The log cabin Democrat. [volume] (Conway, Ark.) 1901-1982, 1909-04-29
THE GARGOYLE
ROOM
Copyright. by shortstory Pub. Coz
By ANNA MCCLURE SHOLI..

forming me that by the death of my
great-uncle, William COPYRIGHT,
had become possessor Of his property
consisting of several thousand
pounds and an ancient house, neal
Canterbury.
On the voyage over, | had leisure
to arrange into some semblance OF
personality the slight knowledge !
possessed of my deceased relative. In
our family circle he had always been
spoken of with a curious mixture OF
awe and distrust, as of some one far
removed from everyday folk by his
habits of life and thought. | knew
that in his youth he had studied
architecture, law and chemistry, but
had adopted no profession, restless
and Unsuitable intellect impelllng
him always onward to new fields of
knowledge. On the death of his IA
Their he invested his share of the
patrimony to advantage and left the
United States, never to return. That
had been 40 years ago. During his
long self-exile he travelled extensively
in Europe and Asia; and, at last,
purchased house in the south of
England. which he filled with the
strange curiosities and bizarre bric-
a-brac collected in his travels. In
this house he had died.
When | passed for the first time
across its threshold, and stood in the
broad, low-roofed hall, filled with an
Undesirable tumble of tapestries.
Indian brasses, old china, ecclesiasti-
cal vessels, altar hangings, bridal
chests and what not, | had the SEN
sation of being in the presence of my
uncle himself. The moral atmos
phere of houses is sometimes as
subtle and penetrative as that sur
rounding an impressive personality.
The spirit of William COPYRIGHT
had found expression and embodl-
ment in the strange furnishings OF
this sixteenth century dwelling.
"a kind of modern Faust" | re-
fected, as the silent housekeeper, an
inheritance with the house, led me
from room to room with stony i'm
passiveness. as if she herself were
but bit Of ancient bric-a-brao
come to life.
''Ths is fine bedroom. | will
use this while | am here"
We were standing in the center
of a large room which seemed oil
later date than the rest of the house.
its vaulted roof and pointed windows
being of the pseudo-Gothic of the
eighteenth century Like the other
rooms, it contained bric-a-brac and
art treasures, but more sparsely
placed. The height of the ceiling
and the views from the lofty win
dows commended it to me as an airy
and pleasant bed chamber.
"This was Mr.. Courtright's room,
sir. If | may be SO bold as to sug-
gest, sir, | would say that the blue
bed chamber is to be preferred. 1t
has the sun and the view of the
cathedral
/ was astonished to discern a
quayer Of anxiety in the woman
voice. What possible difference
could ii make to her which room |
took? | turned and looked directly
at her. The stony mask had dropped
from her face Anxiety and plead
ing were i'll her dim eyes.
But this room is pleasant" l
said. q prefer IL ]"
Every we'll, sir Her voice was
resigned.
As ! was turning 10 the door the
sun, which through the morning had
been obscured by heavy clouds, burst
forth, revealing every part Of the
room with distinctness. Then | no.
ticed for the first time a horrible OBJ
ject-a large stone gargoyle, the
size. indeed, of a dwarf, fastened
high on the wall above the fire
place. No stone monster on The
balustrade of Notre Dame, where
mediaeval fancy has taken lis most
grotesque shapes, could compare
with II for hideousness. The knee,
were drawn up 10 the bumped breast
as if in a spasm of pain; the prefer
naturally long arms were wrapped
about the knees: the crooked shout