The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-05-01
A GREAT GHOST STORY.
In an Old En- glish
Manor House.
A Spook Of Several Features, but the
Yankees Beat Him.
This Delightful Romance is by
OSCAR WILDE.
]By the Kind Permission Of the American Publishers.
Messra Dodd. Mead I Col

]By the Kind Permission Of the American Publishers
Messra Dodd. Mead I Col
".
Tho next day the ghost was very weak and
tired. The terrible excitement OF the last four
weeks was beginning to have its effect His
nerves were completely shattered, and he
started at the slightest noise For 1--WE days
he kent his room. and at last made UP his
mind to give up the point Of tho blood stain
on the library floor. II the Otis family did
not want It, they clearly did not deserve 1t.
They were evidently people on q low
material plane OF existence. and quite incap-
ablo OF appreoiating the symbolic value Of
eensuous phenomena The question Of
phantasmic apparitions, and the development
Of astral bodies, was of course quite different
matter. and really not under his control. It
was his solemn duty to appear in the corridor
once O week. and to eibber from the large
oriel window on the first and third Wednes-
days In every month. and he did not see how
he could honorably escape from his obliga-
lions. 1t is quite true that his life had been
very evil. but, upon the other hand. he was
most conscientious in all things connected
with the supernatural. For tho next three
Saturdays. accordingly. he traversed the cor.
rtdor as usual between midnight and 3 o'clock.
taking every possible precaution against being
either heard or seen. He removed his boots.
trod as lightly as possible on the old worm
eaten boards. wore large black velvet cloak.
and was careful to use the Rising Sun Lubri
Gator for oling his chains. I am bound to
acknowledge that 1t was with good deel Of
difficulty that no brought himself to adopt this
last mode OF protection. However. one night.
while the family were at dinner. he slipped
into Mr.. Otis's bedroom and carried of the
bottle. He felt little Inundated at first. but
afterward was sensible enough to see that
there was q great deal to be said for the in
vention, and, to q certain degree. it served
his purpose. Still. In spite OF everything.
he was not left unmolested Strings were
continually being stretched across the CORR
dor. over which no tripped in the dark. and on
one occasion. while dressed for tho part OF
BLACK Isaac. or the Huptsman Of Hogley
Woods" he met with severe fall. through
treading on q butter slide. which the twins
had constructed from the entrance Of the
Tapestry Chamber to the top of the oak stair
case. This last insult so enraeed him that he
resolved to make one final effort to assert his
dignity and social position. and determined to
visit the insolent young Eton!ans the next
night in his celebrated character Of Reckless
Rupert. or the Headless Earl"
He had not appeared In this Disguise for
moro than seventy years: In fact, not since no
had so frightened pretty Lady Barbara Modish
BY means Of 1t. that she suddenly broke of
her engagement with the present Lord Can
terville's grandfather. and ran away to Gretna
Green with handsome Jack Castletown.
declaring that nothing in the world
would induce her to marry into family
that allowed such a horrible phantom to
walk w and down the terrace at twilight
Poor Jack was afterward shot In q duel by
Lord Canterville on Wandsworth Common. and
Lady Barbara died Of broken heart at Tun-
bridge Wells before the year was out. So In
every way. 1t had been a great success. 1t
was. however. an extremely difficult make
up" II may use such a theatrical expression
in connection with one OF the greatest mys-
teries Of the supernatural. or. to employ q
more scientific term. the higher natural world.
and it took him fully three hours to make his
preparations. At last everything was ready.
and he was very plensed with his appearance.
The big leather riding boots that went with
the dress were Just a little too large for him.
md he could only IND ono OF the two horse
pistols. but. on tho whole. he was quito salts
fled and at a quarter past one he glided out Of
the wainscotlnR and crept down tho corridor
On reaching the room occupied by the twins
which should mention WAS called tho Blue
Bed Chamber. on account OF tho color Of
its hangings. he found the door Just njar.
Wishing to make m effective entrance. no
flung It wide open. when heavy jug of water
fell right down on him. wettlns him to the
skin. and Just missing mis- left shoulder Ey
couple OF inches At tho same moment II.
heard stifled sh.leks OF laughter procoeJin.
from tho four-post bed. The shock to his
nervous system was so great that no ncd tnrk
to his room rs nard as no could go. and the
next dizzy he was laid up with q severe cold.
The only thing That ut all conSolod him in
Tho whole afr,lir W ~ the fact that he had not
brought his head with him. for. had he done
SO. tho consul uences might have been very
serious
He now gave vi al! hope Of ever Tightening
this rudo American family. nnI cpntentti /
himself. as u rule. with creeping ahout tho
passages in list slippers with thick red
muller rounI his throat for fear Of drnu.h.s.
and u small! nruucbus In case he should 10
attacked BY the twins. The final blow no rc.
ceivcI occurred on tn. 1877! o! September. 10
had gone down stair, 10 the great entrance
hall. feeling su.e that there. ut any rate, ho
would he quito Enm rlo3tad. AMI was amusing
himself by maxim. sa,i.icn! remarks on the
large Sn.ony pnnsos 'n?ls Of the United States
Minister and his wife. which had now taken
the place Of Tia, Cnntervilo family pirtures
Hr was sim My but ally clad in long shrnud.
spo;tcd with rhurchylr! mould. had tied M
his Jaw with IA strip Of yellow linen. anil car
riot IA small lantern and i sections spade. In
ruct, he was DIESEL fo. tho charartor Of
- Jonas tho GravrIrss. or tho Cnrpsc Snntchcr
Of Chprtsey Barn" one OF his most remarkable
miners matt ms. and one which tho Cantor
yil!cs had every reason to RENE nbcr. ns IT. WAS
tho real o,ign OF their quarrel with their
neighbor. Lord Rnilori 1t was about u guar
ter mast . O'Clock in tho morning. AMI. ny inr
M no could ascertain no one WAS siirrii q. Az
he was stroll.ng toward tho library. however.
10 500 II there vero any traces left OF tho
blood stain. suddenly there lcaprd out on him
from n dark corner two figures. who waved
their arms wildly above their heads, and
slriek cd ont boo in his ear.
Seized with panic, which. under tho cir
cumstnnces, WAS only natural. he rushed for
the staircase, but found Washington Otis
waiting for him there with tho big garden
syringe; and being thus hemmcd in by his
a., or,toa .>o aynry silp- and driven nlniDst N