Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-07-25
AN AWFUL HORROR,
Thrilling Adventure with a Maniac.
BY EDWIN ROBINSON.

Thrilling Adventure With Il Maniac.
BY EDWIN ROBINSON.
One night l went to bed with glossy
brown hair and the face of u girl of
Eighteen: next morning I lett my room
with hair as gray as it is now, though
kortv-two years have passed away since
then.
In one night an awful horror struck
ne suddenly with the weight Of
BcIres OF years.
NV father was a Mr.. Marriott, a ship
broker, who lived in Russell Square
with his family, consisting of my
mother and four children, OF whom [
(gas the eldest. One morning, in the
December of lS42, while we were sitting
BIT breakfast, mother said, as she fin
shed reading a letter which had just
been delivered: cts from Judith. She
sauts Ellen to go and stay a month at
The Willows. But 1 do not like the
idea. She never even called on us
when she came back to England last
summer. Besides, we have known al
most nothing Of her for years past"
oh! 1 should like immensely to see
Aunt Judith" 1 cried.
But you have never seen, and don't
know anything about her." replied my
mother. ut is nearly ten years now
einceI saw her, and she didn't leave o
rery pleasant impression on my mind.
had not seen her, of course, since 1
vas child, but, as I have often told
sou, there was something curious and
weird about her that was not to my
liking. In fact, she did not seem like
sister of mine"
Aunt judith was my mothers elder
lister by fifteen years. When she was
bout twenty she married a German
Baron who was q professor in q uni
Fersity. Why it was nobody knew, but
Iome two years Or so after her mar
fage Aunt Judith became very apa-
(hetic as regarded her relations in
England, and but rarely c~orresponded
Fith them.
Her husband, the Baron and Pro-
essor, died about three years before
lie time of which I speak. Mourning
|aluo were uuhuO"u Ill l1iOS0 OdySs
till she might have sent a word to
inform her sister of her bereavement.
10 our great establishment it was only
rom a friend who attended his funeral
hat we heard, casually, that he was
lead and that she was q widow.
Well, both my father and my mother
Fere unwilling to let me 60 to The Will
|ows: my mother, because she had, or
|eeemed to have, q prejudice against her
lister; my father, for no reason than !
fonld make out, except that he echoed
by mother. At all events, I overcame
heir opposition at last, and started, one
Inc, Or rather gloomy, morning for
pe clouds We're dark and heavy, [ re-
eember, as I left London-for The
Willows, a mansion in W%arwickshire
Fhlch had been left to my Aunt Judith
my grandfather. Travelling was
lower in those days than it is now, and
was not until nearly 6 o'clock in the
venlng that I drove, in the numbering
each which conveyed me, upthe dreary
arrlage path which led to The Will
Dws.
Aunt Judith had only returned to live
fnere during the past six months, so ]
'as not surprised to find the place in q
cry untidy state. Such at least, was
ay impression from what I saw through
1e darkness. Of the evening.
things, however, seemed to change
Of the better when we drew up at the
ouse itself. 1t was q great, struggling
usdlng, which had stood for more thar
century, and was cold and %forbiddine
look at from the outside. But from
&c widows, and what I could see
re saA! it seemed to be we'll lit, warm
lu Well appointed within. A female
efSant came out to meet me as the
Oseh stopped at the door.
Vile. Marriott? she inquired in {
PssMan voice, as I descended.
.les," [ replied.
An! your aunt would like to SEE
Ill., she said;"I shall take you to her
We is dressing for dinner" I followed
.a up stairs, and into large bedroom
,''olng before a glass ut the end O
IL room was a tail oma whom, from
se description l had heard of her,
al!ealately recognized as Aun'
~
ller figure was very erect, almos
leslie, but her face puzzled me. TIL,
lures were very regular and %clearl.
IVA There was in them a consider
wy n1 amount of power, and yet, what
"'o not understand curious, wizened
nn9s0 craven expression, which jus
a; on being sinister. Twas onl.
s"i at the time, and knew nothing o
%sSognomy, but, instinctively, Ifelt
ase OF uneasiness as I met her keel
~s eyes, which seemed never to res
l. moment, but to wander about as j
a Me bidding of an uneasy spirit
maSh her demeanor was otherwis,
.vvus1y calm and self-possessed.
III loar room is not ready yet, but
IA We presently" she said, when W
greeted each other; you can dres