THE LADY OF BLACK HALL

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LVI, Issue LVI, 15 April 1909, Page 2

THE LADY OF BLACK HALL

(By Maggie Marigold.) oi A great storm was abroad in the a < Blue Ridge Mountains; angry flashes w cleft the gloom; thunder crashed and tl was echoed from hill to hill, and the i i: swollen streams dashed headlong, tak- o \ ing rocks and fallen branches in their A course to the James. tl Amid all this distracted nature an w observer might have seen the two a lamps of the Amherst stage coach, a gleaming like bleared eyes through the S1 rain, as that lumbering vehicle, drawn b by a powerful span of bays, dashed 0 along the mountain road en route for j n Lexington. j f' Suddenly a bright, young face peep- c ed out of the coach window, • and a p [ girlish voice cried: c "Driver, how near are we to Com- a modore Develin's?" . "Be dar in jus' tree minutes, miss. s It's dat are big house on the hill yon- s der all ablaze-like." . C A moment more and they were driv- si ing into the grounds. Again the iim p patient girl essayed to look forth, but, s receiving a cold dab on the cheek from t the wet leaves, she fell back impatiently, and listened to the heavy, wet boughs, as they brushed the top and sides of the coach. _ t Suddenly the stage stopped, old s Nicodemus jumped down in the mud', v with a lantern in one hand, and, fling- v ing open the door with a flourish, said, r loud enough to wake the seven sleep- a ers : £ "Comadore Devilin's, miss!" There were only two sleepers within, however, but they opened their scared eyes wide enough for seven, t half-expecting to see a highwayman, t but, being reassured by Nicodemus' t bobbing, wooly head and smiling, j black face, they laid a contented hand '. on their pocket-books, and bade fare- j well to the young lady, who quickly { stepped into the mud, and picking up \ her dress ran up the broad steps. Nicodemus followed with her trunk, and, taking the quaint, brass knocker, representing a coiled serpent, in his hand, gave a long, loud knock, which echoed far and near. There was a 1 sound of feet running to the door — it ( opened — lights dazzled the young tra- ( veler, and amid silvery laughter and exclamations of delight, she was clasp- , ed in the arms of her old schoolmate, Lena Develin. "The North and South have met," said the commodore; and the little traveler turned to behold a superblooking old gentleman, with a long, silvery beard, white hair, and fine, dark eyes, who held;] out a warm hand, saying:' , / "Welcome to > Black Hall, Miss Grace." , "Bring Miss Howar in to the fire," said Mrs Develin, appearing in the parlor door. Although Grace had never before met her friend's family, their warm greeting made her feel very unceremonious, so she ran with a smiling ; face to meet Lena's sweet, dove-faced, little mother, who advanced, radiant |j in welcoming smiles. jt Just then Lena's brother Bob open- }( ed the front door. He was a quiet5( looking fellow, with mischievous, brown j< eyes, blushed a triflle, and strode on j to the dining-room, shaking the rain f from his slouch-hat. "Now, come to my room and get I on dry clothes,'' said Lena. "You j look wet and cold," and she led Grace up the broad staircase. - i "Jesse," addressing a colored man, "bring up Miss Howard's trunk." Everything was new and strange to Grace; the dark, wide halls, the colored servants, who peeped at her curiously, and lastly Lena's room, with its dark-paneled walls, heavily curl tamed windows and bed, and the great I' wood-fire on the hearth. "Oh, how lovely!" exclaimed she, throwing herself into an easy chair, but on second thought springing up to caress her friend. "You dear darling, I haven' v t seen you for six months." "And I've been shut up here all that time," replied Lena, who was a tall, quiet blonde. "Well/ now,, I should really have enjoyed that," Grace replied, tossing her damp wrappings over the back of a chair, "because I adore old houses, and trees, and romance, and ghosts. Have you any ghosts here?" "Well, yes, we have what they call a haunted room in the "rear part of 1 the house, but none of us ever slept there or saw the ghost." "Oh, do tell me about it. Is there a story connected with it?" "Yes, quite a little romance. J us t drop iiito that chair, close to the fire, and I'll tell you the story.'- Then taking Grace's hand, she began: lears and years ago, Grace, my great-great-great-grandfather, who was an artist, came over from England and settled m this house with his bride, a very young and beautiful girl, who had been hastily married to him by her father ■•to prevent a match between herself and a young Lord Somebody who was her father's enemy. "This hard-hearted relative of mine married her against her wishes, and then carried her away, almost brokenhearted, to a strange country, and into this gloomy old house. He was double her age, arid jealous as he could be of her former lover, whom he thought was separated from her forever. But it wasn't so, Grace. That young Lord Somebody swore that he would rescue her yet, if he had to murder her husband—so he started at once for America, where he spent a long time in vain search for his lost Jove." "He must have been very plucky, ' interrupted Grace, with dilated pupils. g Oh, yes, he was — but listen. One day Camilla — that was my great-great-great-grandmother, you know — was weeping m the summer-house, when she suddenl. ly looked up, and beheld her old lover standing in the doorway. She was y overwhelmed with joy, and confessed "c" c that she was wretched with her husband; and I suppose there occurred quite a little love-scene, for her husy baud, overhearing the affair, rushed in, plunged his dagger in the young i, lord's heart, and carried Camilla d fainting to her room, where he flung ■ L . her on the bed, and locking the door, departed. When he returned it was to find her dead. She had taken her " life with her own little dagger." "Oh!" gasped Grace; "and what ;. thoof . (Continued op page 30