The Opelousas courier., 1899-02-18
OF THE SP0OKERU:
BY MRS. M. CoRBET-sEYMoUR.

'poSn "SkAS kAS u "olt ~
ghost, it will be seer at once that
am going to tell the story of a house
given up to that very unpopular kline
of tenant.
The visitor to West Flanders viii
not find the Spookerij without a little
palnstaking. 1t stands far back from
the road running between the ancient
city Of Bruges and the modern water
ing place of Blankenberghe. It will
be reached by first following the
course Of the canal and then as sud
denly abandoning it for q short cut
across several potato and cabbage
fields.
The Spookerij is not colored, ac-
cording to local custom, either a pale
green, a boiled shrlmp,;o r a light blue
tint it is only dirty white. A low
pitched, rambling dwelling it is just
four or five 0 on the ground floor,
the same on the floor above, and a
grenier at the top. In England it
would be a little farmhouse in Elan
ders it ranks as chateau~-or it did so
rank before the spooks came into pos
session.
We, who were old residents, knew
it as Chateau Rosendael. Nowadays.
should a chance visitor pass that way
and make inquiries, he will be told
that it is the Spookerij.
The tall, spare form of an English
man named Godfrey Langdale used to
be seen in the garden which separated
the house from the fields that sur
round it upon three sides, but only
after sunset. He did not court the
sunshine; it was kept ont of the house
by venetian blinds DUNG spring and
summer.
The two elderly servants who were
Mr.. Langdale's sole attendants said
that "the Master" shut himself ND
with his books for companions, and
only came forth into the air for an
hour or SO of an evening and in all
weathers.
Why he had chosen to expatriate
himself and settle in this solitary
corner of West Flanders, no one pre-
tended to know. Every one was at
liberty to hazard a guess, but there
was absolutely no means of ascertain
ing if such a guess was right.
Therefore it was settled that Geof-
frey Langdale had reasons of his own
loving this absolute retirement,
and would never probably reveal what
those reasons might be. After renting
the place for one year, he purchased
it at a very low price.
The servants, man and wife, frankly
admitted having taken the situation
for the sake Of the high wages offered;
otherwise they would have pr, ferred
life in England.
They knew nothing whatever of Mr..
previous history; they an
an advertisement which had
appeared in the Daily Telegraph, and
1t a subsequent interview the matter
was arranged.
Letters-so they said when ques-
'ioned-never came for MI. Langdale
Il a general way; there was always
me, however, which arrived upon the
fifth day Of every month, and bore the
london postmark.
After its receipt, Coulson or his
wife were sent with a check to the
English bank, which has existed for
many a long year in Bruges for the
Of residents and passing
~,isitors.
There was no stint in the domestic
arrangements Of the little household,
tut neither was there any extrava-
,ance. Godfrey Langdale was himself
n abstainer and a very frugal eater;
10 did not entertain guests and he
ever gave anything in charity. Some
money slipped through his finger. in
be purchase of books, for he was
.ontinually adding to his library; :,
therwise, Coulson could not imagine
that he I'D with those monthly
Not that these servants were spe-
tally given to gossip concerning their (!
indeed, there was but little ]
nance Of it in a country whe e they {
ould not speak more than a word or
.o of the language.
But on market days, in Bruges, l
Lrs. Coulson had some chance of con l
in mi or other shop where l
'nglish is spoken; her husband, also,
ad just a few intimates in the town
18th whom to exchange a few harmless e
onfdences. In this way, then, some I
the peculiarities Of Godfrey Lang
ale became known. t
Two OF three Of his %compatriots L
tucked upthe courage to call on him. t
Mt to all guests entrance seemed 9
prohibited. Coulson could j
,ly shake his gray head regretfully. k
in a voice of low toned apology u
ter the formula |
"Mr. Langlale does not receive" 8
The ultra curious would now and "
rain tramp out as far as the little o
lateau on a fine summer evening "
I'd linger by the gate with a hope Of r.
itching just a glimpse of the English "
cluse. Those whose efforts were
Iccessful agreed that he must be
'out sixty years Of age, and that his
'pearance seemed to indicate a sad G,
DRY connected with his past life, ';
Several years went by. Then came A
e event which stirred those sleepy q