Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1911-03-25

put In II would be frightened to death
The officer decided against using the
house for the purpose. and l hao
caught the infection of curiosity; Al
soon as he had gone began to Ques
ton Miss RutIedge about the haunted
room. She told me that during tht
early part OF the eighteenth century
one OF her ancestors had been murder
ed there. He had married the daughter
Of nelghboring planter She loved
and was loved by another. This lover
came to the house. and during an alter
cation between him and the HUSBAND
In this room the latter had been stab
bed there. Since then every one who
had tried to sleep In the chamber had
been driven out by the appearance OF
the murdered man.
The most natural thing In the world
for lover L. to try to make hero
Of himself Virginia was full OF mill
tary heroes. and as such was merely
one OF thousands. ! resolved to do
what could to show my courage by
sleeping In the haunted room. Miss
Rutledge begged me not to try II since
the last person who did was thrown
Into a fever which. being followed by
other symptoms, finally carried him or
was resolute, because In the FIRST
place believed haunted chambers
to be a myth, and In the second
II anything marvellous did occur II
would give me the desired opportunity
to show my pluck. The evening be.
fore Klrkwood was moved sent WORD
to the general that II could be spared
from headquarters would stay al
night at the plantation with Kirkwood
He sent back an order for me to re.
main.
pledged Miss Rutledge to say moth
ing about my intention to sleep In the
haunted chamber. hoping in this way
to head Off any one who might be dis
posed to play ghost. She prepared the
room herself for my occupancy. keep
ing watch that no one should see her
doing so. | waited till late hour be
fore going TO bed. when not a person
besides myself and Miss Rutledge, ex
cept In the invalid's chamber. was
stirring Then ! went to the room
had occupied whenever I had remain
ed for the night and, removing my
boots, stole In the dark to the haunted
chamber
That my presence there might not be
betrayed ! took Off my clothes In the
dark Feeling sure that the parts of
ghosts are always played by persons In
the flesh and that no one on this side
of the dead line knew that the room
was occupied, went to sleep within q
reasonable time
awoke with start. At the other
end of the room saw a glimmerinl
such as appears in the east at the tirst
faint dawn. ! watched II and soor
saw that II was increasing. both
spreading and growing In intensity
II grew till that end OF the chamber
was Illuminated. or. rather. II seemed
that there was no end to the chamber
but misty. III defined space. Then
saw in this space the bed In which |
lay and asleep in II figure. A dool
opened, and a man dressed In the cos
tune in vogue at the end of the eight
eenth century stole stealthily towarc
the bed. Reaching 1t. quick as fiast
he buried a knife in the sleeper's hos
ON. Then all was dark again.
felt all the horror one experiences
in seeing a murder in cold blood. Fol-
more than year | had seen mel
killed continually. sometimes thousand
at II time. but that was under the ex
hilaration of battle. The vision, o.
whatever II was. left me all Of trem
BILE There being no further use fol
concealment, | lighted candle tha'
stood on small table beside my bed
I would have given half my fortune
I was rich-to leave that bedroom. but
my love for Lillian Rutledge was
greater than my fear. had come
there to show her my pluck. and ! die
not propose to show the white feath
err. Yet | would have infinitely pre-
ferred to lead forlorn hope against
battery of hundred guns.
had not long to wait for dawn. ant
when through window came it's frs.
beams blew out my candle and with
In half an hour had so far recovered
from my disagreeable sensations as 4"
fall asleep.
Shortly before 8 O'Clock I went dow.
to breakfast. feeling at liberty to pla,
the, hero. since no one had seen me dur
ing the night shaking like leaf In the
wind However. that's what we boy
did often during the war. If we tenn
porarily lost our grip on our courag"
we looked about to learn who had seer
u.s. Miss Rutledge's mother and othe
members OF the family we're present
SO nothing was said about my expert
ence assumed careless deport
ment, though l confess I had not We
recovered my nerves. Finally l waa
alone with Miss Rutledge and sh"
looked at me inquiringly. ] confessed
that had seen vision Of murder.
"And stayed in the room?" she asket
quickly
'Yes | only left 1t just before break
fast"
failed to add that II was the hard
est pull on my courage ! had yet me
with.
did not see the Rutledge plantation
again until after the war Then wen
down into Virginia and found II. a
wreck made inquiries for the family
who had occupied II and found tina:
that they had gone north, but whera
| could not learn. Everything In thu
south was in dire confusion. Ever
one seemed stunned. and no one knew
anything.
II was several wears before found