THE STORY-TELLER. THE HEIR OF THE CROWESTS.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 16, 29 September 1883, Page 4

THE STORY-TELLER. THE HEIR OF THE CROWESTS.

Lord Ckowkst left a wi low and three children — two sons an 1 ! ft daughter. The eldest, the young Earl, was only six years of age. Wlion her husband died, Lady Crowest ceased to reside at Crowest C(Vrt, the family seat in Warwickshire. She had a prejulic" against the place, tlioui*"h it was the pride of the neighbourhood, and she therefore readily consente ' to the suygegtion of the trustees that it should be let for a term of years. A tenant, was forthcoming in the person of a wealthy Australian merchant named Palmer. This gentleman became highly popular in the district. He was a kind and generous host, a thoughtful nei^b'^our, and a good friend to the poor. He had a pleasant wife and two pretty daughters. and his wealth naturally obtained for him admi.^ion into the charmed circle of the best county society. Crowest affor led capital shooting. and the Palmers always had the house full of rather oddly-assorted guest* durincf the autuin Towards the end of October last year, a young subaltern named Charlie B.ithurst was invited foi a few days. His regiment was stationed at a neighbouring town, and Mr Palmer, happening to hear that the young man was a connection of the Crowest family — a distant cousin of t!ie late Earl — good-nature liy asked him to come and make acquaintance with the ancestral e^tato. an 1 more particularly with the exeell-nt preserves. Charlie B itimr-t was a handsome, blue- eyed lad of 20, who ha I a Inppy knack of ingratiating hi"is»lf with every one. He ■n as very boyish, and his honest simplicity an 1 hii;h spirits soon won all hearts. His visit to Crowest was a decided success, and it was prolonged considerably bey on I its intended limits. On the evening before the day on which he was — after many false starts — to rejoin his regiment, the male guests were seated round the smoking-room fire he^'orr retiring to rest, when, as frequently happens towards the witching hour of midnight, the conversation turned upon the subject of supernatural apparitions. Several stories were told of a Wool- curdling tendency, and, at length, ?om? one asked if Crowest Court did not possess a haunted room. ' Not that I know of/ answered Mr Palmer, * There was no ghost included in the l^ase ; at least, I didn't stipulate for one.' 1 1 never heard of there being a ghost/ interposed a neighbour who had been prevailed upon to stay the night ; ' but I have a recollection of hearing so'ne story a 1 nut one of the rooms.' ' To be sure,' eagerly nddel another loed mignatc. ' There is a legend thnt many years ago — at the beginning of the last centuiy — the eldest son of the then Lord Crowest murdered a iciest in his sleep. E\er th-> mom in which the lead was committed Ins boon kept closed, tor it i o said t'.-afc any heir of t" c Crowests who sleep-, there will meve- live till the morniny.' 'Nonsense! Absurd! An old 1 woman's story/ said Dr. Boulton. a Cambridge Professor who had very cut and-dried opinions on most subjects. ' Very likely ; I am only repeating what I have heard/ said the narrator, rather curtly. ' Hus any heir of the Crowests ever died in the room?' inquired Ch-u'lie Bathursr, who had listened open mouthed. 'Ah ! It would be interesting to know that,* said the Professor, who soeme 1 personally aggrieved by the story. ' The old house-keeper might know. .She has lived with the Crowosts all her 'life. If sho hasn't gone to bed we will ask her to in/ said Mr Palmer, ringing t\ie bell. A few minutes later the old lady wars curtseying in the doorway, rather abashed by the company, an I coti^hin^ at the tobacco-smoke. The Profcssoi im tie lia'e'y .i-^ailed her wit i questions — ' tackled her/ to use her own ex-pr->sion — with the object of proving that the story wa^ a complete myth But the housekeeper stood upon her diunit) ; an I .is s c cvi lently regarded the iiaunte 1 chamber as a sort of famil} distinction, she did her best to maintain its character. She was forced to almit, however, th.it n<» on • ha 1 ever die I there within hei reco lection ; that she hi' never seen the ghost, nor been witne-^ to .illy event in connection wi'li the room ; and, finally, alic w.i^ brought to confess |i, a t Hie room wannaccoim'al'ly d <mp, which was the chief reason of its not having been utilise!. 1 There is no mystery whatever, you see/ said t : i<« Professor, addressing f he company when the housekeeper had left the room. • This is an instance of how ghosts are created. A room is shut up for sanitary reasons. It remains closed for a year or two, and then some idler begins to wag bis tongue, and give •wind to a cock-and-bull story which soon develops into a legend. I hope this will be the last we shall hear of there being a haunted roo aat Crowest. You ought to ni.ik« i one of the servants sleep there, Palmer, and so put an end to this nonsense.' ' I should never got a servant to sleep in the room/ said Mr Palmer, 'unless,) at all events, some one would sle, 'p there first, so as to break the sp-11. I really don't think it is worth while making a fue-s about.' ' Perhaps the Professor would like to try t!ie experiment/ suggested one of ,ihe company, significstntly. ' f would without hesitation/ said the

ProftM-nr, with ovidc>nt sincerity ; ' onl\ I (Min^NH that afc my ajye, even in the i'vukc of I'ivilisatiun and the enlighten «vent of my fd'ow-oroatures, I shrin' from sleeping' in a damp room, llheu mathm makes a man a coward in such a case.' ' T will sleep there. By Jove 1 I slioul 1 like to,' cried young Bathurst. eagerly. ( I'd give anything to see n ghost. I've never had a real adventure in my life, and tin's will l>o .something to talk about at mess, at all events.' ' Pooh ! Nonsense, my boy,' sai ' Mr. Palmei, laughing, like the rest, at the young Fellow's eagerness. 'What is the good ? Besides, you are going away to-morrow.' ' 'Well, I can sleep there to-nigh f Do let me, Mr. Palmer! Plearse do!' urged the lad, who seemed delighted at the prospect. ' But remember the damp. Yen will catch your depth of cold,' objecte ' his I ost. ' J can have a fire, I suppose? Besides, what is a cold ?' said the boy, wit.i M)verei<rn contempt. 4 WVII you can do as you as like, of course, and I will have the room pi\pared at once,' said Mr P.ilmer, reluctantly, for his hospitable soul was vext'il at the idea of a guest passing an uncomfortable night, even at hrs own request. ' There cm be no real risl . You arc not even the heir of th Crowests.' ' No such luck,' said the boy ; I wi^'i I were' 1 Besides, the stoty is a vulgar supor■Atition,' added the Piofessor, con\incimjly. (To be Continued.)