The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1904-05-26

the furniture was displaced and much
| of it covered up.
! How do you like the look Of the
| place." asked my father with faint
smile.
| The disconsolate expression Of my
| face which prompted this query was
a sufficient answer to ii. l do not re-
member having ever before having
been so profoundly miserable as when
| we wandered together from room to
| room and along the gloomy corridors
! surveying the confusion which every
where prevailed.
Come, don't be so melancholy about
it," urged my father; "in seven or eight
weeks at most the Hall will be thor
\ oughly restored and cleaned, and the
architect your uncle has engaged as
sures me that the renovation shall be
effected in the most conservative man-
ner possible, the antiquity Of the place
being in no way damaged"
| I observed that 1 hoped it might be
! so.
There is no doubt of it." continued
my father. Have you seen the
church? No! 1t Is at present without
a roof, and the pulpit has been moved
from the north to the south side.
| Where the altar was the new organ
| is to be. On Sunday Mr.. Fuller Is
! to preach in Johnson's barn near the
! watermill."
Haven't these changes been made
very Quickly?"
Indeed, they have; but you are not
acquainted with half Of them yet. Yes
terday celebrated arborculturist from
Kew was here and went over the es-
tate, marking trees which he considers
| too old either for use or ornament;
they are to come down and more than
! two thousand new trees are to be
planted. 1 am told that your uncle
had to pay fee of f25 for his SER
vices"
Shall we dine now?' l asked. abb
ruptly changing the subject, though L
| never felt less inclined to eat in my
life. What had seen and heard made
me feel sick at heart, and would have
welcomed almost anything to divert
my mind, perplexed as It was and
wearied with strong and varying emo
| tions.
"Of course; you have had long
| Journey" said my father, looking at
his watch. 1T is not yet seven o'clock,
but will order something to be served
| at once"
A small room which overlooked the
garden had not as yet been interfered
with. and there we sat down to 4
hastily improvised dinner. Old joan
| waited at table as usual, but made
one or two awkward blunders, Gzl
semeed so strange in his manners
| that I took the first opportunity that
presented itself of remarking upon
| it.
You see. he is over sixty" urged
his employer, land We must not expect
much from him now. The alterations
going on here, and the presence Of SO
| many strangers, has SO disorgani2ed
| him that he has been almost beside
! himself for the last few days; on Fri
day could scarcely make anything
| Of him. When the workmen are gene
| We must find the old man cotta ge
| and small pension. He has lived
here since he was a boy, and has been
a good and faithful servant
THAT will be rather lonely for him,
won't it: Fancy old John Adams, BACH
elor and ex-butler, who never had q
| thought that went beyond his side
board or the kitchen, living by himself
in Il cottager'
1T. will be as lonely for him as it
has been for me the week that my
boy was in London" agreed my good
natured father. and then reverted to
the case of my unfortunate Aunt An.
ME. / listened to his opinions and con-
lectures with but feeble interest, max.
ing pretence of so much interes: as de.
CeuCs "ullG i uCDdtVu WIN
myself how l might best go down into
| the crypt unobserved by my father or
the servants.
Very rarely was anybody out Of bed
ut Holdenhurst Hall at so late an
hour as eleven in the evening; and /
( therefore determined, il l could only
screw my courage up TO the necessary
pitch, TO make secret visit to the
crypt at midnight. With this purpose
| in view l withdrew to my room as
soon as possible, and having unpacked
my bag wrote to Miss Marsh; but /
was so unsettled and mnerved that l
| made three rough drafts Of short
letter before l could express myself
to my satisfaction. That task accom-
| plisbcd, l went into the garden, and
| thence wandered to the stables to fetch
lantern which hung behind one Of
the doors there-a pOnderous structure
of glass ana metal, encasiDg an oil
lamp, the whole depending Oh huge
ring; such a lantern as the watchmen