The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-08-15


There are few more interesting
mansions than Heath Old Hail."
near Wakefield, the home of Miss
Beryl Tenant. eldest daughter OF Mr..
G. E. Tenant. who Is shortly to be
married to Mr.. W. Riley-Smith. OF the
wealthy brewing family OF Tadcaster
in Yorkshire. Heath Old Hail." a
grand early Renaissance mansion.
once was owned by Lady Bolles. who
for her service to King Charles I was
credited a female ''baronet"-if the
term can be allowed-the title 10 de-
scend to her heirs. Lady Bolles was
much attached to the old hall. and.
according 10 tradition. she has from
time to time haunted the mansion
since her death. in 1862.
Her spirit was laid" in the neigh
boring river at "Bolies Pit" but these
priestly efforts must have been unsuc-
cessful, for every now and then local
gossip credits the old lady with being
abroad" But II so. she causes the
occupants of the old hall no incon-
venience in her alleged wanderings
about the stately rooms of her former
home. one of which she affects in
particular. handsome apartment
called the "banqueting room" Lady
Bolles, IL is alleged. cannot rest be-
cause her instructions concerning her
funeral were not carried out as she
had desired. Twelve hundred pounds
were expended upon it-an enormous
sum in those days-and wine, beer,
and food provided in profusion TO en-
tertain all-comers during the six
weeks that were to elapse between
death and burial
Eyid "a anfirirafad sifiOn IN
her wishes, for in her will any bene-
ficiary who should oppose her executors
was to forfeit all claim. Another reason
advanced for Lady Bolles' restlessness
is that she Is troubled by the tragical
circumstances Of her fathers death. He
fell under the baneful influence OF a
witch. who. by scorceries and devilish
acts" encompassed his end. and for
which she paid the extreme penalty. be-
ing executed. at York toward the close
Of the sixteenth century.
The village Of Heath, two miles from
Wakefield. once was noted for its rural
scenery. but the colleries and manufac-
tories of the neighboring town. to
great extent, have destroyed its rural
character. Still. It is attractive. being
finely situated at the summit of a
tableau of picturesque heath lands
CLAIMS Castle. the seat Of the Earl
Of Strathmore, has secret chamber.
one which the members Of the family
like to believe that none but three men
can find. That chamber holds the family
secret, at which antiquaries. genealogists.
historians. and amateur detectives have
been vainly guessing for a century. This
secret and the family fortunes hang to-
gether. 1t can. as stated. never be
known to more than three persons at
time These are the earl. his heir upon
attaining the age Of twenty-one, and the
steward Of the estate That secret is
the best kept in history. Whatever the
weird meaning. the burden Of knowing
it never is sought by the heads Of the
family. When the present earl was
nearing manhood he begged his father
to spare him the knowledge of the
secret, and Lord CLAIMS, the heir of
today. when he came Of age eight years
ago, was most reluctant to share the
hated story.
Visitors to Paris a couple Of decades
ago will remember strange figures crop
ing their way along the dark streets be-
fore daybreak. They crept along with a
STOPPING gait. and stopped now and then
to examine the household debris that lay
in the gutter or In boxes placed OUTSIDE
the doors to be carted away early in the
morning. These nightbirds were armed
for their nauseating trade with a short
stick shod with an iron spike, which was
thrust into the rubbish heaps and then
raised to the wicker basket, the hottie"
which they carried on their backs ard
into which rags, soiled linen or paper
was dropped.
When returning home late on cold win
ter nights jewellers could see the glimmer
Of the little lamps with which the Paris
"chiffonniers'' were wont to examine and
select their pickings on their slow and
nonotonous tramp through the deserted
streets. But the "chifonniers" Of forrer
days are gone forever, just as pictur-
esque Paris is vanishing in plaster. brick,
and mortar. Montmartre itself, even.
world famous, the last refuge of the
Paris Bohemian, Is being modernized
with apartment houses, and in the Latin
Quarter Bohemianism and the "Grisette"
are only a fond tradition. All! those
"Grisettes." How greatly their memory
IS abused, and yet how faithful. how
wholehearted they were!
The modern counterpart Of the "chif-
fonnier" no longer wanders like specteg
through the fll.lfRhted hack Htreetn Of