The Jennings daily record. [volume] (Jennings, La.) 1900-1903, 1902-05-17


me. I walked slowly up the long ave-
nue. and assembled the granite steps.
AS reached the last step, 1 stumbled
and fell upon my knees. Looking
round to see the cause, found an iron
gauntlet, rusted and eaten away, and
half buried in the moss that grew
around it. l took it up with strange
thrill OF awe. How many years had it
awaited me, since the fiery lover hurled
it, like curse, back in the face of
his pursuer? The door before me was
of carved oak, but worm eaten and de-
caying- With sudden impulse, for
which l. could not account, l struck
upon it furiously with the iron glove.
The frail fastenings, already half I'M
done by the hand of time, gave way at
my impetuous summons, and, amid a
thousand echoes, the door swung slow
ly on its hinges and the castle was
won. When the cloud of dust raised
by my sudden entrance had subsidized.
passed through the portal and stood
upon the floor of the hall There,
where the lovely lady's flying footsteps
had rested last; there, where the low
er had thrown down the iron glove, in
defiance of the wronged and deserted
husband; there, where the feeble old
man had sunk down in agony, when,
hearing their horses hoofs beyond the
outer court, he learned the full extent
of his dishonor and despair; there,
where his menials had raised him,
shrieking and cursing in impetuous
madness; there, where they had borne
him slowly up the long stone staircase
that wound around and around and far
above my head to the lonely room that
was to be his prison and his tomb.
The stone flags were no longer Shout
der to shoulder, like firm friends and
true. Time had come between them,
as between all other things, and the
dark, deep crevices on every side were
only hidden by the long grass that
sought to bridge them over.
while stood in the hall thought
I heard a faint, distant noise above
my head. and looking up the staircase,
I saw"
"Yow!" yelped Mr.. Cowley, flinging
the book to the other end of the room.
''I'll read no more of that. I've got
to where the ghost comes in. l looked
up and saw-Oh, yes, Of course you
did. But if you imagine you are go
ing to induce me to read your raw
headed and bloody-bone rubbish, you
are grandly mistaken. Strange that
everything one takes up in this wretch
ed place turns into a ghost story O.
your hands. / should not be surprised
any morning to find the leading article
In the Times turning into a tale Of a
haunted house right under my eyes.
It's unbearable-positivel unbeara-
ble!"
He finished his grog and looked At
his watch.
Eleven o'clock and the house as still
Is death! wonder IL they are all
asleep. High time for me to go-Oh,
Lord! what's that?'
The sound was in the room exactly
overhead-a steady. continuous knock
ing that seemed to summon him to the
place without delay.
What room is that? The turret
chamber! Rose said there was some
thing there and that was why she
moved her room!"
For a moment or two the worthy
banker sat like one paralyzed, cold
moisture on his face and his heart
beating muffled march within his
breast At last his British pluck"
came to his aid.
by st. George of England. l won't
turn coward in my old age!" he eX-
claimed Man. woman or ghost-let
it be what it may III go and meet it,"
He took the candle and left the room.
All was quiet on the stairs, in the hall.
in the gallery above. The knocking
ceased
With trembling hand he opened the
door of the turret chamber.
A tall and slender woman stood
alone in the center of the room. Her
face was hidden by black mask. A
full mantle or robe of crimson cloth
covered her from head to foot, 1t was
girded at the waist by cord of Varie-
gated silk. and the full sleeves were
embroidered with threads of gold.
Upon her breast something shone and
sparkled in the shape of a star.
In one hand she held the casket and
the tress of hair; in the other, a paper
on which the astonished banker saw
written in large letters:
ION that day. !. a child of three
years. had lain sneechless and sense'ess
for more than twelve hours. The
strange and sudden illness terri ed
every one around me-they thought me
dead, and a veritable resurrection from
the tomb could hardly have created
more excitement than my recovery. 1
remembered the recovery perfectly,
but all before it was blank. Now,
however as / stood gazing on that pic
ture, seemed to remember dimly some