Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1901-10-16
THE FAMILY
HONOR Y
By J. M. Barrie.

-
Much OF the story Of the Glendowie
monster. now on the tongues Of oil in the
north who arc not afraid to speak, has
been born of ugly fancies since the night
of Sept. 4, 1890, when that happened
which sent the country to bed with long
candles for the rest Of the month. was
at Glendowie castle that night, and l
heard the scream that made nigh 200 peo-
pie suddenly stand still in the dance. but
of what is now being said take no stock,
thinking 1t damning to noble house, and
of what was said before that night will
repeat only the native gossip and the
story of the children, which take to be
human, rather than the worst horror Of
al, as some would have it.
There are those In Glendowie who hold
that this Thing has been in the castle and
there held down by chains since the year
100, when the wild Lady Mildred gave
It birth and died at the sight Of 1t, and in
the daylight (but never before wine) they
will speak the name of her lover and so
account for 1900 A. ID. being known in
the annals of that house not as year Of
our Lord, but as the year Of the Devil. /
am not sufficiently old fashioned for such
q story and rather believe that the Thing
was never in the castle until the coming
home from Africa of him who was known
as the Left Handed Earl. which hap
pened a matter OF seventy years ago.
The secret manner of his coming and the
oddness of his attendants, with wild
story of his clearing the house Of all other
servants for fifteen days. during which he
was not idle raised q crop of scandal that
has not yet been cut level with the earth.
To be plain, il is said by those who be.
lieve witchcraft TO be done with, that the
Left Handed Earl brought the Thing
from Africa and In fifteen days had
home made for it In the castle--a home
that none could find the way to save him.
self and black servant. who frequently
disappeared for many days ut time, yet
was known always to be within whistle
, of his master. Men said furtively that
this Thing was the heir and again there
was the devils shadow in the story, as II
the devil could be a woman.
Half century ago the Left Handed
Earl died, and they will tell you of
three days search for minister brave
enough to pray by the open coffin and
that in the middle Of the prayer the
mourners rose to their feet and ran out OF
JUe room DtEduSt VI SOLutlhlhk oluatoh6
on the corpse's chest There are many
such stories OF the Thing, against which
all who might have seen shut their eyes
SO quickly that no two drew the same
likeness. But this is no great matter, fol
what they say they saw l will not tell,
and | you'd that none had ever told me.
There have been four earls since then,
but, if the tale Of the Thing be true, not
one of them lawful earls. Yet until the
4th of September, 1890, since the time OF
the Left Handed Earl. it has always been
the same back servant who waited on
the Thing, so that many marveled ana
called these two one, as they were not.
OF the earis | have nothing to tell that
could not be told by others, save this, that
they paced their halls by night and have
ever had an air of listening, not TO what
was being said TO them. but as if fol
some sudden cry from beyond
Il. is not q pretty story. except what Is
told of the monsters love of children.
and though. until the 4th Of September,
1890, | never believed what was told or
the Thing and these children. believe 1t
now. What they say is that ii was so
savage that not even the black servant
could have gone within reach OF 1t ana
lived: yet with children scarce strong
enough to walk. save on all Tours, IL
would play for hours even as they played
but with a mothers care for them. Ihere
are men of all ages in these parts who
hold that they were with 1t in their chld
hood and loved il, though now they shud-
der nj a picture they recall. think, but
vaguely. and some Of them doubtless are
liars,
II NAV be wondered why the lords OF
La child tnfn the
er of one that would have broken them
saIves across its knee, and two reasons
are riyen-the first. that it knew when
there were children in the castle and
woDld have broken down wahs to reach
chem had they not been brought to it.,
,ha other. that compassion induced the
eorls m give il the only pleasure 1t knew.
Of those children some were OF the tenant.
W and others of guests in the castle, ana
I have not heard Of one who dreaded the
,,onster. If half Of the stories be true,
tbev would let it toss them sportyeiy ID
+ha air. and they would sit with their
arms around its neck while IT made toys
Cor them OF splinters of wood or music
by rafting its chains.
7 need not say that care was taken 10
teen these meetings from the parents OF
~ children. in which conspiracy the chill
S.ao unconsciously Joined, for the pleas
snt prattle of their new friends alayed
,,s-ic;on rather than reused 1t. Never
shaIess nueer rumors arose in recent times
-h;ob dare say, few believed who came
-, distance, yet were they sufficiently
s;o1risting TO make guests leave tneir
Children at home. and. as ! understand;
an the 4th Of September, iS5o, several
1s had passed since child had slept slept
y the castle. On that night there were were
n guests and one child, who had l., been &c
u NM hsd for some hours when the Thing
The occasion was the coming OF age Of
- bo;r and seldom, suppose, has there