Evening star., 1901-12-21
CUPID HOLDS FULL SWAY
A ROOM THAT IS HAUNTED ny THE
MIsCHIEvOUs LITTLE GOD,
All Who Sleep Within Its Walls Sue
cumb to His Power-A Cure
for Celfbacy.

love-haunted chamber is something
new in spook lore, and it is a departure
from conventional stories of the weird and
eerie to encounter an experience in which
the god of love, wreathed in smiles and
soft Establishments, takes the place of
| sheet-shrouded wrath or horrid specter.
There is a certain mansion near Washing
ton that possesses a haunted apartment,
which, however, instead of being Stunned
by visitors is eagerly sought by the young
| and sometimes designedly inhabited by per-
sons of uncertain age, but, like Barkis.
willin'. For it is whispered through the
country around that If an unmarried per-
son but stay overnight in this room matrt-
monial prospects will soon thereafter be
manifest and if the sleeper be inclined that
| way. will take definite shape and eventuate
| at the altar. Indeed, there are stories OF
the potency Of the charm that hovers about
the room going further and enthralling un-
willing captives or those who unwittingly
| and with no thought of love have risked
themselves within it's magic portals.
1t is large and CHEEKY room, beautifully
| decorated in blue and gold and rose. with
rose-tinted curtains and carpet On one
wall is a panel bearing painting of Cupid
leading a maid through tangle Of roses.
she Misunderstanding yet half eagerly follow
ing her guide. On the opposite wall an
other Cupid beckons an Apollo, who, moth
ing loath, presses joyouSly onward. The
room was once the bower of a young girl,
the pride of the countryside and the light
of that household, who, before Cupid could
rivet the slk-incased chains he was wind
ing about her, was called away.
For long time the room was closed and
remained just as she had left it. Then,
after a period, when the hospitable old
house again opened its doors, and one night
when there was press of company. the
daughters room was given over to oc-
cupancy by a guest. 1t happened that this
guest was a maiden relative whom the
gods had punished for her early scornins
of their offers by Withholding opportunities
until anxiety had begun to take the place
of Indifference. All unconscious of what
was in store for her, she laid herself be-
tween the lavender-scented linen of the
mahogany bed and before blowing out the
candle by the bedside admired the decora-
tion of the walls and noted the harmonious
scheme that was worked out in the Cuplds
rioting in the carving of the footboard
All through the night she was half aware
of delightful dreams. The Cupids from the
walls and the carvings seemed to be busy
about her bedside with garlands and ropes
of flowers, and throughout their weaving
game the Apollo on the wall appeared to be
active and to stand out in a strange, soft
radiance of light. Next day she laughingly
told her story, and when a week later she
departed, TO- she carried with her the heart
and offer of the hand of a member Of the
house party.
the visit of hardened bachelor, whom.
prayerful mother had wished for years to
see safely in the leading strings of some
good woman. This scornful wretch openly
fouted the story of the love-haunted room,
and defiantly offered to sleep within it,
betting basket of Frances best vintage
that he would come off unScathed by Gu
pid's arrows. With mock ceremony he
was escorted to the haunted chamber. and
left by his host with earnest wish for
safe night and sound sleep.
10 iSit tod hot {ha hnI 1>o
tween the two panels, and he moved it be-
meath the panel of Apollo and Cupid, in
very spirit of bravado, as If to dare them to
do their worst. Then he blew out the can
die, and was soon snoring most unroman-
t1cally, as the result Of the days hard
hunting. What happened before morning
he would never tell. Sure it was. however,
that he was disturbed enough to cut his
visit short and leave, being ashamed not
to sleep in the room again, and the family
would never have known the result of the
experiment If the hostess had not a month
later received letter from the aforesaid
prayerful mother, in which she declared
how thankful she was that her beloved
John would be married before New Year
to woman noted for her piety and strong
qualities of mind
There were other strange condolences
connected with the room that winter, and
when spring came the mansion was fairly
beset with visitors. Oddly enough, many
of them sought to occupy the room. Some
by shameless strategy, processing incredu-
ltty In the charm and a disposition to defy
1t, when all knew twas but eagerness to
reap the beneffcent magic. So were other
schemes employed to entrap unsuspecting
and guileless young men into the fatal cir
Gle, they never knowing why fate had so
swiftly overtaken them.
Beneath the bay window Of the love-
haunted room is an old-fashioned garden
with an arbor and seats therein, and 1t is
said that as the summer waxed the charm
Of the room would extend to the garden,
and on moonlight nights, when the dew
sparkled and heliotrope and lilac gave off
their fragrance, the couples would slip
away from the verandas and the dimly lit
parlor to wander together along its walks.
1t was dangerous for single men, how
ever successfully they had avoided the
traps and pitfalls set by designing mammas
and crafty papas up to that time, to ven
ture into these mystic shades to smoke
bedtime cigar, and nov the confirmed old
bachelors and the ha rdened old maids will
never attend house parties In that mansion
unless assured before hand that there are
rooms in plenty and hat no one Of them
will be bedded In Cupid's chamber.