The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-07-01

I1OW dbDub bue one VI LLt Dtd ut44 IA
maiden that recently made her appear
ance hereli
Her" He stumbled outside the door:
grasped the latch and slammed il shut;
then opened IL an inch or two and STAN
mered: "Oh. she's not worth mindln'.
Jess raps and means out a little By day
an night. You won't heed such foolish
ness as hers It's the old. prowlin ghosts
you'll doubtless be wantin', sir. Good
night"
With this he slammed the door and
stumped away down the echoing pass
ages
This was the once famous George, now
the Unicorn Inn. Eight coaches, bound
to London, or Glasgow, daily changed
horses here in the good old coaching days.
Dickens and his friend Hablot Browne
had occupied this very room, once "a cheer
ful parlOr cham Der, when the former was
making his studies for "DothebOys Hall.
which still stands wraithful nementO
to olden Yorkshire schOOlboy horrors. not
half mile away.
But the night with its UNRELIABLE furies
of an awful storm shriekmg about the
grewsOme old place, with windows rat
Ting like crazy castanets, doors Of hall
ways and cupboards opening as if flung
INTO the room by unseen hands, and the
very toorbOards restless and disquiet as
though struggling with ugly gnomes be
low, seemed to unite all the hateful and
evil spirits of the dead past in protest at
disturbance by life and health and in
quiry.
Thoroughly exhausted, ! put out my
light and flung myself upon the misera-
bic bed. Sleep / thought will safely
shut all hateful things from him who
VIII come with storm over StanemOOr S
wilds. | was soon, despite the creaking,
grOauing and moaning of the old Struc-
ture, in a gentle doze Suddenly
awakened from this.
Some one was surely tapping at my
door. l sprang from my bed, lit my
candle, flung open the door and peered
down the low, long hallway. No one was
there. Returning to my room l endeav-
ored 10 locate the mysterious sounds. At
last | caught them sure and true. They
came from the oaken wall behind my bed
| climbed upon it, and with my pocket
knife clicked back sounds which | hoped
might mean an answer. The rappings
from the other side came louder, even
impetuously. | answered again. Another
little burst of rappings, and then long
silence.
Directly ] heard a few sharp rappings,
and a moment after soft rustling sound
against the ceiling. The sagging of beams
had left little hollow there, unoUserv-
able from the floor, but | was amazed to
prOtruding through the crevice. 1t seemed
to halt and wedge at times. Before ]
could reach 1t from my bed it had sud
denly shot to the center of the room and
fell tiuttering beside the table.
! grasped IL and looked carefully for
some message. There was none to be
seen. ] examined it closely running the
candle along both sides. Then | found
scratches upon it resembling writing.
ulT hFp
was something here-and here
IL prisoned--. Help"
This much | at last deciphered, and it
was enough.
Trapped loudly on the oaken wall to
apprise this ghost, which could so cum
nlngly make known its needs, that its
message was understood. In minute
more had forced door opposite the
one had entered and stood in a large,
unused passageway choked with the ac-
camulated dust and cObwebs of half a
century. From this a ladder-like stairs
led to loft or the roof. With great
effort | raised the rusty hatch and stood
IN huge attic among what my magma
ton conjured as a myriad cavOrting rats.
l scattered them with chunks of plaster,
and cropping a bout found a division wall
of oak running through this attic to. the
roof IN such way that I felt sure the
apartment it formed extended above the
main roof of the old structure. | tapped
gently against this, and response came,
seemingly far below
The roof was my only recourse then,
and | Al last reached it through an odd
little dormer window. 1t was slippery
from the storm, but I floundered about
upon it until | had located a tiny half
story rising above it. With a bit of broken
tile | raped upon its side There was no
response for time; but at last several
strokes, as II by something raised high
above ones head, almost beside me
startled me.
Just then a faint fash of lightning re
vealed the whole series Of roofs of the
huge, ancient structure, courtyard. pad
docks and all. 1t also showed an abrupt
side wall, with It's entire length, beside an
open field, struggling on beyond the old
inn offices to the near railway station, a
little distance to the north. | waited and
prayed for another bit of heavens light,
and at last it came in tremOrs and pulses,
lasting long enough to disclose a fat bit
of roof with ramshackle outer stairs de-
Scendlng to somewhere below
In moment | was upon these. The
second story reached, found myself upon
the floor of sunken gallery. Stairs led
from this to the ground and a narrow pas
sage penetrated the inn. Into this pas-
sage l slowly crept. my hands feeling the
way. They soon touched upright oaken
bars, and, slipping between, struck tiny
panes of glass.
The next instant | was both terrified
and astounded. l heard the landlord and
his terOclOuS dog moving about within
the ground story below and-my hands
We're clutched and held by other hands
hands dainty and warm as those of my
lost loves, while a pathetic. desperate
whisper reached my ears.
In God 5 name rescue me from this
place."
II will I will But quick now! Be
silent and listen. Your safety depends
on implicitly obeying me and not speak
ing above your breath Take your hands
from mine2'
| had part Of an oaken chair-leg had
brought from my room. With this I
softly pried the lower end of two bars
from their fastenings, and put them back
in place.
Here Put your hands on these.
Can you get through this space"
" es, yes, yes Shall come now"
"!mposslble. Have YOU any manner
OF timepiece where you are?"
Yes, my watch"
Good Appear to be quiet and asleep
until morning. Make no further sound
AT exactly half past seven O'Clock steal
out through this opening; descend the
stairs; will engage lhe landlord S atteu-
ton in the courtyard; skulk along the
Inn wall through the open field: follow
al