Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1890-10-02
GHOSTS AND SELTZER.

N UHUOIO AMI DELILEh,
M. Majesty, manufacturer of seltzer
water in the Marais, had been to little
supper given by some of his friends of
the Place Royale, and was on his way
home shivering in the cold air. st.
Paul's clock struck 2. ''How late it is, /"
muttered the good man, and he quick
ened his step; but the sidewalk was
slippery, the streets dark, and, besides,
in that ancient quarter of Paris, which
dates from the time when carriages were
rare, there are numerous turns, angles,
and hitching posts before the doors for the
accommodation Of horsemen. All these
impede fast walking, particularly when
ones legs are trife heavy and ones
sight confused by the toasts of little
supper.
At last M. Majesty reached his desti-
nation. He paused before large orna-
mental gate, upon which glistened in the
moonlight newly gilded shield contain
ing restored ancient coat-of-arms,
which he had adopted as his trademark,
Jeune, Fabricant D'Eau de Seltz" On
all the siphons of the establishment, on
all the note blanks and on letter heads
4 the venerable arms of the Nesmonds
I thus spread out and shone.
Within the gate was the court yard
an immense court yard, airy and light
which, when thrown open during the
day, flooded the whole street with brill
fancy. At the extremity Of the court
yard stood vast building Of great an
tiquity, with embellished and ornament
ed black walls, with balconies Of round
ed iron and stone balconies with pilas-
\ ters, with very lofty and tremendous
windows, surmounted by pediments and
capitals, which arose in the topmost sto-
ries like SO many little roofs in the roof,
and lastly, upon the summit of all,
amid the states, with the round and
coquettish dormer windows of the man
sards Unframed with garlands like mir
rors. Added to this were immense stone
steps, eaten and turned green by the
rain, a meager vine clinging to the walls
as black and twisted as the rope which
hung from the pulley away up toward
the garret, and a pronounced air of age
and sadness Such was the former hotel
of Nesmond
In broad day the aspect Of the mansion
was altogether different. The words
counting house" eswarerooms," ZEN
trance to the workshops" shone out
everywhere in gold letters upon the old
walls, filing them with hfe-rejuvenat-
ing them. The trucks from the railroads
shook the portals, and the clerks came
to the steps with their pens behind their
ears to receive the merchandise. The
court yard was encountered with boxes,
with baskets, with straw and with bag
ging In short, the place had all the
look of a manufactory. But at night, in
the deep silence, beneath the winter
moon, which, amid the disorder of COM
plicated roofs, cast and intermingled
shadows, the ancient residence of the
Nesmonds resumed its lordly appear
ance. The balconies were covered with
lace. the court of honor grew larger and
the irregularly lighted old stairway be-
came full of cathedral like recesses, with
empty inches and dimisteps which re-
sembled altars.
The night Of which we are speaking,
especially M. Majesty, thought his estab-
hshment had singularly grand aspect.
AS he passed through the deserted court
yard the sound of his footsteps made a
deep impression on him. The stairway
seemed immense and terribly difficult to
ascend 1t was the effect Of his little
supper, doubtless Arrived at the first
landing he stopped to take breath and
approached a window. So much for liv-
ing in an historical mansion! NJ. Males
ty was not a poet, oh, no; but, neverthe-
less, as he gazed out at the beautiful
aristocratic court yard, over which the
moon spread sheet of blue light, and
at the noble old edifce. which had just
the air of sleeping, with its roofs stretch
ing away beneath their covering of
snow, he began thinking of the other
world.
"What if the Nesmonds should re
turn" murmured he.
At that moment the bell rang vio-
lently The gate was thrown open 50
quickly, SO suddenly, that the lamp was
extinguished, and for several minutes,
in the shadow Of the gateway, there was
a confused sound Of whispering and Of
vestments rubbing against each other.
People disputed, and hastened to enter.
There We're Wallets, plenty Of Wallets;
coaches with glass windows rejecting
the moonbeams, and sedan chairs bal
anced between two torches, which hared
in the draught at the gate. In no time
the court yard was jammed. But at the
foot of the steps the confusion ceased.
People descended from the vehicles,
saluted each other, and went in chatting
as if they knew the house. Upon the
steps silks rustled and swords clattered.
Nothing but white headdresses, heavily
loaded with powders nothing but small,
shrill voices, some without melody, and
light footsteps. All the people seemed
to be old, very old.
There were dull eyes, dim jewels and
ancient brocaded silks shot with chang
ing hues, which the light of the torches
caused to shine with soft luster, and
above all foated a tiny cloud of powder,
which mounted from the curled head
dresses at each courtly bow, trife
pompous because of the swords and
great paniers. Soon the whole house
had the air of being haunted. The
torches shone from window to window.
mounting and descending the winding
stairways until even the dormer windows
of the mansards had their sparks of fete
and life. The entire Hotel of Nesmond
was illuminated as if the setting sun
had flooded it with its brjlliancy.
"Great Jove! they'll burn the house
down. cried NJ. Majesty. And, recov-
ering from his stupor, he stroye to shake
the heaviness out Of his legs and de-
scended quickly to the court yard, where
the servants had just kindled rousing
fire. M. Majesty approached and re-
monstrated with them. The servants
made no reply, and continued to talk in
low tones among themselves without the
least yapor escaping from their lips in
the icy gloom of the night. M. Majesty
was uneasy, but one thing reassured
him, and that was that this great fire
which famed so high and so steadily
was a most singular fire-a fame devoid
Of heat which sparkled but did not burn.
His fears having been tranquilized, the
good man descended the steps and en-