Birmingham age-herald., 1894-08-10


 riders and the stairways, and a strange noise commenced every night at 12 o'clock that seemed to shake the house to it's foun- dations The servants of course threw up their places and left and the only one that remained, an old butler few days after ward was found hung in exactly the same place as the owners father. Under these circumstances I can hardly wonder at the people clearing out Since then though the house has remained empty, the noises are heard by every one who approachessthe house at midnight, and the form of the old monk was seen no later than yesterday by a man who lives here and whose word I have every reason to believe have ar ranged with him that we call at his house on our way, all three of us to spend the night in the old mansion, and then-nous verrons"
 To tell the truth, did not quite fancy the idea Fortunately for me, I only half believed the story, and so, stepping out briskly, we soon reachedsthe pretty little house belonging to Max's friend. This man, Dr. Appleton was tho first to revive my fears. Markham, " he said solemnly, "I'm half sorry I promised. This is too serious a business for us to meddle with. l saw that thing again today in broad
 
 such a devilsh looking face ' ''Oh, bosh, man!' said Max. Its too late now to turn back. We have barely 15 minutes to reach tho house. A brisk walk will pull up your courage Come on" Making some remark about fools venturing where angels fear to tread the doctor put on his coat and in few moments we were again under way.
 A 10 minutes walk brought us in sight of the old abbey. Cold and gaunt the ruins looked in the moonlight, like skele- ton of the past At its back wood of pines swayed in the night wind like an army of ghosts waiting for leader, and little farther on, surrounded by the shadow of the trees stood a desolate looking house, with empty windows and broken panes, the very picture of all that was haunted and uncanny. Making our way under the shadow of the trees, we reached the back of the house and with little diff fculty forced window open and were soon inside. By the light of the moon shining through the blindless windows we made our way to what appeared to be the dining room, and then, closing the. shutters and lighting solitary candle, we sat down on couple of empty boxes to await results We had not long to wait. Exactly as a neighboring clock struck 12 we heard a sound that made our very hearts stand still. We sprang from our seats and stood looking at one another in consternation and dismay. It seemed as if on the very stroke of 12 the house had received some blow that shook it to it's foundations. Every door seemed to open and creak and bang one after another as the wind moancd and swept on it's way from room to room. Instinctiyely we turned our eyes to the door of the chamber we occupied If was open. There was something standing there The moon flashed out from behind cloud. It was the monk.
 I could hear my heart beat like drum. was almost sinking with fright when suddenly, with hollow, grating laugh, the figure disappeared. In 2, second- we had picked up nGr things, opened the win s..11, jumped to the lawn and were run ming as fast as legs would carry us in tho direction of Appleton's house. Markham was the first to recover his composure. What darned fools we are, <" he said, but upon my word never got such fright in my life,' That sentiment was heartily in- dorsed by Appleton and myself and we both so strongly opposed the idea of fur ther investigation that Markham gave in, and the doctor put us up in his place for the night.
 With the daylight, however, our courage returned, and after a good breakfast we took walk around the old house be- fore returning to the city and vowed that the three of us would make another at tempt that night to penetrate the mystery. Daylight Is wonderful thing for dis polling ghosts and ghostly fears and WIG could hardly believe that we were the same mon who the night before ran as fast as legs could carry from that very room that tho following morning we so con tentedly examined. It was exactly as we had left it. There were the two boxes on which we sat, there the grease of tho candle, and there the open window through which we had fled
 The doctor was inclined to regard the matter in very grave light Up to that moment he had not given much thought to the domain of ghostland. He therefore considered the apparition direct rebuko for such negligence. Markham simply be- lieved that his eyes had deceived him, but how we threo saw the same thing and heard that awful laugh he could not ex- plain We visited all the rooms saw the nursery where the monk had been seen bending over the child, and lastly turned our attention to the basement The eel lars were large and freely admitted light, except one which faced toward the abbey. When we entered the latter and got accus toned to tho darkness, q grewsome sight met our eyes, which startled us nearly as much as did the apparition of the previous night. Hanging from beam in tho cell ing was the rope and moose by which the unfortunate butler had hung himself. There it had remained, white with mold, swinging softly in the draft, grim trophy
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