Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1890-10-14
GHOSTS AND SELTZER

GHOSTS AND SELTZER.
N. Majesty. manufacture u ssltser
water la the MArais. hal bcsn to little
suptrr given by some ~ his friends -
the Place Royai.. and was On his way
HON. .hivcring In tb. coil air. ~
Paul. clock struck . "iIow late " u, :
mu,icrci the gooi man. and he quick.
eucd hi. step. but the sidewalk was
sliptrry. ih, str-ts dark. and. be-idcs.
In that Ancicn, quarter ~ Paris. which
date from the time wben carriages we're
rarr. there arr nuin.rous turns. angles.
and hi,ching I-u~i. l-forc the doors for the
accommodation 10 horScrncn. All thc-r
imp.-ie fasi walking. particularly when
onc's lcgS arv a tri1e h-avy and ones
sighi cOufu-ci by the toasis q little
super.
AZ last NJ. Majesty rcaehc,i his d-s,i.
nation lie paused l-forr large orna
mental gate. upon which glisisn-i In the
moonlish, u newly gildcl shield contain.
ing rsiorrl ancient coai-of.arns.
which be- hal adopted as his trademark.
''ilo,sl q. .Dryant de N,smoni Majesty
Jcunc. Fahrican, D'IAu 10 s.ltE- On
al ,h. ,iph0ns - the establishment. on
al tl. not. blank. AMI on letter hsais
the venerable arm. q the Nc-mosds
thus sprsad cut ani shone.
Within the gate was th. court yAfu-
an imtD-na- cuurt yard. airy AMI light.
which. wh~n thrown or-n during the
day. fioulcl the Who'll. .,rcct with brill.
iancy. ~ th. extremity ~ th. curt
yard stool vas, building - grrai an
nquity. with cmt-lllshci and ornament.
81 black walls. with balconies ~ rvuni.
ri irun rnl stone laicuui,-, with Ialas
tsrs. VII very lofty anil tr,insndous
window. slrmounisd by pslimcnts ani
capitals. which Arl.c In the topinost ito
me- like ~ many li,tlc roof. IN the roof,
AMI lastly. upon the summit 20 all.
amid the .laic.. with the round and
coiue,tish dorner windows - th. man.
.arl. rufram~'i with garlands like mir.
ron. Adls-l to this were immen-c stone
sisi~. cairn aud turn~i grccn by the
min. a mcagrr vine clinging b. the walls
a. black and twis,c,l a. tho roI- which
hung fru,n the pulley away up toward
the garrr,. AMI . pronounced air u agc
AMI saine-s zach was 'h. former hotel
q Sc-mond
In lIryad day the asJ,'ci 10 the mansion
was altogether different. In. words
"cuuaiing hous-.- ''warrruoms. ''rn
tranr- e. the workshops. shone 0u,
e,rrywhcrv In gold letters uIon the old
wall.. Glling then, with life-pju,cnat.
ing ih-m. The trucks frum ,hc railral.
.huos the portals. anil the clerks came
o. the s;cin with their pcns behind ih'ir
EAR. % rvc'iyc the mrrvhAndisc. The
court yari sls encountered with boxr-.
with baskets. with straw Ani with bas.
ginI In abort, the place hal all the
look 20 mandatory. Dutat night. IN
The dep silence. t-rncaih the winter
morl. which. amid th. disorder ~ cum.
plcatci rool.. cast ani inierminglcl
shadows. the ancient residence ~ the
S,--noads n.sum~l its lorily apf-ar-
aBr,, The lalcoaic, w-rr covered with
Law. the court - honor grvw larger Ani
the irr,gularly lighie,l oil stairway L.
came full q. caihslr,l like ryccsss.. with
rinp,y uicb-s md diinis,sfs which re-
.ctnblc,l altar
ia. night - which We Ar- Speaking.
rs;scially n. Majesty. thought his stab
h.iincnt hal singulaTly grand aspect.
A. he Ias.s,l through th. deserted oouri
yard the s-,und q HI. FOOTSTEPS made q
deep impr,ssion CA him. The stairway
seemed intnrn-, and terribly difficult 10
asc.nd II was the elect 81 his little
.uV;-r. doubtless Arrived at the hrt
lAadin. hr sioplei "a take breath and
approached window. ~ much for liy.
iny Ia an historical mansionl NJ. Msjcs-
~ was not y post. oh. no. but. neyerthe-
ls-u. as be- gAIed out at the beautiful
arisiocraiic court yard. over which the
noon sproai shcct % blu. light. and
Al the noble oil c,lifc.. which had Just
the air u sleeping. with its roofs strcich.
ing away beneath their covering %
snow. he bsgsn thinking of the other
wOrll
What II the Nc.monds shoald ~
turn murmursi he.
AZ that moment the bell rang vio-
len,ly. The gate was thrown open -
quic sly. 10 suddenly. that the lamp was
exiinguish.i. and Tor several minutes.
in the shadow of the gateway. there was
q confused sound IL whispering and u
v,siinents rubbing against each other.
PcOple disputed. and hastened 20 enter.
There were Wallets. plenty of vaiets:
coaches with glaSs windows rejecting
the moonbeains. and sedan chairs bal.
ancc,l between two torches. which flar-d
IN the draught at the gate. In no time
the court yard was jammed. Hut at the
foo, 81 the steps the confusion ceased.
People descended from the vehicles.
salutei each other. and went In chatting
~ if they knew the houss. Upon the
steps silks rustiei aud swords claitcr-d.
Nothing but white headdrssses. heavily
loaded with powder; nothing but small.
shrill voices, some without melody. and
light footsteps. All the people SEEMED
10 bs 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 90 shine with soft lus,sr. and
above all noAied . tiny cloud of powder.
which mounted from the curlei head.
dresses at each courtly bow. = trife
pompou. becAu.s of the swords and
gr.it Ianiers. Soon 81, Who'll. h0use
hal the air of b.ins naunted. The
'~-'h-s shens from window 10 window.
mounting and descending the winding
stairways until even the dormer windows
Of the mansards hsd their sparks Of fcts
and life. Tho entire Hotel of Nesmond
was illuminated ~ II the setting sun
had flooded Il with its brilliancy.
"Grcat Joyc! they'll burn the house
DOWN. cried u. Majesty. And, recov-
ering from his stupor. he strovs 90 shate
the heavine.s out Of his legs and de-
scrndei quickly 10 the court yard, where
the servants had Just hndlsd q sOudng
Gre. n. Majesty approached snd ~
moostrated with them. The srsvants
made no reply. and continued 20 talk In
low tones among thernselves without the
least vapos escaping from their hps In
The ICY gloom of the night n. Majesty
was uncasy. but ons thing rsasursd
him, and that was that this great nrs
which famed % high and 20 steadily
~ \ most singular nre-a lame devoid