Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1893-03-17

Il leges accorded to
college girls on home vacations, we
were having our own way entirely by
sitting up late and alone in the big hall
of my parents country home long after
the others had gone to bed.
The dimly glowing embers of real
old-fashioned log fire on the hearth gave
the only light we had or wanted.
Now and then a little Aickering flame,
suddenly blazing and as quickly dying
out, made dancing ghostly shadows fit
about the spacious apartment, giving it
the weird and spOOky appearance our
romantic minds desired.
At the foot of the winding staircase
stood an ancient suit OF knightly armor,
complete even to its visor drawn and its
mailed right hand grasping It's battle
spear, which, no doubt, had in its day
unhorsed and pierced many valiant foe.
At the top Of the first stair landing
was grandfather clock ticking its
loudest as if trying to tell two giddy
girls that after midnight it was proper
for them to be in the land of dreams and
not be wasting the precious slumber
time in talking nonsense.
But its mournful "tick-tock, tick
toch" only made our hObgoblin sur
rou1dinqs more enjoyable and the old
knight in armoT grimly watching us saw
but merry looks and heard only sup
pressed laughter, and, maybe, a few girl
secrets for his pains.
Not another sound echoed through
the big sitting-room hall save sometimes
TIE rising wind outside slamming a
shutter or moaning through the trees on
the lawn or drearily whistliny down the
huge chimney before us.
Although the romance Of our situation
was delightful in the extreme, by and
by it began to impress itselfin all its un-
canny spookiness upon our senses.
We became quieter, and though wish
ing to seek our cosy bed chamber above
we dreaded going to 1t through the
gloom of the long stairs and upper hall,
and so, yet we fingered below by the
dying fire.
"Say, L1cel' said my chum Kate,
after spell of dismal silence, "suppose
that ugly old knight by the stairs should
step down and come for us-what would
you dol"
"I would Just run for my life, l
guess" answered, while the thought
made cold chills run over me, "and you'd
run for yours too, brave as you are. Let's
go to bed, Kate. "
so, no hurryl" she laughed, 81 like
it here immensely. L dare you to go up
and touch the old fellow. Say, Luce,
mightn't there be real, live man inside
that amor now. A regular bloody
burglar, for instance, waiting for US to
pass him and then GRAB us to choke
our screams and cut our throats. | be-
lieve saw it move. Therel Look Pm
sure it made noise. See its eyes star.
ing right at you now
I could feel my hair trying to erect it.
self aud in spite OF the righteousness of
the thing being aught but an empty she'll
| felt awfullY like screaming aud then
fsinting dead away. Kate, seeing my
terror, kept on.
"Tm sure it's Give" she whispered,
''and watching US. There it moved
again"
80, Kate" 1 gasped, more scared
than l wanted to admit, "do please stop
talking 50. I'm not afraid, of course,
bu. l don't think you ought to try to
scare person. 1t isn't right. Come,
let's go to bed,i ms: be alter 1 o'clock.
What will my folks say when they know
it9"
"Well, Luce, you go fret and see if
It's safe to get past taat old barbarian.
There, he moved again. I'm sure a
mans inside the armor."
"NO. Wen go upstairs together"
spoke, "give me your hand"
Kate evidently had frightened herself
more thaa me for her hand trembled as
/ took it. "Nowl" l boldly whispered,
s'come." Aud away we dlshed by
the grim sentinel aud up into my room.
After l had lockei the door in the
dark ! found match aud lighted a
candle standing on the dressing table,
and Kate and both looked into the
glass-so see who was the whitest, I
suppose
Then we began laughing. al never
you was such coward, Luce,"
said Kate, "where's all your college
gritS" -'-'->
"And where's yoursp answered,
s'you were more scared than /. Why,