Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1907-05-09

Calcutta, Nov. al have had an ad- I
venture to-day. ! was riding back
here from Tom Sadlers place. where a
few Of US have been stopping since
last Thursday, when ! came upon a
young lady in distress. She had been
tIying 20 ford a swollen stream. ana
her mare, a narrow-chested brute. had
pretty nearly come to grief. II was
close thing, and no mistake. They'd
have been down the stream anyhow
in another minute, and ] doubt II the
great br,te wouldn't have dragged her
under even II she hadn't been able to
swim. OF course ! managed 10 pull
her out, and found her not much the
worse for her ducking. | took her
home, as she really wasn't ut 10 go
alone. but I'm thankful to say that |
escaped the parental blessing. The
old gentleman-he's a tea-planter-
was ont.
November co. can't get that girls
face out OF my mind. l don't know
that ever saw a more lovely one,
Strange thing for me to do, but I've
actually dreamt OF her three nights
following What an absurdlty!
lam going up country TO seek her at
the house.
December 20.-Just returned.
found the house shut up. and learned
that the late proprietor and his daugh'
der had gone TO Europe.
December 30.--The mail has brought
me strange news. My uncle and cousin
have died suddenly. and | am Sir
Reginald Shagshaft Of Shagshaf; cas-
Gle, Northumberland. Good-by TO In
dia, and the army! / sail for England
in a week.
February 20.-I am at Shagshaft
castle, and a grand old place II is. but
aerribly deaolate II is built on the
summit OF a cllff. ghe screech OF the
sea gulls alone Is enough to give one
the horrors, and in all this great
place there are only three servants.
for not n girl in all the countryside
win come here because OF the ghost.
which is said TO inhabit the western
wing and to walk in the black copse.
Mrs. Cross, the housekeeper, seems a
decent sort Of a person. but she Arm
ly believes In the ghost. and came to
me yesterday with tears in her eyes
imploring me not to lntrude upon its
haunts.
February 2l.-I can't understand
Mrs Gross at all. To-day she would
persist in telling me the story OF
a terrible tragedy which took place
near here a few months ago--a man
murdered by a girl-and insisted upon
my giving my opinion about II. | said
that II the story she told was true. Il
served the man highland so 1t did.
She seemed unaccountably pleased at
my answer.
February 22-I walked in the black
copse tonight. Unless my eyes lie. /
have seen a ghost. ] was in the gar.
den last night and distinctly saw n
white figure move along the battle.
ments Of the western towers and dis.
appear II was the figure of WON
an, and. strange though II may ap-
pear. II seemed somehow familiar to
me.
February 26.--This morning ! asked
Mrs. Cross for an old manuscript copy
OF the history OF Shagshaft castle. as
] fancied that had heard something
about a secret room in the western
wing.
What n nervous woman she is!
had scarcely got the words out before
she tainted. There is something all
about this which | cannot understand
When she came TO. she declared sol
EMMY that she had never heard OF
such book. This must be false. for
! have often been told about It; any
how, l was only the more determined
90 thoroughly explore the western
wing, so l commenced at once. Or
the topmost story. starting from thC
center tower and going to the right
counted 10 rooms, all large. empty
and In neglected state. When
coached the furthermcst turned rount
with a start to find Mrs. Cross just be
hind me.
you have found the book?" sh
gasped. You know about the secre
chamber"
"Precisely!" answered Aud
will go III with It's tenant"
Then she fell on her knees bofor
me.
For the love Of God, don't hurt hel
sir Reginald" she moaned. Don
give her up; 80 young as she Is. an
90 beautiful. and so innocent lik,
shed never hurt hair Of old RoGC
Martins head II he hadn't offered he
an insult worse than death; and sh
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GENEROUS