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J1 II A NK M O II TIME II ,
Editor and I'roprictor.
"Vol. TV.
The loomfii:ld Times
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The Haunted House.
BY ARXnCIl h. J1E8ERVE.
CONCLUDED.
it HOI say," replied tho other, em-
jihatically; " wo'vo too good a
tiling here to be blowed on if we can help
it."
-" You are right there, Jim ; but let us go
down. The rest of tho boys will bo along
soon."
I held my breath as tho two villains pass
ed along to tho cellar door, which I had
left standing open, and descended the stairs
leaving tho old kitchen again in total dark
ness. What was their errand below ? I asked
myself this question, and at ouce resolved
that I would find out if possible. Noisless
ly I glided out from the closet and felt my
way along tho cellar door, where I paused
and listened. A faint light came up from
below, and the hum of distant voices.
Silently I descended tho stairs. When I
reached tho bottom I found myself in to
tal darkness. Tho light had disappeared,
and tho hum of voices had ceased.
What had become of them ? It seemed
as though the earth had opened and swal
lowed them up.
Suddenly I heard a sound above my head
others of tho gang were crossing tho
kitchen lloor towards tho entrance to the
cellar, and in a moment more they would
bo coming down upon me.
Hastily I crept in beneath tho stairs,
knocking over tho basin of paint, with one
hand and dashing its contents over my
hands and face, Once under tho stairs
there was plenty of room, and I drew my
self up into as small a compass as possible
against the wall, and with my hand upon
my revolver, waited for what tho next mo
ment would bring forth. ,
Tramp, tramp, above my head, sounded
the footsteps, and by them I was assured
that three more had entered the collar, and
were groping their way about in tho dark
ness. Suddenly a voice exclaimed impa
tiently :
" Why don't tho boys show the light ?
I shall break my neck over something that
may be lying about hero."
"Give tho signal and they will show it?"
said another.
A sharp, short whistle cut the air like a
knife, and it had not diod away before a
door in the wall, which had escaped my no
tice on my previous visit, was thrown open
and a bright light flashed out, revealing a
room of considerable dimensions beyond,
in which were tables and benches ranged
about. The light was too brilliant to pro
ceed from a tallow candle, for it lighted up
the cellar without, revealing tho forms of
the three men distinctly; had either of thorn
chanced to have turned thoir heads they
must have seen mo crouching beneath tho
stairs. But as luck would have it they did
AN INDEPENDENT FAMILY
not,, but passed at once into tho further
! apartment, closing the door behind them,
I leaving me in darkness more profound than
before.
Thrice was this repeated, and I had seen
ten men enter tho secret chamber. Then
camo a long interval, which convinced me
at last, that they had all arrived who would
be there that night. I reflected upon what
should bo my next move.
To attempt to pry any further into their
mysteries that night, I thought, would
avail me nothing and it might get mo into
diflieulties. I had learned enough already
to forever lay the ghost in tho haunted
house, and to bring a pack of villians to
justice. That they wcro a gang of base
coiners and counterfeiters, I had not the
least doubt, and I felt that it would bo my
duty to unearth them to tho authorities.
I felt considerable interest in tho discov
eries I had made, and I knew that I should
be the lion of Wicklow for the next seven
days at least. People would say to ono ap.
other :
"There goes tho man who laid tho
ghost," and I should be an object of inter
est to tho young ladies in tho church tho
next Sabbath. At that moment I felt my
self quite a hero, but it suddenly occurred
to mo that I should remember tho old ad
adgc, "not to crow until you are out of
tho woods." I had forgotten that.
I now came back to my immediate sur
roundings, and reflected on what I should
do next. Should I remain whero I was,
and see them emcrgo from their den and
take their departure, or should I leave at
once, and return to Tom's mother, while
tho coast was clear ?
I decided upon the latter, and was about
to crawl out from my hiding-place, when I
heard footsteps again in tho kitchen. More
of them were coming, so I shrank back in
to my corner to witness their descent.
The foot steps went round the room and
at last came to the cellar door, whero they
paused for a moment, while a light as from
a lantern flashed down tho stairs. Then
tho footsteps began slowly to descend. I
counted them o;io by ono until they reach
ed tho bottom, and tho new-comer stood
close to, but with his back towarks me.
In ono hand ho carried a common lantern,
and as ho moved away from tho foot of the
stairs, I thought that his figure looked very
familiar.
He held tho lantern up as he went round,
and from his motions I could not help deci
ding that ho was a stranger to tho spot, and
not a member of tho gang beyond tho wall.
At last his steps brought him close to a door,
through which I had seen tho members of
tho gang pass, and at this instant his face
was turned by chance for a moment toward
me, and I plainly saw his features. It was
my friend Tom Jones.
I hardly checked myself in time to pre
vent giving utterance to an exclamation of
surprise at beholding him, for I had not
supposed that ho had returned. But hero
he was in tho flesh, and I knew his errand
at once. His mother had told him where I
had gono, and he had come in search of
mo.
I was about to call out to him in a low
tone, but before I could do so ho had seen
tho door, and, evidently with the intention
of efitcring, he placed his hand upon tho
latch and finding it fastened gave it a vio
lent shake. It produced no result, so ho
gave it another, and the next moment it
flew open, revealing nothing but a dark
void beyond. .
Taking a step forward, despite tho low
warning I gave him, ho held his lantern
out, that its light might show his way, but
in a moment more it was dashed from his
hands and all was total darkness.
"Villains, unhand me," I hoard Tom
cry ; then there was a Bhort Btruggle, fol
lowed by a blow and a heavy fall, and then
all was still.
Poor Tom I Had they taken his life ?
and I close by, without lifting a hand to
prevent it ? I hoard the door shut with a
clang and then all was still.
Ncav 331oomfioll, !Fsi., AXm-eli
What should T do? Should! fly to his
assistance, and witli my simple arm combat
the whole gang and try tp savo his life ? or
should I make the best of my way out of
the accursed spot, and run to tho villago
and givo tho alarm ? For a moment I was
undecided. Either way it seemed that
Tom's lifo was at stake.
At last I formed the resolution to go for
help, and was just edging my way out from
beneath tho stairs, when the door of the
secret apartment was again thrown open,
and the brilliant light which I had seen be
fore flashed out.
Hastily I fell back against tho wall, fear
ing that I should be discovered ; and thcro
I lay holding my breath, while three or
four of tho gang went peering about the
cellar and up through the house seeking for
any companions which Tom might have
brought with him. At last they wcro ap
parently satisfied that he had camo alone,
and returned to their den, leaving me undis
covered. No sooner was tho door shut than, hav
ing changed my mind as to tho course of
procedure, I emerged from my hiding-place
and crept noislessly up tho stairs, across
tho kitchen, out into the open air.
Here, in tho thick shurbbery which grew
closo to the house, I secreted myself, and
and there remained motionless, until I
counted as many leave the house as I had
seen enter the cellar. .: Then when I had
given them a chance to. get well clear of
the premises, I re-entered tho house, and
hastened down to tho collar to hear if pos
iblo tho fate of Tom. I carried with mo a
rusty iron bar which I had stumbled upon
outside, with which I meant to break in tho
door, could I not open it in any other man
ner. Feeling my way to tho door, which I
tried and found securely fastened, I placed
my ear to the crevice and listened intently.
At first I heard nothing, and then a sound
fell upon my car which I was sure was a
groan.
"Tom," I cried, through tho crevice,
you are not dead, I hope ?"
Another groan and then a faint voice
said :
"Not quite ; can't you get tome?"
My only answer was a blow upon the door
with that bar ; till at last tho bolt was bro
ken, the door swung back, and I rushed in
to tho secret chamber.
" Tom, where are you ?" I cried.
"Here," said a voice, at my feet; and
reaching down I encountered tho face of
Tom, which in another moment I should
have put my foot on.
" Thank God that you are alive, Tom ;
but are you much hurt?" I cried, searching
for his hand, that I might give it a friendly
pressure.
" Some, I am afraid ; my head don't feel
just right yet. You must find my hand
there. The villains have fastened them bo
hind mo, and my legs are bound too."
The rascals 1 but they shall suffer for
this," I said, as with my pocket-knifo I
set Tom free, and then helped him ' upon
his feet, where for a minute ho was unable
to stand alone, his head was so dizzy.
"Lead mo out of this room. The air is
stifling. Got mo out beneath tho stars and
I shall feel better."
" Lean on me and I will 6oon get you
there, Tom," I replied ; and half support
ing him, I led him out through the cellar,
up over tho stairs, throughthe kitchen, and
soon had him out whore tho cool air could
bathe his brow and bring him fairly to him
self again.
In a little time he had in a measure re
covered his strength, and we had set out
for home.
"Did you recognize any of them, Tom?"
I said, as we went along.
"No, not ono," ho replied. "It was not
light enough."
"Why did they bind you hand and foot?
Do you remember what they said about it ?' '
" Yes, plainly. They tried to make me
take a horrid oath that I would never reveal
NEWSPAPER.
1, 1870.
what I had discovered of their hiding-place,
but I refused to do it. Then they told mo
that I should never leavo the place alive un
til I had taken the oath, and that they
would staryo mo to do it or to death. So
they bound mo and left mo thcro till you
came."
Then, in return I told him of what I had
witnessed, and by that time wo were at his
mother's.
It was past midnight, and tho good wo
man was fearfully frightened. Tom had
como homo sooner than he had promised,
and had gono at once to tho haunted houso
forme. She had watched anxiously for
our return, and when, at last wo did pre
sent ourselves, she was frightened moro
than ever. Tom's face and clothes were
covered with blood, which had flowed from
the wound in his head, while I presented an
equally gory appcaranco on account of tho
red paint with which I was plentifully be
sprinkled. Leaving Tom to acquaint his mother
with tho details of our adventures, I made
my way to the village, and' Boon had tho
proper officers alert to their duty ; for I
knew if wo wanted to make a haul we must
do it before they would have a chance to
return to seo their prisoner. Quietly we
proceeded to tho old bouse, and there found
that which I had expected to find, namely
tools, plates and presses of a gang of coun
terfeiters, and a largo amount of spurious
currency, which they had already to send
to their agents in various parts of tho coun
try. It was near morning when wo got round
to call upon my old friend tho driver, and
it must be conrcssed that wo somewhat sur
prised that worthy when we accommodated
him with a pair of bracelets. When he
saw me he was convinced that I was in re
ality a detective, and that I already knew
all ; so ho made a clean breast of it and
implicated all of his companions, whereby
we were enabled to secure tho wholo gang,
and thus break up a combination which
extended over a largo area of territority to
which no clue had before been obtained.
It was daylight when I got back to Tom's
mother's, and I found that neither of thcin
had been abed, so anxious were they to
know how it all turned out, and when I had
told my story they wore of ono mind, that
I had done a good night's work, which con
clusion I also concurred in.
I stayed at Wicklow until tho villains
had their examination and had been
carried away to jail, and I was all tho lion
I had imagined I should bo. Old ladies
would stop to look at mo in tho street, and
so would the boys ; but tho young ladies,
I must confess, though it hurts my vanity
to do so, only gave mo a look, and then
their eyes followed some other better-looking
follow who chanced to bo going by.
I hear from Tom quite often, now. Ho
says the ghost no longer walks in the haunt
ed house, and that the blood-stain retains
its dark hue from ono year's end to anoth
er. When it changes its spots again I will
make another trip to Wicklow.
Remarkable Conduct of a Horse.
A recent French paper records an ex
traordinary punishment inflicted by a horse
on its master for an act of brutality by tho
latter towards ono of the animal's stable
companions. A carrier named R , at
no time tender in his treatment of his four
footed servants, returned ono night in a
state of semi-intoxication from Moamaut
to Givors. The man's natural barbarity
was at this time aggravated by tho drink
he had taken, and being dissatisfied with
the efforts of odo of tho horses a poor
hack which had almost served its time he
decided that the animal was no louger
worth his feed, and resolved to put an. end
to it, For that purpose ho tied tho poor
brute to a tree, and taking a massive lever
used in moving goods, he struck the animal
several violent blows on the head, until the
unfortunato brute sank to tho ground in
sensible. '
Term'. IN ADVANCE,
One Dollar per Year.
IVo. O.
Tho master, thinking tho animal was
dead, left it on tho spot, intending to re
movo the body next day. Tho horse, how
ever, recovered its senses a short time after,
found its way home, and entered the court
yard at daybreak. Its arrival was welcomed
by tho neighing of its companions in the
stablo, which noiso awakened tho master,
who was now furious at having failed in his
cruel purpose. Ho tied up the animal afresh
and again commenced to shower blows on
its head. This act of brutality was com
mitted in sight of the two horses in the sta
blo ; at "length ono of them, a young ani
mal, became so frantic with rage that ho
broko his halter, and rushing on tho man
seized him in his jaws, and after shaking
him violently, threw him down and tram
pled on him with such fury that had not
tho man's cries brought some persons to
his aid tbo master would certainly have
been killed. '
A Warning to Sick Wires.
rilllE Matteawan Herald says that just in
I tho outskirts of Poughkcepsie, lives a
man by tho name of Warren, who, for
years, has enjoyed a plurality of wives, to
tho disgust of the neighborhood. Warren
many years ago married a young lady and
for years they lived in perfect harmony,bnt
ono day sho sickened and she and her
friends supposed she would die.
At this crisis she became anxious about
the welfare of her husband and busied her
self in selecting her successor, who was to
share with Wan-en the joys of matrimonial
bliss. This difficulty she at last overcame
by selecting a woman she thought worthy
to follow in her footsteps.
Once settled in her mind, she desired the
twain to bo made one flesh, even before her
death, that sho might bo made happy in her
last moments. They were accordingly
married by her beiiside, and the sick woman
having her heart's! wish gratified turned
over to die, but it was not so to be, for she,
much to the astonishment of all parties,
rapidly grew bettor, and soon recovered her
health, only to find hr husband given to
another.
This was more than the woman bargain
ed for, but tho two foninles fixed up tho
matter, and it was agreed that they would
live in harmony in the same house, and
thus they lived for years. Both women
raised a family of children ; onchad six and
tho other five Somo of thcio children are
grown up men and women at the present
time.
About six months ago tho wo mem quarrel
ed and the husband was called on to settle
tho difficulty, and ho espoused the cause
of tho youngest wife and it was determined
on by the two to get the old wife out of
the house, which has speedly accomplished,
and she is now doing housework in the
neighborhood, while the second wife enjoys
tho bed and board that was once hen.
H3T Tlie Herald, published at Honesdale,
Wayno County, says :
" At or near Beach Pond, this cottnty,
there lives a German who may safely claim
to bo tho cha mpion wretch of this vicinity.
His wife diei't some time since, and he made
her a coffin himself of rough hemlock
boards, hi which ho placod some straw,
upon which he placed the corpse, entirely
naked, then dug a grave and carried his
dead with as littlo coromony as one
woi'.ld a dog. A few weeks ago a little
son of his four or five scars old, died, and
lie interred him in the same manner.
Some days after ho was buried a pair of
shears was missed from tho houso, and
could not be found. Finally this monster
rcmomembcred dropping them in the straw
of his littlo boy's 'coffin' while he was. work
ing at it, and he forthwith exhumed, open
ed it, found tho shears, and cooly re-interred
the box and its decaying contents I"
The above is pretty hard to believe, but
as it is in print we are bound to believe,
that it is true if it is strange.