The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-07-06
GAUNT RILL'S RIDE

~ VG'ft-' !
Isn't this . dreafy, spooky night?'
aald Clover, pfessing her small nose
nat against the window pane and
watching the procession of umbrellas
that was passing ON the sidewalks be-
low. Seems as II we ought to be pop;
ping corn or pulling candy, Or"
Or telling nice. creepy, shivery
stories," piped In Warren. II tell you,
I'd Just like to hear real ghostly one.
the kind that makes you afraid to 60
to bed. for fear something II catch
hold of your feet when you jump In"
Aunt Rill smiled.
i can't tell ghost stories." she said,
"because ! don't believe In ghosts. But
not more than ten minutes ago I was
thinking of something that happened
when was girl.
How jolly meet" said Warren,
smothering a little whoop of hilarity,
while Glover lost interest In the UNI
brella procession and curled up in
Aunt Rills arms--a way that girls
have when creepy" tales are told.
1T was before the war. that is, the
war Of the COS, my dears," Aunt Riil
began, land I was a young woman,
barely 20 years old. Then we didn't
have so many theaters and places Of
amusement as you have now, and con.
certs were quite In vogue. AS had q
good voice and my brother John-your
uncle, my dears, who died before you
were born-played the violin with
considerable ability. we often helped
to fill up the programme at concerts
and entertainments In the small towns
near the city where we liyed-Roches-
ter, New York state. Uncle John was
ten years older than /, and totally
blind. When he played every breath
was stilled, and the people listened as
II 1t were heavenly music that he drew
from the strings Of his fiddle. After
awhile we made up Q little programme
Of our own and spent most Of our time
going from one town to another.
"One night just before a concert We
got a letter saying that We were want.
ed In another town the following even
ing. We were perplexed. Trains
didn't run 80 frequently as they do
now, and the only way to get to that
town was for us to reach Rochester
before 6 o'clock the next morning.
1--WE talked 1t all over. We didn't
want to miss the concert, because they
were counting on our being II -"e, and
for the reason. that We nee,.d the
money. After the last song was finish
ed and we had put on our thing. BROTH
or John said: Sister Rill, would you
be afraid II we were to drive In to
the three Of us went inside and hud-
died about the stove. We were sur
prised to find no one In the big, bleak
room but boy about 10 years old. He
seemed very nice and told us to sit
down. You can imagine we were glad
to do so, and we took the chairs that
he drew up for us with a feeling OF
glowing gratitude. Just then we
heard little, whistle and the boy hur-
ried out Of the room. That struck
me as being strange and l suddenly
began to feel a nervous dread-as IL
we were unsafe. In q moment the 10y
was back, bringing with him three
glasses of wine on a little plate.
Don't touch 1t. beg of you,' I
whispered to the boy driver.
but I'm nearly frozen, he answer
ed.
mo! No! You mustn't insist
ed, and he did not.
1.-THE boy with the wine seemed
quite put out because we refused it.
He asked us where we were going and
how long we would stay, and then the
little whistle was sounded again and
out he went. He was scarcely be-
yond the door when | clutched brother
Johns hand and, motioning to our
driver, said quickly: Come! Hurry!
Hurry! l know we're not safe here!'
1--WE ran out of the room and were
not moment too soon. AS we climb
ed into the sleigh we heard excited
voices and saw dark figures running
from around the corners of the house.
We lashed the horses and they tore of
like mad, seeming also to realize that
We were in danger. Luckily it was
down grade, for they came after us
half dozen dangerous. desperate
Rochester to-night?'
mot bit in the world!' answer
ID, for l was young and plucky, my |
dears, and nothing seemed terrifying
10 me then.
~ We up well dHu tuEh-
I'd all the money we had got for our
work in the lining of my bodice. 1t /
was an hour or more before we found
my one willing to undertake the long,
.old night drive, but we at last found
/ boy of 16 who said he wasn't afraid
If anything. He had two good, stout
lOrses, and just at midnight we start
I'd out on our five hours drive.
1T was bitterly cold. There was
tle-scurrying Of fine snow, and the
hill, penetrating winds from Lake
Ontario were blowing gale. The
lorses plodded along with that stolid
leroism that horses have, shaking the
now from their names and breasting
he cutting blasts. For more than
wo hours we continued that way, till
ur fingers and feet were numb and our
heeks felt tight and smooth like the
old faces of china dolls. Then we
pied light on the right of the road.
Is we came up to 1t saw that 1t was
n inn, and there was big, glowing
re inside. We knew that we could
ot stop long, but moments warmth
1ould be blessing just then. We
i'd not tie the horses, instead, we
rought them close TO the porch, under
be protection Of its projecting caves.
8! led brother John by the hand and
len, firing guns and commanding US
, stop. We dashed into an old-fash-
,ned covered bridge with the crowd Of
hem in pursuit like pack of raven
us wolves. Beyond the bridge was a
scond steep grade. Here they gave
p the chase ard breathed a prayer
thanksgiving when we had sped
round bend Of the road mile be-
ond that dreadful place. Two bull
It's had gone into the sleigh and one
ad taken out neat little nip from
lie sleeve of brother Johns coat"
"O-o-oh! My gasped Clover.
Weren't you awfully scared? And
ere they really-truly robbers?"
Worse than that, my DEAR" Aunt
i'll replied. Several years after the
ar, when it had been noticed that a
lmber of travellers had mysteriously
sappeared near this inhospitable inn,
10 authorities Of the county started
| investigation. In the cellar Of the
vful place were found several skele-
M ond oil Tho nrNofo ~ u,n,do- |