Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1898-12-31


There used to be great fete every year
at the chateau Of Mortemar. and this
time 1t was TO be even grander than
usual, for monsieur the marquis had
invited friends from all parts and had
announced that he should give feast
on New Years eve to all the tenants on
his estate. Of whom my mother was one.
So then the young gentlemen began
to talk about getting up some kind OF
show to amuse the tenantry. and NJ.
Henri, who was always foremost in ev.
cry kind Of fun, cried out:
"Hark ye, gentlemen. these good peo-
pie say we're wild as devils, SO suppose
we take them at their word. Wen
dress up as demons and treat them to a
demon dance"
The others shouted with laughter
and said it would be just the thing; but
Armand de Courval shook his head.
:'For heavens sake, my friends, f"
said he, "don't make a jest Of such
thingsi You know
1--WE know that You have right to
be shocked, my dear abbe," broke in
M. Henri. laughing. "but it can't mat.
ter much for poor sinners like us. I'm
sure II satan himself likes to come and
head our dance he'll be heartily vel.
come"
New Years eve came at last, and
the tenants were there In their best
clothes. my mother and among them.
The great courtyard had been covered
in with canvas and warmed by a big
fire at each end, and there we had our
supper. Monsieur the marquis and our
young lady went out among us to see
that we had enough, while the rest sat
at the windows and looked on.
When supper ended. there was eud-
den burst Of wild music Up went q
curtain at the end of the yard, disclos-
Ing a stage painted to represent the
depths of forest, and out came NJ.
Henri and his two friends, dressed as
demons. and began dancing and halloo.
ing and waving burning torches till
they scared us children 80 that we cried
as loud as they did.
The fine folks at the windows clapped
their hands and applauded Justify, but
all at once somebody cried out:
II thought there were only three Of
them. Who's the fourth?''
And when we looked, there, sure
enough, where there had only been three
dancers a minute back, there seemed
now to be four. But no one could tel.
exactly what the fourth was like, for
he fitted about like shy4ow, now
here, now there and sometimes seeming
to be everywhere at once.
Then strange horror fell over the
whole assembly, and every one saw in
his neighbours face the terror that was
upon his own. The lights burned blue,
and the air suddenly became foul and
sitting, like the air of acharnel vault.
And as the courtyard grew darker a
pale, dismal light, like half quenched
fire, began to rise over the stage, show
ing us that the faces of the dancers had
grown haggard and CHASTITY and that
their dancing was like the writings Of
men in mortal agony. Many Of the
great ladies, who had always Knocked
at such things and believed neither in
God nor the devil, tainted outright,
and the boldest Of the gentlemen were
little better.
Then, amid all the tumult and terror,
forth came M. de Courval. Up he went
on to the stage, and, lifting his calm,
commanding face above the tortured
visages Of the doomed men, said SOL
EMMY:
Stranger, IL you are of mortal mold
come forward and meet me like man.
If you are spirit of evil, BECOME in the
name Of him who died for us all.}'
There came clap Of thunder that
seemed to rend the very sky, and all
was dark as night, but through the
darkness and the silence walled a low,
dying groan. When the light came
again, all the gay guests were huddled
together like scared sheep, while the
three dancers lay prestrate upon the
stage, with their dresses all scorched
and blackened as II by lightning, but
the terrible fourth was nowhere to be
seen.
Monsieur the marquis sprang upon the
stage and called to his son, but Henri
made no answer. He was dead. 1t Jared
even worse with NJ. de Mericourt, for
he, the bold, high spirited, reckless
cavalier, was hopeless idiot ever after,
crying and covering like frightened
child. As for CASTOR de St. Cyr, the
shock sobered him once for all. Thence
forth he devoted his life to good works,
and died long after in foreign land,
reverenoed like saint.
"And the young ladyf" ask I, as
Dame Madeleine pauses.
"She married M. de Oourval six
months later, and went away to Amer
lea. where they lived many years, work
ing manfully for their own living and
beloved by all who knew them, and only
two years ago their grandson (he's an
officer In the American army, and such
fine fellow came over to see the place
where his ancestors had lived, and seem
ed quite pleased to find old Madeleine
still alive and hearty. So, you see, mon.
sieur, the good can bring good out OF
evil, after all. st. Louis Globe Dem
ocrat.
NEW YEARS IN SCOTLAND.
0uperstitions Regarding the Firs,
Caller of the Year.
II is an exceptional thing for Scot
fish family to go to bed on Hogmanay.