Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1890-03-14

the particular superstition connected with
| the ''haunted chamber" Harold Wat
son, relative of Mr.. Leigh's by mar
rage, ridiculed the idea of the appari-
ton, and announced his intention of
sleeping in the squire's chamber, provided
Mr.. Leigh would give his permission.
This Mr. Leigh refused to do for some
time, until Harold grew so persistent In
his demand that he had almost perforce
to accede. The next day the bed was
made ready by the timid servants, TO
whom the presence of Harold alone gave
courage to perform the task, and In the
evening, in spite of aserious endeavor by
Mr.. Leigh to dissuade him, he went to
bed in the haunted chamber. It was not
| without some timorous misgivings that
he put out the light, but he courageously
| banlshed all IDLE fears, and was soon fest
| asleep.
When he awoke it was broad daylight,
| and at the breakfast table more than ever
did he ridicule the story, and most mer-
cilessly did he banter his credulous OPP
ponents.
The BED was soft and comfortable, $"
he said, and Il much prefer the room to
my own. The fact that it is one of the
best sleeping apartments in the house is
shown by the young squirc>s choice oft.
should very much like to continue to
sleep in it during the remainder of my
stay-that is, if Mr.. Leigh does not OBJ
ject."
About noon snow began to fall, and
fell heavily all through the afternoon
and evening. Shortly after the supper
table had been cleared all went off to
bed, and as Harold opened the door of
his room, he laughingly shouted to some
of the guests who were following up the
stairs
''Good-night; [ wonder whether [
shall receive a visit from his ghostship
tonight. 1 wish may; should rather
like to make his acquaintance.
1t did not take him long to undress,
and his mind being free from the uneasi-
ness which he had felt the previous
night, he slipped into bed with the con-
tidence of good nights rest to come.
The wind was gradually rising; he could
hear it rustling through the branches of
the old yew tree; but it did not disturb
him, and he had hardly laid his head on
the pillow before he began to doze.
Just as he was dropping off to sleep he
suddenly sat up in bed with start, and
listened attentively for moment.
"What was that?"
"Pshaw! Nothing only my silly
fancy" he said to himself as he was about
to lie down again.
''No; there it is again."
His heart beat wildly, his hair almost
stood on end, and his eyes seemed to be
bursting from their sockets. Geld per-
SEPARATION burst from every pore
Again he started and gave vent to
frightened exclamation:
''Good Heaven. what is it-what can
it be-"
With trembling hands he removed the
coverlet and stepped out of bed, shaking
the while with terror so that he could
hardly stand upright. The wind was
shrieking and bowling round the house,
but the beatings of his heart were so loud
and quick that he scarcely heard it.
Steadying himself by the bed post, he
approached the window and drew aside
the blind. He held it aside for perhaps
half a minute, meanwhile straining his
eyes as if to pierce the darkness without.
Suddenly a tiercer blast than before swept
by the house, and as it passed he gave a
violent start. His heart stopped its hur-
ried beatings and stood still, his head
seemed to whirl, he could hardly breathe,
and choking sensation came into his
throat. He dropped the blind, staggered
to the room door, managed to turn the
handle, and, with a piercing shrek of
terror, fell heavily on the landing, sense
less.
The cry alarmed the inmates of the
house, who hurriedly rushed from their
bedrooms. Lights were brought, and
poor Harold was discovered. His hands
and his face was livid and bore an ex-
preston of intense fright fearful to be-
hold.
With realistic information he related
how, just as he was falling asleep, he
heard a violent tap at the window, fol.
lowed by wailing cry as though some
poor, perishing creature on the outside
was vainly seeking shelter from the bois-
ferrous storm.
81 listened attcntivelv for a moment"
continued Harold. ''when l heard it
again, this time louder than before, and
jumped out of bed, determined to find
out the cause. l went to the window,
drew back the blind, and never to my
dying day shall I forget the awful sight
that met my eyes. There, seated in the
fork of two boughs, clad in long, flow
ing robe of pure white, sat hideous