The Opelousas courier., 1901-06-29

" " more or less thrilling, yet
perfectly authentic, but 1
think for sheer "blood-curdleness'
there are few to beat a strange and
hoyeible experience of a friend Of mine.
AS I think it may interest others l give
it here as nearly as I can remember in
her own words. For obvious reasons
the names given to both people and
places are purely fictitious.
It was in the winter Of 1889 that |
received an invitation from my old
friend Mrs. Chudleigh to go and make
one of their annual house-party at
'Rathlin," their Suffolk home. l cheer
fully accepted, for digs" are a dull
place at any time, and if there is any
period when they are duller than an
| other I think it is during the merry
season." Therefore the 18th of the
month saw me stepping out of the
train at tie familiar little station
of Elmersfield. 1 found that Norah
hdd sent the carriage to meet me, and
| had thoughtfully provisioned 1t with a
foot-warmcr and some rugs, Of which
I was very glad, for the weather was
| decidedly SHARP" There had been
more than one fall Of snow already.
and everybody ~prophesied a "white'
season.
After a drive of three-quarters of an
hbur or SO we drew up before the
house, and my friend came out on the
steps to welcome and carry me off to
a comfortable cup of tea in her bou-
doir. When we were snugly ensconced
before the fire and had duly chatted
Shout various subjects of home inter-
est Norah Chudleigh said: "Oh, Mary,
dear, / am so sorry, but will you mind
sleeping in the 'summer-houseT The
fact Of the matter is that Henry has
| invited a friend of his and his wife to
stay here for ten days or a fortnight,
| and as it is their first visit I have been
obliged to give them your usual room.
all the others in the house being al
ready occupied"
Before I go farther ! must explain
that the ''summer-house" Norah re-
feTred to was not what Is usually I'M
derstood by the term. It had been
built by the last owners Of "Rathlin'
(fcr what use I do not know at O dis.
lance Of some $50 OF 200 yards from
the house, and consisted Of two good
sized rooms. One Of these ] ad large
French windows round three sides Of
1t, and the Chudleighs mad arranged
it as an elaborate kind Of summer
house, with bookcases, easy chairs,
writing-table and everything that
could add to its comfort. The other
they had fitted up as a bedroom for
use when the house was full.
I was not at that TIM a nervous
girl. and the idea of sleeping quite
alone away from the house aroused
not the slightest uneasiness in my
mind, SO I readily acquiesced in the
proposal.
We passed a very pleasant evening.
Most of the other guests were known
to me-, and Norah and her husband
made an excellent host and hostess.
When we were in the drawing-room
after dinner the conversation turned
upon superstitions, and from those,
very naturally, drifted to ghosts, and
we amused ourselves by recalling all
the, atories of the kind we could re-
mem. -Rr till the hour arrived for bed.
every silly subject for us to have hit
or, Miss Bentley" said Colonel Chud-
leigh, as he babe me goodnight, when
you are going to sleep in such solitary
seclusion."
"Oh, Mary is not frightened; you
don't believe in any of those things,
do your"
"Not I, Norah," / answered. laugh
ing; sit would take a very special kind
of ghost to frighten me-"
Early hours were the custom at
"Rathlin," and it was only a little af-
ter II o'clock when I left the house,
preceded by a maid carrying 3 lantern.
My room looked very bright and cosy.
A good, big fire was burning brightly,
and a shaded lamp stood on one of the
tables.
The girl inquired whether there was
any way in which she could assist me
further, and receiving a reply in the
negative, was about to leave the room
when she suddenly turned back, say
ing, 'There is something wrong with
this lock, miss, and the door won't fas-
ten on the inside. But IL you like /
will lock 1t on the outside and take the
key away with me, and when I come
with your hot water in the morning I
can ~unfasten it."
I did not much like the idea of being
locked in, but as the girl said she
would be sure to come early, and
limited that they had lately been much
troubled with tramps In that neighbor-
hood, I thought it best to agree.
As o as she was gone beyond re-
call, however, I wished I had never
consented. The possibility of fire for
the first tina presented itself to my
mind, and I wildly pictured myself
locked in there with no chance of es-
cape and being burnt to death within
a few hundred yards OF my friends.
However, there was no help cor 1t
now, and I commenced to undr ,ss.
Before I bad finished l was laughing
ct myself for my fears.
aA ! turned snt she lamp ! thought