Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1893-03-16
A GHOST sToaY.

4 stranger. in whose company I
found myself several years ago while
travelling by diligence between Sch
liengen and Creuzah, told me. the
following story, which my readers
may find Of interest.
During the journey which took
last year in Denmark, Iarrived one
evening in village where / wished
te pass the night. At small dis
tance from the town had remark
ed q pretty chateau standing on a
'rising ground The landlord of the
flln informed me that he would be
unable to accommodate me, as his
house was full.
Since it is so, replied /, / will
60 mp to yonder chateau; they will
doubtless not refuse me hospitality
there
Certainly replied the landlord; !;
there is no scarcity of beds there,
and am at present custodian of all
the keys of the chateau. But do
not think it my duty to advise You
to put your idea into execution. 1t
is now nearly three months since
our gracious lord, with his wife and
son, has left for long voyage, and
since the apparitions have not
ceased single night to haunt the
chateau. 1t has gone so far that
the concierge and servants have
been unable to stay there; and who
ever ventures there now does not
do so twice
These words made the stranger
smile, for he was a courageous, sem
sible man, and did not believe in
ghosts.
Il will nevertheless try it, said
he.
All the advice of the landlord
could not prevail to shake his reso-
luton. After having provided him
self with everything which he
thought might be necessary in
visit to ghostly apparitions, he set
out for the chateau, armed with
the keys, and accompanied by the
servant.
Having arrived in this abode of
mystery, pursued the stranger, I
did not undress myself, for I was
resolved not to sleep, SO that l
might be ready for all emergencies.
In short, l placed before me on the
table two lighted candles. as well
as a pair of pistols, which did not
not look like missing their mark;
after which installed myself in an
armchair, to turn over at leisure
an album of engravings that found
on the mantel-piece. Ipassed thus
a long time without either seeing
or hearing anything in particular.
But when midnight rang out from
the old clock in the church tower,
and as the twelfth stroke was still
resounding, a frightful clap of
thunder was heard; large drops of
rain beat against the window-panes,
and three blows, the third of which
made it roll on its hinges, shook
the door of my room. Then ] per-
ceived advancing toward me, a
frightful figure, with large, black,
squirting eyes, a nose half an ell
long, pointed and gnashing teeth,
a beard pointed like a goats, and
coarse, reddish hair, bristling all
over his body. The horrible mon
ster, having reached the middle of
the room, roared in formidable
voice at me, Il am the grand mas
ter Mephistopheles. You are well
come to my palace. But have you
taken care to bid farewell to your
wife and child before coming thith-
er?'
l will allow that a cold chill
passed over me from head to foot.
But the monster, having again ad-
vanced several steps, and saying to
myself that the time had now ar
rived to take matters into my own
hands, presenting at my importu-
nate visitor the barrels of my two
revolvers, Stop or | shall fire. I
said.
Mephistopheles raised one finger
in the air in sign of menace, turned
slowly, and went out with the same
solemn step by which he had enter
ed. Seeing what q profound res
pect his satanic majesty had for
powder, / believed all danger to be
over, and taking one of the two
candles in my free hand, l went in
pursuit of him on to the stairway,
Iii lA.~