The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-04-13

noon. The SKY was dark and loWeringi
the wind swept down from the hills
with a mournful. wailing sound, and be-
meath the tail trees. that bent before
the gale. lay heaps OF faded yellow
leaves. trodden out Of an shape rnd
beauty by the feet that were contin-
ually traversing the narrow village
paths.
Upon the hills. and out on the broad
highway. the scene was dreary enough
But the little village Of Banley. with
its red-tiled roofs and latticed win
dows. al aglow with the blaze Of fire
1 light wore a look Of cheerful comfort
which the wintry aspect Of the day
rather heightened than diminished
Banley, lying far inland. was one Of
those primitive little places where the
sound Of the railway whistle had never
come. There was a branch line. It is
true. some twelve miles away, but few
Of Its passengers ever found their way
across the hills, and few OF the inhab-
itants Of Banley had seen the station.
or tested the capabilities OF the won
drous iron horse. Those who had
done SO, having returned in safety. be-
came oraeles among their neighbors.
as people Of deep experience. and one
word Of theirs outweighed a score
from others, who had not seen the
world"
The village. like most OF the kind,
consisted Of a strg gggling street Of cot
tages, with gay fower-gardens in front
and an enclosure or kitchen, yegeta-
bles and few fruit trees, al the back
There was a church and a parsonage.
Il Is true. but the vicar was n0n-resi-
dent, being more deeply interested in
the conversion Of Irish Catholics than
IN the religious state Of English Pro
testants, albeit they we're OF his own
flock Consequently the vicarage was
shut up, and consumptiye curate
with sickly wife and a family Of seven
children, living IN a cottage at the up.
per end Of the village, keeping up ap
pearances-by means known only to
curates and their wives on the pltimi
salary Of one hundred pounds a year
Anxious and carewon enough the
pair often looked, but they loved each
other dearly, and were beloved by ey-
ery.one around. 80 it may be that their
fate was not a hard one. after all
The curate and his wife. poor
though they might be- were the only
people in the village who could prop
erely be designated "gentlefolks" The
Lord OF the Manor was nonresident.
the Manor House itself being anything
but desirable home If an was true
that was told OF the sights and sounds
tnat mad been seen and heard there at
different times by different people the
poor man was very wise in not coming
to look after his property IN person
Hollow Ash Hall was haunted |
house.
II stood at some distance from the |
village, upon a green and fertile emf |
nence, shut out from the common ap-
proach, though not from common view,
by a high stone wall and a lofty pair |
Of iron gates. There we're a porters |
lodge, untenanted, of course and a
small cottage within the grounds,
which had once been occupied by some /
humble dependent Of the family. IN |
the day when that family was numer.
GUS and happy. and strongly united by
the thousand sweet ties that bind a
loving heart to home.
Seen from the public road. the Hall
was simply q square. brick-fronted
English mansion. of the ordinary type
comfortably and conveniently built
with stables. green houses gardens
and conservatories. enough 20 satisfy
all the requirements Of modern polite
society. The yew trees at the back
and the long, bare lawn in front. gave
it a melancholy appearance. but no
one would have dreamed OF calling It
a haunted house had they not been told
that 1t had an undoubted right to the
name There was not even a hollow
ash tree ia view. to account for its I'M
usable title But the villagers when
questioned upon the subject. would
look wise. and lead you TO the top Of
a narrow, damp lane. where grew
solitary tree, that had been touched
BY the soathing finger Of the lightning
or It's mission OF destruction and
death That was Hollow Ash. and
that was the Burnt Ash Lane" down
which lane, as a sort of short cut" to
the scene Of their uncanny revels. II
may be- strange figures were said to
fit as soon as the clock from the neigh
boring church had tolled the hour Of
twelve
Not only one ghost haunted the place
there were at least three or four.
and their names we're more familiar
to the persons who owned the manor
than 20 any curious stranger who
sought to pry into its secrets. But ii
must have been a bold man or Woman
who would have dared to ask a Yer
non a question. They we're a silent.
reserved race. by no means
addicted to the foolish practice Of
wearing their hearts upon their
sleeves" And n there was one sub
rrf uuOn which they were more rffcrt .