The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-05-06
UNEXPLAINED.
A GHOST STORY.

scornfully, and addressing large circle of
friends and neighbors who, one Christmas
evening, wore seated round her hospitable
hearth.
"Ahl you think so? Pardon me, il can
not agree with you," said Mr.. Henniker,
a well-known Dublin barrister, of burly
frame and jovial countenance, famed for
his wit and flow of anecdote-
The ladies OF the party uttered exclama-
tons in various KEYS, while the men looked
attentive and interested. All that Mr..
Henniker pleased to say was wont to COM
mand attention, in Dublin at least
$50 you think all ghost stories may be
explained? What would Mrs. March
mont say to our old woman in the black
bonnet, Angela?" And the barrister
turned to his quiet little wife, who rarely
opened her lips. She was eager enough
now.
Al wish / could quite forget that old
woman, John, DEAR" she said, with a
SILVER.
won't you tell Us, dear Mrs. Henniker?
Please-please do" cried the ladies in
chorus.
may; John must tell that tale" said
the wife, shrinking into herself as il were.
No one knew how it happened that the
conversation had turned upon mesmer-
ism. spirituajsm and other themes trench
ing upon the supernatural. Perhaps the
season, suggesting old-fashioned tales,
had something to do with it; or maybe
the whistling wind, mingling with the
pattering of hail and rattle OF cab-wheels,
led the mind to brood over uncanny
legends. Anyhow, all the company spoke
OF ghosts: some to mock, others to specu-
late and here was the witty lawyer, pre-
pared to tell a grave tale OF his own ex-
perience.
His jovial face grew stern. Like the
Ancient Mariner, he addressed himself to
one in company, but all were silent
and attentive.
"You say all ghost stories may be ex-
planned, Mrs. Marchmont. So would 1
have said year ago; but since we last
met at your hospitable freside, my wife
and / have gone through a very astonish-
ing experience We can a tale unfold
No man was better inclined TO laugh at
ghost stories than |.
"Well, to begin my true tale. We
wished for a complete change of scene last
February, and Angela thought she would
like TO reside in the same county as her
sisters and cousins and aunts-"
"Dorsetshire, ! believe. Mrs. Henniker?"
interrupted the lady OF the house.
Angela nodded.
81 intended to take house for my fam
lily, leave them comfortably settled and
run backwards and forwards between Dor
setshire and Dublin. Well, it so hap
pened that did leave them for a single
day during the three months OF my ten
ancy of the hall. / had seen wonderful
advertisement of spacious dwelling house,
with Offices. gardens, pleasure grounds
to be had for $50 per annum. | went 20
the agent to make inquiries.
"'ls this fourishing advertisement cor
Perfectly
what! so many advantages are to be
had for ESQ year?
d" Most certainly. advise you to go
and see for yourself
II took the agents advice, and Angela
was enchanted with the description was
able to give her on my return. \ charm
ing little park, beautifully planted with
rare shrubs and trees-a bowery, secluded
spot, so shut in by noble elms as to seem
remote from the word. The house-such
a mansion as in Ireland would be called
manor house or castle-large, lofty rooms
thoroughly furnished, every modern i'm
provement. NV wife, as surprised as N.Y.
self that place OF the kind should be go
ing for a mere song, begged me to see the
agent again and close with him. 1t was
done at once. l would have taken the
hall for a year, but Mr.. Harold advised
me not to do go. Take it by the quarter,
or at least by the half year. he recon-
mended.
II replied that it appeared such desir-
able bargain that 1 wished to take it by
the year. His answer to this was a reiter-
alton of his first advice. | can't tell you
how he influenced me, for he really said
no more than tell you; but l yielded to
his evident wish without knowing why |
did so, and l closed with him for six
months, not year.
Glamour, Mr.. Hennikerw
ut would seem so, Mrs. Marchmont.
We went TO the Hall, and Angela was de-
lighted with it The snowdrops lay in
snow masses about the grounds-the gar
den gave promise of beauty as the season
advanced. How the children ran over
the house how charmed we were with
every nook and corner of it, Our own
bedroom was comfortable, large room,
opening into very roomy dressing room,
in which my wife placed two cribs for our
youngest boys, Hal and Jack"
Don't forget to say that our bedroom
opened from sitting room" interrupted |
Mrs Hennker
'Well, for three weeks we all slept the
sleep OF the just in our really splendid |
suite of apartments. Not grumble from
our servants-nothing but satisfaction
with our rare bargain. l was on the eve
OF returning to dear, dirty Dublin and the
Four Courts when"
"When? We are all attention, Mr..
Henniker."
Angela and l were sitting in the draw
ing-room under the bed chamber have
described, when a loud cry startled us,
Mother, mother, motherr
"The little boys were in bed in the
dressing-room. Angela dropped her tea
cup and dashed out of the room, forget
ting that there was no light in the rooms
above us.
81 caught upa candle and followed her
quickly. We found the children sobbing
wildly. Jacks arms were almost strang-
ling his mother, while he cried in great |
excitement, oh, the old woman in the |
black bonnetl The old woman in the |
black bonnetp
81 thought little fatherly correction |
would be beneficial but Angela would |