Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1914-07-15
Oldershaw
Castle
By JOHN TuRNLEE

to him while travelling on the island Of
| Jamaica. 1t was written In my pro-
| genitor's hand and In the old fashioned
spelling and with numerous capitals
| 1t ran thus:
] was riding along on horseback to
ward St Pedro. Not far from me was
ridge on which was built very curl
GUS looking house. There was tow
er among the other parts, from which
I judged one might view the whole
country roundabout While was
wondering who might live In such a
strange looking place l saw mounted
negro galloping toward me. When he
came up to me he refined In his horse
| and said to me:
my marster. MIR. Oldershaw, invites
yo' to dine with him at his caslle on
the ridge. to stay the night and as
much longer as yo' will"
l had experienced SO much hospital
fly thus far In Jamaica that was not
as much surprised at this strange in
vitation as | would have been under
other CIRCUMSTANCES. l thought that
would accept 1t and go into St Pedro
In the morning. | rode on, bidding the
negro ride beside me and asking him
questions about Mr.. Oldershaw and his
castle was Informed that he was an
EngiIshman who had come out to ia
mn1ca few years before. had bought
a tract Of land and built upon It what
he called Oldershaw castle He was
the only white person in 1t, the rest
| being his negro slaves.
found Mr. Oldershaw at the en-
trance of his abode ready to greet me.
He bore the stamp of an English gen
tleman, with much more of friendiness
In his manner than the average Eng
lishman would have shown a stranger.
He told me that he lived lonely life
and from the tower OF his castle
watched with telescope for travellers
and on seeing one invariably sent a
slave with an Invitation
Never would suspicion of the man
have entered my head had l not known
that Jamaica at that time was the
| dumping ground for the "black sheep"
of English families. So 1t at once Ct
CURED to me that Mr.. Oldershaw. be-
Ing an English gentleman, might have
been sent to Jamaica by his family to
get him out Of the way.
We dined sumptuonsly. partaking OF
the luscious fruits OF the country and
drinking the choicest OF wines. My
host pressed the bottle upon me. but !
noticed did not drink much himself.
We were served by the negro who had
borne my invitation He never spoke.
| obeying his masters slightest look. go
ing and coming noiselessly. Indeed.
there was something in this stiffness
pervading the place that gave me q
desire to get out Of it Then. too.
there was something about my hosts
hospitable manner which gave me the
| idea that II was not genuine
My host and smoked some delicious
| cigars after dinner that he told me be
had Just received from Havana When
bedtime came l was shown to a room
| beautifully fitted up with every con-
yenience and was left to myself. But
something could not account for
warned me that was In danger.
travelled. like every one else In that
| country. armed. had not the face to
| take my arms to my room. but had
q cane with q sword In 1t. and this l
caught up az ! went upstairs.
| BY this time was In terror. tried
to poohpooh my fright and called my.
self fool for conjuring up imaginary
dangers But l could not get myself
into that bed Instead l lay down on
lounge An hour passed and l got
no sleep Another followed with the
same result In that hot climate bed.
room doors are not closed. ! thought
! heard noise on the stairway with
out | had noticed curtains ON all the
windows. and. slipping to one of them
and catching up my sword cane as l
passed. ! put myself behind a curtain.
Some one stole into the room. ! heard
footsteps near the bed, then sound
like sword plunging through a mat
| tress.
| A man drew lantern from under
his cloak and held the light over the
bed. He was Oldershaw. l knew By
this time that he had intended to muir
der me. and my only chance was to
kill him before he recovered from his
surprise at finding the bed empty
Drawing my sword, left my hiding
place and made lunge. running the
blade clear through his left side. He
sank down with groan and was still
| But one idea absorbed me-to get out
| Of the place with my life. l descended
the staircase hurriedly. but softly. my
dripping blade In my hand Opening a
| door at the foot of the stairs, / stood
vt the entrance of a lighted room In
| which were half dozen blacks ap-
parently waiting for something. They
looked at me In establishment
| "Clearsthe wayr yelled and. sword
In hand, STROBE past them. they COVER
ing from me, and gained an exit not
only from the room. but from the cas-
4 tie.
Once outside | ran till l reached st.