San Saba County news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1874-19??, 1892-05-20

land many presents for his wife, and
some more furniture for the big stone
house Among the latter articles was
strange looking. old-lashioned bed
stead. in which he seemed much in
terested. and insisted on unpacking it
himself 1t had been the property of
one of his Norman ancestors. he said.
The headboard was an immense az
fair made of oak, and was covered with
carvings of ancient and odd designs. At
the points against which the pillows
OF the bed should rest had been carved
the heads of two hideous dragons.
with open mouths and eyes of blood
red beads
Il am afraid of them; take 1t
away" cried the young wife. when
she saw the carved dragon heads on
the headboard of her bed.
Il brought it over for you" said
her husband. while a strange, cruel
looking smile played about his thin
lips. But we can set it up in the
little spare room in the west wing of
the house if you are afraid of it II
Mrs Brewer started at the mention
of the little spare room. Her hus-
band noticed it and again that strange
smile came to his lips.
You can see that the servants put
it there" be said and then his wife
looked relieved.
She is hiding him in that roomr'
Thurston heard the master say to
himself as he turned away.
The day after the bed was put in
the room one of the slaves went there
for some purpose She had scarcely
crossed the threshold when with a
scream of terror that aroused the
household, she turned and fed.
Thurston and his master reached
the room at the same time. but before
they could enter Mrs. Brewer, with
white face aud a look of terror in her
eyes ran by them They followed
close behind her and. lying at full
length on the old Norman bed. they
found the handsome young stranger
dead.
My brother! Oh my brother. speak
to mer' cried Mrs. Brewer as shd
threw herself on the bed and placed
her arms about the neck OF the dead
man.
At these words n guilty. startled
look passed over the fnco of her hus.
band. but only Ihurston noticed it.
Startling disclosures followed close
on the heels of one another that day
The dead man had been murdered. A
small, sharp pointed dagger had been
plunged into the top of his head and
had entered the brain. causing instant
/ death. The man was Mrs. Brewers
brother, who had been compelled to
leave England because he was ae-
cusel OF 2 grave crime of which he
was ihhoeent but owing to the death
of witness he could not clearly es-
tablish his innocence.
Who committed the murder2 There
the mystery began in earnest The
officers of the Law came. but found no
clue not even the dagger.
Two days after the funeral of her
brother Mrs Brewer went to the
room where he had been killed and
threw herself down on the bed, weep-
ing bitterly A few 1oufRsater a SER
want found her there de with the
tears scarcely dry on he' heeks and
the same mysterious duggg wound in
the top OF her head
When the husband came and looked
at the face OF his murdered wife
Thursten, who was watching. saw him
tremble and turn pale while look Of
horror came into his eyes. The old
servant said nothing but from that
moment he believed the master held
the key to the mystery.
Again the officers OF the law were
ba led and when a week later old
Martin Brewer was found lying dead
on the Norman bed OF his ancestors,
with the same strange wound in the
head. they declared that human
hands had not welded the instrument
of death.
Then the big stone house was closed.
Relatives of Brewer came from Eng
land TO take possession OF the prop
erty but when the ghost OF the old
man and his pretty wife appeared they
went away and returned no more
Such was the story OF the tragedy OF
the haunted house
What became of the old Norman
be1?" / asked Of Donald Thurston
when l had read the story to the end
1T is rotting there with the old
house, unless the ghosts have carried
it away"
Then I am going to have look
at 1t " answered
The old man finally agreed TO go
with me and help me to find the room
that was called the chamber of death.
We found it after n short search
through the crumbling ruins. and
there was the bed in a fair state OF
preservation because It had b, N shell
tered The dragon heads were still
intact and demonstrating things
they were. l inspected closely and
looking into the open mouth saw
something that resembled the point of
dagger.
Bring an ak. and I think we will
clear up this mystery" | said 10
Thurston and he brought it without
word.
y itn LAOh1 CAA -lAC AOleth6 NOOA anu
the mystery of the haunted house was
I revealed. IN the mouths OF the wood
en- dragons carved on the headboard
of the bed were concealed two long.
slender daggers. They were attached
TO a spring that was arranged so
that the weight OF a person lying
down on the bed would thrust dag
ger into his brain.
In his mad jealousy old Martin
Brewer had planned strange instru-
ment of death Omaha World Herald.
An ApropO> Pronunciation.
Twenty years ago the energetic
Professor Schwarz was conducting a
musical society. They were study ing
Mendelssohn's Elijah" and had
reached the chorus. hear us. Baal;
hear mighty God.
The mems voices were bounding
out generously. when the conductor
/ cried ont .NOi mol de dreadful voWel !