The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1893-01-20
A FAIR RECLUSE.

LOT yoh-Jaeobean period and almost origina
!. was trifie spoiled by some PhiIistine ind
Vldual about thirty years since, but with YOU
tasle and the aid of the local architect eyery
suing can Dc put right. This pearl Of house
soes oy the name of Thorpe manor and Ia n
course haunted. so you may relieve the rnonot
on oi country life by genuine ghost hunt
Ever yours, IoaN EInow. 800
f'S.-The house is in Surrey. abont fou
miles from Winton station. You had bette
after 1t. OA0 SA@0
AT that time l was fairly good look
lng' Well to do bachelor of thirty-fiye
MY ample leisure devoted to ANTIGUA
nan researches, literary work and tn.
collection of ''curios." / had no rela.
yves and few friends, and | lived an
almost solitary and perfectly happy life
in my chambers.
among what some people called nv
craze" was an enthusiasm for ancient
houses, and | had deputed John Ridg-
way an artist friend of mine who lived
IN Surrey, to find me genuine old coun-
Try house-a dreamy, rambling place
where could spend the summer. Hence
his letter.
AS the train steamed into the little
station at Winton John rushed mn tn
my carriage and clasped my hand. Dear
Ola chap! he quite beamed with low at
the prospect of showing me his wonder
full house.
Charming old place! I've had NV
eye ON it for months" he said az he
walked over the common.
Then he produced the inevitable note
book and pencil and was soon drawing
plans and explaining details.
AS we passed through the village we
called upon the house agent and took
him with us. He was a prosaic man.
and evidently thought we were a couple
OF mild lunatics, so excited did we he-
come when suddenly turning a corner at
the foot of a steep incline we stood in
front of Thorpe manor. twas a quaint
Old house. standing back a little from
the road, and its walls were as perfect
as when first built, but mellowed and
beautified by time.
we walked up the prim gravel path
to the wide doorway with its fantastic
carving. Here our agent produced q
huge, rusty key and unlocked the door.
which swung back easily on its large
hinges. We entered and went through
the rooms, which had low ceilings and
broad window seats. Most of these had
paneled walls, though some of them had
been covered with paper, which of
course we said must come Off One of
the bedrooms-which | thought from
the elaborate carving on the high man.
tel shelf and the beautiful oak paneling
had originally been the state one-was
perfect.
felt strangely attracted to this room,
know not why, and as we turned to
leave fingered behind the others for
parting glance Then l slowly went
down the winding stairway.
'Seen the ghost?" asked John lest
ingly.
The agent looked uneasy. Ghosts are
tiresome things, apt to initiate yerv
much against the chances of securing a
good tenant, but treasured him bv re-
marking that l rather liked ghosts, and
that, SO far as could SET, the house was
exactly what wanted. Of course there
were many details to be settled about
the lease, repairs and other matters, and
l stipulated that should be allowed to
make some alterations, such as remoy-
ing the staring plate glass with which
the late owner had ''modernized" the
windows of the lower rooms.
Six weeks later was installed in NV
new residence. The alterations were
not nearly completed, but declining the
Ridgways' pressing invitation to take
up my quarters with them, occupied
two rooms in the old house and engaged |
, woman in the village to come daily |
and attend to my simple wants.
On the third evening after my arrival |
was smoking my favorite pipe by a
wood fire in the darkroom, which had |
made my bedroom. 1t was nearly 10 |
o'clock, but being accustomed to late |
hours did not feel inclined for bed
lar from it. l decided to have one more |
pipe, and hastily taking up my pouch |
began to refill my pipe. Suddenly
stopped short, and with my little finger
till rammed into the bowl of the pipe
eft my chair and walked to the opposite
nde OF the room, for could have sworn
saw the paneling move ever so slightly
upward. Nor was I mistaken; for yery
lowly the whole panel disappeared, and
n the opening stood the figure of a wo-
nan.
The room was dark, for the wood fire
lad begun to smolder, so could not see
What she was like-young or old, ugly
II beautiful.
was not nervous-I had a profound
llsbellef In the supernatural-so I SIM
'ly waited to see what the intruder pro-
'osed to do. She advanced into the
DOM and came close to my elbow, then 7
alsed her hand and beckoned me to fol-
ow her. Of course went, and she led
ne through the aperture and down a
teep wooden staircase. 1t was pitch
lark, but struck matches at intervals.
dy companion went on quickly, never
ooklng behind her, but I smiled as she
aised her skirts gingerly from the dusty
talrs, and once l saw the woman shud-
Ter as rat scuttled by.
''No ghost this" thought |.
On we went down the wooden stair.
Ill at last we came to some stone ones.
III green and humid, owing to neglect.
We continued our course, going down
light after fight of damp, slippery
tairs, till at length, to my relief, my
companion paused before heavy oaken
loor, then opened it and entered. Fol-
owing her, found myself in a low,
'aultlike chamber, more like cell than
else. The floor was stone, the
walls We're bare, but it was apparently
inhabited, for there We're few articles
II furnlture-a rickety, spindle legged
able, a couple of high backed, worm
'aten chairs and battered horsehair
'ofa. In the CRATE, too, burned a small