The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1892-07-21
CLIFTON FORGE VIRGINIA. THURSDAY, JULY p, 1892
The Ghost of a Dueling Ground.

J IL was IN the Gays Oh Cuo Olu Terry, all
as luck would have it, when l reache,
the river bank the boat was on tn
wrong side. My horse was young on
and seemingly as impatient as myself, St
had much ado to keep him under curl
till Pompey and the boat came over.
Sorry to keep you waitin, sor," sait
the old negro, with manner tina
smacked loudly of feudalism, "but i
couldn't be hoped, sor, you understan,
sor"
My nag became more FESTIVE amid
stream, and was glad enough when we
touched the Carolina shore.
I ''Jes' keep the river road up, sor," sale
Pompey in answer to my request for di.
rections. ''Ef you war gwine to de vii
lage stidder de plantation house I'd fee
easier bout you. 1t faint SO fur, de
village amt" He looked up overhead
searchingly at the black clouds. ''Good
by, young marster, God bless you. Tank
de Lord, you'll have time to git pars de
White House fore night comes.n
did not take time then to inquire
why this was matter worthy of such
came to me afterward, when knew too
well its meaning. | rode on rapidly
amid pealing thunderclaps and binding
flashes oflightning, and think I had
| gone scarce a mile ere the rain began to
pour, and with the first drops night itself
seemed to fall.
The rain came slantingly in a sheet,
and in the inky blackness the lightning
was more and more confusing. l felt my
| foolish horse trembling beneath me; he
could not see the road and his instinct
seemed lost in fright. I knew somehow
that we were not in the road, but could
not see how we were to regain it. By
the tree growth knew we could not be
far from the river and feared lest any
| step might send us oyer the bluff By
succession of vivid flashes I soon saw on
the hill top before me big white house.
There seemed to be no light within and
it impressed me that the house was un>
occupied: but the blinds were closed,
and anyhow an empty shelter was better
than the driving rain in the dark, SO l
urged my horse towards the place.
rank, overgrown hedge of Cherokee
rose surrounded the big lawn in front of
the house and no semblance of a gate
swung between the tall posts, that stood
like sentinels to guard the entrance, but,
singularly enough my horse would not
go in until | dismounted and led him
A broad pebbled road under overlap
ping, swishing trees, led to the house,
which, as l approached became more and
more evidently unoccupied. In shell
tered corner of the porte cochere l teth-
cred my horse, relieving him of his wet
saddle, and then began to reconnoi.re
for my own protection. Justas stepped
into the vestibule the big front door
swung heavily shut with a noise that re-
verberated throughout the whole house.
| confess it was with slight feeling of
uneasiness that pushed the door open
and entered the wide hall.
A door to the right hung swaggingly
inward, and l went on into the room to
which it led. 1t was a big, bare apart
ment. Its plastered walls cleaning white
in the flashes of light that followed each
other quickly. An old leathern sofa and
one or two rickety>looking chairs were
the only furniture, and there were drawn
away from the windows, heavy curtains
of some dark stuff The door had en-
tered was the only one the room pos
sessed, and | had shut this to keep out
the wind, pushing the old fashioned bolt
in it's socket. Fortunately wore rub
Der coat, and my clothes were comforts
ably dry, but unfortunately l had no
matches to make light, for l was not a
smoker in those days. l was always
calm, composed kind of a fellow, and
having nothing else in the world to do
l sat down in one of the old chairs and
thought of many things-of business, no.
doubt, as man will, and of my sweets
heart, too, most likely, for l was not
married then.
The only diversion | had was in read
ing by the lightning flashes the innum-
cradle names written in pencil upon the
white walls. There were some written
in groups, the names, no doubt, of gay
parties; maidens with their lovers, who
had driven out from the neighboring
cities. There were jests and jibes, mean
lngless enough, OF course, to me in their
true significance, and grotesque figures
OF all kinds. | remember one particu>
larly; twas OF hideous skeleton, carry
ing his own grinning skull under his
his arm, and underneath was written:
II am the owner of this house; let no
man enter under peril of his life. | saw
this on the wall, when at length, over
come with sleep, l lay down on the dusty
old Lounge.
The room was very close but l could not
open the door because of the wind that
ever and anon set the empty house a-rat-
Ting, and L was compelled to draw the
curtains over the windows to keep out
the lightning. However, l at last fell
asleep, and. of course, slept heavily, for
how long do not know, but | think for
several hours. When l awoke it was
with a feeling Of intense oppression. l
had been dreaming that the skeleton
had set his own hideous skull upon my
shoulders and was carrying nv head
under his bony arm. l scarcely knew
at first whether was waking or dream
ing still, but gradually 1 became aware
OF myself. and-of another presence be-
sides my own in the room.
AS strove vainly to peer about me in
the gloom | heard faint frou-frou. as
OF silken garments, and suddenly, from
the corner where had set the chair with
my dripping coat, saw staring at me
pair OF eyes vivid as fire-sparks could
neither move nor speak, but lay be-
numbed by fear. The glaring ewes
stirred not, but seemed burning them
selves into my very soul How long this
terrible thing kept up can have no idea
MY heart beat till l thought it would
burst. | painted for breath but could