Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1903-02-21
THE HAUNT
OF THE
DOvEc0TE.

doves had it not Lsen for their beauti
fuI little eyrie atop, red-roofed. pigeon
holed, poised like q watchtower over
built such home-loyiAg birds for dwell
ing place.
But the holes we dark and empty
not enc little .rway filled by the
blue figure of preening dove, though
the midday sun was cosy.
-Why?" asked the young man.
The old ones English was scant. un-
certain, and full Of Kissed SIS, but he
gave of his best.
Because there is doves in the old
place, often and often through the
night, sir"
THE night?"
Eyes, indeed. sir. 1t is two of doves
that is come here many. many years
years before my eat-grandfather live.
sir. Two of doves that is coo all night
in the holes when the year is fall.
hear it myself last night, sir, plain
and every night this week.
And you never see the birds in day
time?"
There is no birds here indeed, sir:
there is none will live in the cote it is
long. long time ago. We have try
sir. many time: the monks. too. have.
try long time before us. but there is no
lSoFss, will stay eyer-not after dark.
? hear them myself so scream-screaming
across the sky, and there is none COM
ing again, sir; we see them no more
at ALL
But the doves at night?"
THAT is it. sir. 1t is fear of the
ghosts why those new birds fly scream
ing"
"Ghosts?"
ITO be sure. Am | not tell you |
! hear them myself all this night. cooling
like their heart is break-two of them,
TO be sure?"
''Dove-ghosts?"
cit is peoples. sir-peoples changed
long time ago for two doves. They tell
me the story. but never go for look.
, There is the cooling out here for sure"
Every night?"
while the walnut leaves is fall dry,
sir. Yes, sure. Gcod-day. sir
He would have shuffisd away through
the cast of clothing of these old trees
that now fiuttered their last shreds IN
he sunshine.
But the young man-Gt the porta! of
his career. a poet steepsd in sentiment
and seeming a legend-hastily dis
played tobacco. This went 10 the
Welshman's heart and opened it, So
the poet plucked the legend from the
peasant.
'And you believe all this happens in
the old place every November night,
and you have heard for years the COO
ing of doves where in the morning no
doves are. yet you have never opened
your door to lcoll?" asked the poet
when he had plucked it.
The peasant, slowly and along his
PR EN-, quizzed first the dorecote.
poet.
lay happen, sir. on one night
shall open my door the monk
maid was not come at all-it
Happen | was hear no doves coo
aight.''
h. is that so?"
do not know, indeed. / was never
my door yet, sir. was not look
-, but | was hear always"
well. have you a mind to open to-
lght and watch with me-"
81 was not like. sir. No, indeed. They
as not come. either. perhaps. ana
len we have lose sleep for nothing. 4
n like better not to look sir"
.'Ah, now / take you. John Roberts
Sthere is humor in believing in
III ghosts By proxy no doIbt-stale
NOR Thank you for your little Jest.
)hn Roberts. Time-honored as bread,
jest is always safe if it is old enough.
'ood-day." And the poet looked quiz
cally in his turn at the peasant.
He, mystified. but not wholly. went
way through dead leaves. hugging
pipe. But he threw back a word
er his shoulder:
For sure | was hear them, sir, many
nes"
81 believe you," retorted the poet:
put, like you, I'll have faith without
ight. I'll lose my sleep in inyestiga-
ion."
II will, thought said to herself an
unobserved listener.
She, tee, without calling herself poet.
as young, stepped in sentiment,
greedy for romance. She too, had miss
I ed the dove-faces from the dovecote
doors, the hustle of gray wings about
warm red tiles, and wondered why
Lingering among the walnut trunks,
she had fallen unconsciously TO eyes,
dropping. and quivered with far graver
excitement than the poets over the
tale OF the haunting doves.
II was the fairy turn in the tale. the
stroke of enchantment. the master
stroke of metamorphosis that alluring-
ly caught both poet and girl Else it
had been an ordinary, respectable, very
commonplace ghost story.
That a monk whose Office It was TO
Feed tie monastery doves in their shell
ler at shutdown should meet maid
here in the walnut grove. should come
gain to seek love lettering in the aro-
ie shade. should find love irresisti-
his VOWS as ropes of dust while
was to meet at the dovecote.
in to keep vigil by his-doves
x, and become suspect of
Sotherhooc: should finally
with his mrid--by n