An Unsolved Mystery.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIV, Issue 150, 21 December 1907, Page 11

An Unsolved Mystery.

L'y S. Baring Gould, Author of " A Book of Ghoßts," oto. • * '(All Eights Kosorved.) ' j I tell the tale as it was told to me resided here previously; you know I r by a friend, only disguising the names. have but "ceiilly bought it. I'll have" i for obvim-i wiinn, a blaze of light m the hall to-night ; and 1 toi obwoas leasons. j wiU place , myself in the position that ( I was invited by my friend Wiltshire commands the reflection in the glass." i to a bachelor shooting party in Dorset- "Do so, and do it' at eleven o'clock." shire, where ho had recently bought an Thab evening pur # host* had a super- < niri v.,-,,,.. k ~ ii ••li abundance of lights in uhe hall. Some 1 oul house Among those invited were layed billiards ! Western came in for : sovoral whom I knew,! among these a some chaff, as he had received a letter i Mr. 'Western, a gentleman, of private in a lady's delicate hand, and we wore i means, and an agreeable man: Others at him -to know who was his fair corres,,.i,« i. i l t v , , , pondent; one asked when it was coming i ho were to be guests I did not know; and -' EOme asked what was his par ° , however, on meeting, we made a merry ucular fancy in the way of wedding P-irty, as bachelor parties usually are. presents.' One or two gave him advice ] Mr. Wiltshire had but recently bought as to whore to spend his hoiieymoon. i the pla.ee, and had it -furnished' and at- He took it all very good-humo'uredly, ; tod up, and really our gathering was to but ■ha did not allow - himself to bs be a nousewarming. I think he had no- drawn so as to give the name of the • quired with it about three ■' thousand lady; but 1 had an inkling as to who i acres of shooting. But whether all this she was— a very charming cousin of our < land was purchased, or, how much was host. routed, is more than I can say. At eleven o'clock, without ■ a word, ■ The house was old-fashioned, not too Mr. Wiltshire took the chair previously ' large, and situated in pretty grounds, occupied by Georgeham, who vacated it < with some good timber about it. After for him ; and I thought that Georgeham . dinner we adjourned to the hall. This looked relieved, to be out of ifc. We I must, describe. It was the entrance both watched the face of Mr. Wilthall, with a large fireplace in it, and ovet shire, and • saw him fix his eyes on the this fireplace was a very large mirror, mirror, and we saw that he beheld someOn tho opposite side of the hall, that i& thing. He' did not move his eyes, but . to say, directly opposite to the fireplace, watched, without turning his head* to was the staircase, with a landing a short glance at the landing, or as way up, half way up' the side of the we had done. Presently, at about tweul.o 11, out of which opened a bedroom, by ty minutes past eleven, he lowered 'his . a door. This bedroom was a sort of eyes, the scene was concluded, and he , entresol, that is to say, it was on a dif- lpoked first at me, and then at Georgeferent - level from the rest of tho bed- ham, and nodded his head. -'All the . rooms of the uppers story, and I believe rest of the time we were there, he was belonged to the ancient house," which grave and' abstracted, and scarcely spoke had been altered considerably, either in to any one, and indeed retired to rest the late Hanoverian or early_ Victorian without speaking to Georgeham or me period, when the diniug and •' drawiug- further than to wish us good-night. But rooms had been rebuilt so ,as to give I noted 'that he watched Western to his them greater height. This worn, accord- room with ovident anxiety in, his couningjy, was on a lower level than the tenance. N<*xt morning at breakfast rest, was, in fact, on a level with some there was again a letter on Western's ; o/ .the old rooms occupied by the ser- plate, addressed in the same delicate vants in a part of tho house that had hand. , not heon reconstructed. .Why this par- "I say, old boy!" exclaimed " one of ticular room had been left untouched I the guests, "she- must- be awfully smitten do not know. It was a cosy room, with with you to' write! daily. ■ I -hope you . panelled walls, the woodwork painted respond by telling her how' many birds white ; arid this room had been assigned you have brought down, or rather how . to Ml. Western., " many you have missed." Mr. Wiltshire had put a billiard table During (breakfast our' host was eviin the hall, as the only room suitable dently uneasy, lie had ' clearly; something for this purpose But on the first even- on his mind. When there ensued a- lull ing after we all gathered about the in the conversation, he spoke" distinctly," mahogany, and aitcrwards to smoko in and loud enough to bo heard of-all :— the hall, we none of us cared to play "Gentlemen, I have something to 'say . billiards, and preferred to chat, to you all. There is something extraorWe sat pretty late, talking, and dis- dinary' about this house, somcthing-that-cussing cigars, pipes, and whisky and I cannot explain." Then he proceeded water, when I, one of the. circle about do narrate what he had, seen pn'the pre- , the blazing log-fire, happened to look up vious night, which tallied exactly with into the mirror over ,111 a mantelshelf. I what Georgeham had-witnesied, and in saw that it reflected that portion of the s part with what, I had observed. • ■ staircase on which was the .landing, with Then ono young fellow burst forth behind it, this door into Mr. Western's with, "I'll bet my bottom dollar ifc is apartment. But that which at once ar- V/estern's young lady come to look after rested my attention was the figure of a Kim'." * ' beautiful young woman, with a face ex- Our host looked annoyed. "This is pressive of the utmost terror, clinging no joking matter,," he said, -"I, am-nofc , to the balustrade; and lookuig directly the ..only one ..who has seen 1 this. "In into the glass, so directly that her eyes the circumstances, I cannot ask Western met mine, and I cannot express the look to occupy that room opening off the of agony and alarm that spoke out of first -landing any more. I shall give .them. 1 turned immediately about in for another to be made ready for my chair/ and looked',, at 'the landing, -him." \ ' •' but could see nothing. . I ( turned' back -- "You should do nothing of the kind," - "and glanced again-at the mirror, the face said Western; "You are a good fellow was again, there, and I fancied that '1 and a splendid host. But lam not to saw a .dark figure creep up the stairs be frightened by- bogies'. I -have- seen ' towards her. Once' more I tuined and nothing at all so far. I have slept tho ji looked at the part of the stajrs reflect- sleep of the righteous, and in that room ed in' the glass. •■ There was nothing V I intend' to sleep to-night. I should! there. -. -I thought this extremely swaugft. rather like to see. a ghost. "It would) but I baid nothing, to my host' or anyone be a privilege I should' 1 enjoy. Besides ! else that evening. • you- did 'not see the 'fair spectre dragged j Next day we were all out shooting,, oy the black devil into my room, "you ', and happening to be separated from tho only surmised it -was so. - What you rest with an intimate, friend-;- Edward had best do, would be -to' have the stairs Goorgeham, I told him' what I had removed, and let us. ascend., to, our bedscon7 and said to^him, "Old fellow,'-I do rooms -by a ladder, then I shall come wish this evening you .would 'take my off best,~as' mine, is so much lower than place before the fire, which . commands the rest: Hang it, man, I am. not afraid t.he reflection of 'the landing in the glass, ,of ghosta or b*lue devils. Then again, and tell mo if you see anything." . neither of you fchiee saw anything on ''The "only thing I "am likely , to see, ths landing, only in the • looking-glass, letorted Georgeham, \"is that'Jast night You will rid yourself of the hobgoblins you took, a drop too much of your wins- by 'turning, the mirror, with its "face to ky and water." ' the<wall." "No," said I, "that was not the case "I - will change rooms with you," with me. -I had but "a single tumbler, shouted one .of the. party. "J. .would and that with four times the water in give a hundred poundjs to see a ghost, it to tho amount of whisky.,- I am not' especially-s uch a- pretty one as the lass a spiric-drinker, especially' after the described' byWiltshire." champiigrio and. port at dinner. I hate , "I positively insist on. retaining my mixing my drinks. V • ■ room," put. in Western. ''If you turn - That evening, as agreed, Georgeham me out of that,- 1 shall take it as a hint took my . place. I saw him • glance up that "you- want to bo rid of me alto- - several times at the glass, • and smile gether." . ' with incredulity. -But towards eleven "$9, indeed, my dear fellow. • You o'clock, or it may have been later, I no- know better than- that. , I .will .have ticcd that whsn he did look, his\face he- another room made ready. This evencame grave, and an expression of sur- ing, you shall lp'oit into the mirror, and prise passed over it. He hastily jumped, if, after that, you wish to change. rooms, up from.'his seat and\turned about, and an apartment* will be' at your disposal looked at .the landing steadily for some, in anothor portion of the house.'' • • timo. Then, without a. word, he re-. "I like my little' room," said Western, seated himself, again.' looked into the "with its" white walls- and pretty furnirnirror, and turned to me' with a-signi- ture. I could not, wish for a better." - ficant glance, 'shqwing me as .distinctly We had. a good shoot that day, and as if- he had spoken that he had seen each of us did pretty" well w'itfi his gun. something ■ remarkable. I went over to We were 'cheery' at dinner, Western eshim, and loaned upon the back of his pecially so — he, was' full of good st,ories, chair, but in that position could mnVsee and kept the" 1 table in a roar, the apparition, ns at " my elevation, "I advise that we all turn in early standing, I only saw tho lower part of to-night," said our host. "We are iiithe staircase, below the landing. George- viterl to a big shoot to-morrow at" Lord ham said to me in a low voice, "It is Raddon's, and that is some way off. I iv\it — did you see the black man ? Let us have ordered the traps to be round at exchange chairs. I don't like* this. It half-past seven, and we must breakfast ■ is uncanny." at the latest at seven." ■ • ' I seated myself in his chair, and look- "We are not going to he sent to bed ed into the mirror, but saw nothing. Ap- till we have seen the pretty girl in "ihe parently what was to bo scan, if seen glass," shouted several, at all, was shorlly after eleven o clock Our host looked grave, and said'quiet- ■ at night. ly. "Very well, all turn in at half-past Afterwards, when we retired to our eleven, not latcr>" beds, Georgeham came into my room, "Come," said Western, when dinner and wo talked the matter over., was over, as he caught up 'cue of the "What do you think about It?" ne candelabra, and carried it into the hall, asked. "Ought we not mention the matter ,"I intend to have a good sight of her." to our host?" I said that I thoughu it "Take care, Western," put in one 'would be as well; and next day, by a young fellow, "that you clo not lose precoucerted arrangement, Georgoham your heart to the fair maid hi tho glass and 1 drew Mr. Wiltshire aside, and a^id forget your correspondent." communicated to himwhat we both had So, laughing and joking, we adjourned seen. "I," said Georgeham, "saw dis- to' tho hall that was already well lighted tinctly a black fellow, apparently de- up. formed, ascend the stairs, and come be- "I'll go up and lock my door," said , hind the girl. I sa"' her turn round, Westen, "that there may be no ghosts and sfcs seemed to shiver at the sigho of scrimmaging in there." him, and opened '.ier mouth, as if lo There was no billiard-playing that cry for help, but I heard not a sound, evening, we sat all of us m expectation; Then he got his arms round her waist, most in utter incredulity, and confiand dragged her away, !• could see dent that they would see nothing, nnd her hands straining at the bannister, be able to have a good laugh at me, but (hey gave way at last, and, then Georgeham', and our host, he seemed to me io drag her back iiuo "How long does the show last?" asked 1 Western's room. Yet I cannot say that ono of the party. " ' for cortain, the two figures seemed to "About ten minutes," answered Mr. • fade from me in tho glass, and C did Wiltshire. not notice that the door behind was "Then I bargain that wo all take open." turns, and that no one monopolises the "Georgeham," said our host; "you chair for the whole ten minutes." • smoke a great deal too much, and it has "Done!" said all. Georgeham and I upset your nerves, and you fancy declined the privilege of again witnesstlmigs." ing that of which wo had already seen "But he saw it ns well as mysslf ." enough. There' were four others, inprotested he, pointiug to me. "Ho .*? eluding Western, beside Georgeham and not a heavy smoker, and not anything me. and the host. . of a drinker. Is there any story con- "I bargain for the first peep into the necterl with this nouse of yours that can show," said Western., account tor this apparition?" Accordingly at eleven o'clock he-took "Not that lam aware of. I have not Wip chair, and fixed his eve* oq the 9

glass. We all kept -silent observing him, sotno ready to laugh. About eight iniuutea past eleven I saw Western's face change, and 'his gaze became more intent. He was not, now- » ever, allowed to look for long, .when an- . other of the guests was on his feet, tapped .him on the shoulder," and . insisted on his vacating the chair. .This young man's 'face also serious, and bproan expression of- alarm. "", Ho, jumped up, and said, with an oath, "I've 'had' enough of it — take my place, Thompson, if you will." To make a long story short, , each one of the guest's who had 'not seen the apparition, saw it on this occasion, and resumed his place in a very different! ' mood from that in which he. had left it. • . ._.'..-■■-•" V /'Now, then, Western," said- our 'h"ost.^ t "what say you to changing your bed-" room?" " • -.' i '•'Not on any account," said he; -"I have the key of iViy. chamber in. my pocket,' there- can be nothing there. But' it is odd — very odd." After' this all retired for the night,' very quietly. Next morning we Aveva - down lor breakfast at the hour appoint?' ed, all but Western. '-. ""~ "Dear, dear," -said Wiltshire, - when" we had nearly finished, "that fellow-will be late. Run, Furnival," — he addressed'the butler— "to Mr. Western's ro;pm, and tell him that -wo shall -be startingin ten minutes."" . - „ <~ - Very shortly after, Furnival returned; and gome; to his master, said, in' a low tone, "Mr. Western wishes most particularly to see you alone, in his room."- . He rose and went from the breakfast table, and did not return for a quarlsi* of an hour. When he did it was with ' a very serious face. ' '■ - 7 ■ x ■"- "' "Western-is •unwell,- he cannot possibly^ go to Lord Raddon's to-day; and wha'nv. is* more, 1 must remain behind with hinuI will give one of you a note of apologyto Raddon." • - j. When in the evening we returned, we found that Western had" departed. What he had ; said to our host .we did not learn," Mr. Wiltshire was reticent 'thereon." 1 ' • Nest- day the shooting party broke np^- ' and I did ' not - sse . Wiltshire , again . f ot, some* months, When we" met 'l aske"d hjm .about- Western.. •,■<■• - ••""> • *■-" "It .is strange," said he. '-'I "havehad some. trouble, ever 'since that, night" at my place- 1 in Dorsetohire.- • Af tcr 't-hafc>-Western abruptly stopped writing '-to', my. cousin Emily, to whom he was engaged. She, poor . girl, was in sore 'distress, not being able to understand the- cessation '-in correspondence", and she begged me 1 to -call on him in his"cha,m,-" bers 'in town."-" t did so| and I found' tKe "man' so altered that ,' T should hardly* have known him again- ,. When I'brqalSn-' ed'the subject of 'my mission; -he i'tfirned- > on me, "and 1 said, — 'After- what T\sa\v" that -night in the* little room on"y6mfirst landing, I can never marry any p-irl — I am so haunted by the sight, that my rest and peace of mind are gone for ever. - I shail ' never marry her — never marry' any one: 'It is not .". that" I have not loved her — I do- still. love her — but lam overcome with a horror I shall never shako off.' ' I asked him what he had seen X he i-efused to tell me. . 'What I saw' I- shall never tell to any one.' So l had to' break to. Emily that the engagement ;yas at an end." _ ,^ v ; Two" months later I met Wiltshire - again, and then ne said to me,— "Do you know thaL, Western is in aiuWv-, lum? He is pronounced incurable&'iU to my place in Dorsetshire, I shall^sell it— but not till I have pulled down the white panelled room"- 'I enquired "of him if he could account for the strange /phenomenon 'we had witnessed. "No/ said he, "it is a mystery. A .good many years ago a very pretty girl, who was a maid in- the house, disappeared, and - was never heard of again. It was supposed that she' had eloped with someone— but nothing was known. \.t> the- same ,time there had been a deformed black man in the service of the family. He remained on with it for about six months, and then left, and whither, he went I \vas unable to learn. I' do - not think anyone knew. That is all 'IHave' been "able to ascertain— aricl"lb'"ttu« day, and I suppose to "after a"ges,' it will remain an unsolved mystery."' A FULL AND" VARIED LIFE. ?' . Mark Twain -ha 3 crammed into his seventy-one years of life experiences enough 'to sa'thfy^ ten "ordinary men 1 , "and a zest in the enjoyment of them -that seems in be 0110 of nature's gifts to Americans. In one of the fragments of that delightful autobiography "which" is pursuing . ife unique and zigzng. course through the' pages of the North American Review, ,he declares that "if I should talk two .hours a day to' the stenographerfor a hundred years, I should still never be a,ble to set down a tenth part of v the things which have interested me in my lifetime." It was 'itself a glaringly fortunate start that Mark Twain should have been born among the rough actualities of a,' Missouri townlet inline thirties, where* the "Tom, Sawyer I '. .life — "all, the boj\ I have * known or: recollect," as , ho told Rudyard Kipling—found its inimitable setting to.haud.At thirteen Mark' started cut as a compositor, /and wandered in a few yeara over -two-thirds] of the American conti-nents-Half journeyman printer,* half journalist. .It was 'while on his" way to make a fortune out of cocoa on the Ij p« per Amazon, that he'fell^tb the extreme gain of' his million readers, beneath '-tjie seductions of a pilot's .life on the Mississippi. ■ The Civil War put a stop to that . career, and for. a while Mark', served," I believe* with the Southern forces. Then, came a' turn as .private < secretary, or something of the sort, to his • brother, who had been appointed an official, of Nevada TerjitorxJ then.some piospe_ctiug for silver ; then journalism, aiid, thially, the headlong descent into -literature, partially relieved by lecturing tours. . , . Few > men can haye l 6een more of the world or from a greater diversity qf standpoints He. has. travelled once, if not twice, all round it, and from the miners 1 of> the Rockies to. the Sovereigns of Europe he has encountered , pretty nearly all humanity at close range. His last tour was one of unhappy compulsion. Mark Twain was all but saty when the publishing firm with whicli ho was connected went bankrupt. He assumed a moral where -there was 110 legal lesr-ousilnlity, and^ set to w.ork to p.ay. oti' Tio debts. It -takes a man to engage 111 and to win aucii a -bout with late as ' that. "It ranks with Scott's among -flic historic calamitits of anfcisoro both in the suddenness vTllv which- ifc came and the superb spirit in which if) was faced. '. l ..' Walter S. Halo's compliment to Rear* Admiral Coghl&n- (retired), at the dinner of the Schley Camp of Spanish War Veterans, may not have- beeu Is i« .perloct .taste, L but it was very ,wjt£f».>'- < "You - hocked dor KaiseV," lie "said '•but" you must nevei hock this," and pinned the goUl i badge of the "veterans on- <-h? aduiira>l'r i broad breast. * ' ' • . **■ t