Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1893-12-14
ST. GABELLE'S INN.

Ny Uncle Bayle was q man whom ey-
cry one loved and welcomed as o visitor.
His home was not as ours was, in the
little city of Mirepoix, but in a grand
chateau, with crimson roof and shutters,
in the environs Of Folk. Alawyer by
profession and pressed with business, he
never let fortnight pass without COM
ing to see our mother, and there were
many of us to greet him, for Uncle Bayle
was the eldest of 10 children, all of them,
with one or two exceptions, living with
their own or their children's children in
the neighborhood of the family home,
my sister and myself in the homestead
itself, with our infrm but pious and
courageous mother, whom, as l told you
awhile ago, Uncle Bayle came to see.
.Uncle," said Dorothy one evening,
the prettiest as well as the bravest of all
our cousins, "tell us ghost story, please.
We have heard all the Others"
"One cold autumn evening" said he,
"some 40 years ago, was returning
from Toulouse, where had been called
on business. i was travelling fast and
had already passed Auterive, where
some friends had urged me to stay the
night, but 1 was in a hurry to reach
Saverdun, three leagues farther on, and
continued my route. Just in front of the
monastery of Bolbonne, In the forest OF
Secourien, one of those furious tempests
which spring up in the heart OF the
mountains without moments warning
fell upon me. In less than no time II
was as black as midnight and the road
invisible. There was nothing for 1t but
to turn about and ask for shelter at
Bolbonne. In little while my horse
stopped, and saw that we were before
the door of an inn. entered. The COM
pany was numerous and composed OF
merchants, Spanish students and the
sportsmen of the neighborhood, sur
prised like myself by the storm.
"'Truly,' said one of the hunters, the
weather's devilish-a regular witches
sabbat.'
"'Pardon me- cried a voice in a dis
tant corner, witches and goblins hold
sabbats on moonlight nights and not in
storms"
"We all turned to see who had spoken
and saw that it was Spanish mer-
chant. None of us seemed disposed at
first to answer a remark made with such
solemn gravity. In fact, we were as 81
lent as owls until suddenly my neighbor
on the right, young man Of frank and
pleasing appearance, burst into tit OF
laughter. ...
Really said he, indicating the mer-
chant who had spoken last, it seems as
if the gentleman understood the habits
of goblms. Perhaps they've told you,
turning to him scornfully, 'how much
they dislike to be wet and muddyp
1.-THE Spaniard gave him terrible
look.
"'You speak too lightly, young man,
said he, far too lightly OF things you
know nothing about
"'And you would have me believe that
ghosts exist?
"'Perhaps,' said the other, If you are
brave enough to look and see. Here's a
purse he continued, rising and ap-
preaching the table, containing 30 gold
en- auadruples. l wager them all that
in an hours time l call before you the
face of any one of your friends, even If
he has been dead dozen years, whom
you may name to me. Moreover, when
you have recognized him, he shall ap-
proach, embrace and salute you with a
kiss. Do you agreeY And as he asked
the question the manner of the man was
SO impressive and stern that we invol-
unfairly trembled. My neighbor only
remained unmoved.
"And you can do all that? he cried.
Eyes answered the Spaniard, and
willingly part with my 80 quadruples
beside, if do not, provided you will lose
similar amount if 1 hold to my promise
and force you to believe The offer was
at once accepted.
"To guard against trickery and decep-
ton, we decided to use a little pavilion
situated in the outer garden, perfectly
isolated and bare of everything but a
chair and table. After assuring our
selves that there were no other issues
than door and a window. the student
entered and, we left him to his fate, not,
however, without placing beside him all
the necessary writing materials and ex-
tinguishing the lights.
"When everything was ready and we
had arranged ourselves in acircle around
the door, the Spaniard, who had waited
in absolute silence till all was done, be-
gan to sing in low, sweet voice, verse,
as near as I can remember, running
thus:
With o cracking noise the coffin bursts
In the tomb, deep, dark and profound,
/ And the phantom white places his foot
u On the soil of the cold, damp ground!
"Then, elevating his voice, he called
to the student shut up within the pavil.
ion:
"'You have told me, said he, that you
desire to have visit from the spirit Of
your friend, Francis Vialat, drowned
three years ago while crossing the ferry
of Pensagnoles. Now, what do you
see?
"I see nothing, replied the student
but stay! white light begins to lift
itself yonder by the window, formless
shifting and like floating cloud
: after a moments silence the Span.
lard begins to sing again, his voice deeper
! and gloomier than befores
"And the phantom white, whom the rushing
. rains
Had faded toa tint 30 fair,
Wiped with his shroud and his skeleton hand
The drops from his face aa3 hair"
"'What do you see now,' he cries
you who wish to sound the mysteries O.
the tomb; what do you see nowT
"'Nothing, replies the voice Of thestu
dent, calm and cool as ever.
: "'And you are not afraid? cries tn
, Spaniard, his manner moro scornful ant