rain was now falling,
and | soon felt very uncomfortable, Tor
the morning had been fine and l had neg
lected to bring q top coat or travelling
wrap.
Arrived at the foot of the hill, l had
to pass through little village OF 100 or
$50 homes, the last cottages extending
quite to the main entrance of the chateau.
The noise OF my horses hoofs brought to
the doors eight or ten peasants, who
stared at me curiously but with no sign OF
4 salutation. l attributed to my long con-
temptation of the young pines. through
which I had been travelling, the singular
coloration which certain objects assumed
in nv ewes: the arms and faces OF the
miserable villagers, who stared at me
with a cowed and british persistence,
seemed very sallow, almost green. A
few women's heads and hands showed
amid the group of men. 1t seemed to me
that these heads and hands were also
sallow and green.
Thechateau gates were closed. Through
the bars, leper-blotched with rust, could
be seen the great seigneural court, grown
over with rank weeds, and further the
abandoned chateau. The rain, become
sharper now, was chilling me to the bone.
descended from my horse, tied the poor
beast-which hung its head through sheer
fatigue-to ring mortised into the stone
wall, and presently found the handle OF
a bell half concealed in the intricate
wrought iron work of the gate. pulled
it violently several times; but, in place
of the expected cheerful peal, two slow,
heavy, and solemn strokes of an alarum
bell resounded ominously in the distant
gloom-for it was already dusk.
From little lodge at the right of the
chateau emerged an old woman, who
held aloft lamp. Very tall, very thin,
and enveloped rather than dressed in a
robe of coarse gray stuff, which looked
like grimy shroud, she came to the gate
with the measured and noiseless tread OF
q specter. The lamp, which shone full
on her face. revealed to me beneath her
gray locks her eyes, dim and haggard;
her checks We're very sallow.
"Welcome to your estate, sir, ' said she,
as great key grated in the lock. She
was the managers wife.
Thanks, Nine. Charter, !" I respondedi
ssbut come in evil weather"
Gin evil weather, indeed.
She conducted me to the little house;
the wet weeds reached to my knees.
"Who will look to my horseG I asked.
81 will" she said.
You have no servants s.
ssfyo.o -. 4