The House With the Black Gable.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 347, 2 March 1889, Page 5

The House With the Black Gable.

I JiQ /Ml LONC! narrow sheet, whose iAVD^MM c^ n^y buildings seemed I'^^Wlm ' s(jl ' u Sd^ iu S upwards horn ff^vm fJWl their sombre suriounding«, if h $mJM\\<\ sk>i y aftei otuiy "ll J-^w'li* U P tow aid the clear blue jVs^ •- sky ' llab Joolterl bluib iv small <6iryg**' compa I*',1 *', &o toweling and daik the hiirb wallb on cither side — weather beaten and weather-stained as though having faced tho .storms o ; a century. At the end of this irregulut , nauow street stood— one on o ther .side— two buddings, one more s bun ted, daik, and musciable than the other, as though touching; down instead of up, and the one opposite Lallci and fairer ii appearance than the siuiounding habita ions, as though saying, ' I ha\ c climbed highei than you.' Actosh the way ifc was dilleient. The wind moaned dismally lound the Black Uab.'es, as the dark house at the end of the sheet, was called, Kittled it& w eatner-eaten window frame*, and eooined Lo call in warning menace to some imagina'y occupants. No other voice spoke to them, icn no \Uitoie. ciossed ihe thie-ho'd, and so uncanny was the icputation home by the Black Gables that it was sedulously shunned by a 1 whoso fancies savoured or biiperst:tion. Shango eiioswae lieaid, especially at night; a, sound as of falling aiticles, sometime- tluown \ioleutly, and at otheis I chopping with a dull thud— it might be ot a tailing body. But enough was seen of tlio intciioi by oulsidt-i*. The wooden Miultois were always securely do ed, excluding- all lijxJit of day, and pie\enhug any cuioas ol light fiom within. Ciim, blai.k, and sulent, the plac-e seemed, in tiuth, a liUmg abodo for the dark spnits by which i(, was, said to be tenanted, and if the aLtonlion of the cit.y authonties was dueotcd to Us daik aspect and unsav ouiy reputation, they cho-e, for reasons best k'mun lo them<-ol\cs, to iguorcif. Tints a weird, soluble landmaik, < otood the house of the Black (table*. •So much foi the cxtciioL 1 of tiie pkice ; the intei mi n,]ghtpio\c lca^ loibidclinj; it the nauow aide-door, .so übrcuied that it almost lequiied seeking tor, would open in ward At least to [ thought, and at the s-aine time detei mined that i would lind out it the liou-50 was cmpt\, <uid it fo claim the pmilege of pacing Lhc night there — a night tint I would de\ototo irne^tigation ot the m>stei} thcie thiouded Haunted ! Bail' (.ho^ts aie haimle-s things. And the de?iie to penctiate ino the my-^tei y in cio.i^iuG 1 with contemplation of it, I mounted the dooi^ten and sunndei the kuocket, winch bent thiough the house an echo that came back tome unansueted. The habitants, it habitants thcie 11 c, must be asleep, 1 simnised ; and agaio had lecourte to the knocker, with tlie &arne lesult. I'iying about the doorway 1 di t - coveied a "mail cud, hearing in piiutthe announcement, ' Tnis Fumir-hcd l J i opei ty foi .Sale 01 to Let AppU to (Jinx and Toby, Blank-sheet,' Foi or to lot, I icpeated. Humph 1 not a \eiy inviting spot, for a home, ana, being iv a hteiaiy walk of life, the idea of buying an estate was altogefhu too much of a faiiy tale for contemplation. Vet 1 was vciy loth to abandon my notion of spending a few liouis in thi- abode of cliseinbodied t-pi.its; and tri'sting to luck to suggest -onto i.iti-Jjaotoiy wa}' of doing when 1 should \isib dinx and Tob\ , L wended my \uij to their dingy apnitmento, and mad'j known to them my desue to leani something about the house of the Bla< k (■Jables. Tho=e gentlemen, after legaiding me cuiiou^ly, exchanged glances; and then, n^ if by tacit aviaugoment, iNly (linx addie^sed himself to my lequest, while In.s paitpei returned lo a detk whose belongings seemed at war with each other, bo due the confusion, 'Jlu'ii' hem 1 ' said Mi (Unx, lo^veiing hi^ -steel bow oil spectacles hou 1 his toiehead to theii pioper lesbmg-placc. ' Hum • hem ! >So \ou want to know something about the house of the Black Gables? Kepoi tcr, eh V' ' \ c->.' 1 answeied, ' 1 should be pleased to go osei the hou?e, and peihaps btop a few houis. Tlio old gentleman gave me a thaip look, as it to asceilain how much I knew of the -ituation ; nud then, w ithout a word, took the labelled key iiom a hook beside him, and handed it to me. I'eihaps with a vein of what trie Scotch call ' second sight 1 in my na'uic, I had inheuted a lo\e of the weird and nj\?tet ions. At, all events it wafe with a stiaugc feeling of exultation that I made my anangen.ents for taking possession of the Black (Jables. llaxiug piovtded myself with a lamp, I had kindled a cheery iiie in the ino.-t inviting 100 m, placed on a ■rtand, within loach, a \ciy tempting lunch, my notebook, and an enteitaining no\cl, and, drawing an old-fa-luoncd ensy chiui up 1/1 /tout of t'lirf glowing fneplaee, i)iocei.dcd to mike my- , fcelf. comtoitabl* 3 Tfo\\ long I had sat here, aftei pai taking j of my evening ieoast and leading a few patrcs of my novel, I do not know, but m> a>_ r i ceable )C\erie> were suddenlj pub to flight bv alow, unging laugh, and 1 saw onter the 100 m a young woman in e\ening drc^s, with baie, dimpled arms, a snowy throat, wheie gleameii a jewelled necklace, and like a golden link on one small white hand the glimmer of a wedding ring. ITei die-s?, of soft white silk and lace, trailed no'beles^ly over Iho carpet, and — yes, thcie was a perfume of orangc-blossMn^, which fUI in graceful profusion o\cr a biidal veil. At 1 looked, the fair biide raised her beautiful eyes to the old fashioned clock on the wail, and, smiling, said, half aloud : 'Seven o'clock ! surely lie mutt be heie soon.' But a& the spoke the door was Hung \iolently open, and a low-biowcd Mexican, whose dark eyes glistened with a heachor ous cunninffj entered tho 100 m, while the biidc, pale an.i trembling, turned fiom his attempted carets with a light iv her eyes such as might herald an appioachingstoim. 'Back, Don! How daie you trouble me hero ?' she cried, putting up both hands with a gesture of apprehensive loath in y at vhich the ruflian. with a half-amuse:l laugh — such as one might give to the defiance of a pretty child— sprang forward and folded her, in spite of her struggles, closety in her aim&.i m&. 'He is dead !' he whispered, hoarsely, with evil exultation. One cry, fraught with all the agony of love believing itself bereft, fiom the bride, and then—' Villain, you lie !' came in thunderous tones from the doorway ; and she was clasped in the aims of htvnewlylnndc husband, while the cowaidly Mexican, bilenbly vowing a vengeance he dared not utter, rapidly disappeared, to avoid being ejected by the lover-husband, who briefly told his bride how he was, in lefcmning- to her, attacked by the villain who had left them ; and &he, terrified at the danger through which he had passed, clung to him closely, with murmured words of loving thankfulness for his restoration to her, and togethor they disappear through an aichway into the room beyond. They had nob seen me ! SUange ! Tramp ! tiamp ! and over the oaken staircase come the heavy tread of men caviying a burden, and again the door was flung open to admit two men, bearing between them the dead body of the Meucan who has 00 recently quitted the placo ; and behind tho death corteyc euteiecl

armed otficeis, who demanded 'in the namo of the law,' the surrender of the bndegroom, accused of the murder of tho man whoso body lay before him. Vain all expostulation and entreaty, which met only the oflicial leiteration, ' Tho man was found at the sheet door ot the mansion, dead. He and the bride groom weie know to have been at enmity, and the olliceis charged him with murder, and led him away, followed by the agonised pleadings ol his newly-made wife. The law ! what terrible wrongs a*e perpetrated in thy namo ! The prisoner removed, the officers ie, turned for the body oh the Mexican ; and I still unob&eived, followed them down the oaLen stairs and out to the street whoie, leaning idly against the opposite doorpost, I beheld on ill-fed, ill-clothed aitia.in, who, with his bag of tools, had paused a moment from Rome appatcrit cniio3ity. 1 could not then say what attiacted my attention to tho man. but being po.sses.%ed with a teeling that he would speak to me of the affaii I had just witnessed, I took a good mental phologiaph ot him, noting that his bag bore, in lather uncouth black letters, (he name ol Pieire Urtvy, 47, Rue Voi t. A noi-e at hand stailled me, and 1 spiang to my foet eie my eyes weie tanly opened. The iiio st 11 sent forth its ruddy glow, the lamp binned brightly, and the lemainsof my supper weie undi&tuibed upon the table. Bride, biidegioom, Mexican, and ofliceis, all had vanished. I alone was in pos.se fciou. All htibhcd in an oppicssive gioat a-j to be almost fe*t ; and the bells out j ido \\ eio slowly .sti iking five. 1 arose, went over to the window and unfastened ! the shutter, an I a? I did so .a newsboy in the sheet below was ciying: ' Laurens 1 sentenced. Full account of tho tiial.' Ho looked up, and. seeing me at the open window, asked if 1 wanted a papci. Moved by some strange impulse, I nodded, and, going down to the door, received it fiom the boy, and icfcunied to the room where 1 had pasted tiie night seated myself in the same aim - chair, and opened the paper, on the Hist page of which 1 read, in staling black letteis : 'Lauiens conwcled ol the minder of the Mexican, Uaetano. and sentenced to death. Full pat ticulait of the crime.' What feail'ul discovery was about to be made to me v 1 hesitated, and then load in detail a full description of the scene j had >o vnidly witnessed dm ing the night. What could it all mean '' Was thib tho ill-fated house? (lieabHod !no wonder it is haunted- a murder at the vei> thieshold ! And tho horror of it caused me to jlnill with an indescribable teiror. ' Oh, to getaway from tho accused spot !' I I cusd, and sei/.ing hat and wrap, 1 started to leave the room. Then, as though under the contiol of some unseen agency, I came back and again took up the paper. 'IVo witnesses ot the deed,' it said: 'the pii^oner comicled on chcumstantial e\ idence. ' Fora moment I was lost in wondeting quory. Then, quick as the shock horn an elcctiic battery, came to me the name of Pierre Cre/y, 47, line Veit. And I exclaimed, with all the energy ofcomietion that know. -3 no mistake — ' Piene ! I'iene Cu'/y ! Thank God ! Jfe. is the man !' And once again I turned to lea\c {he loom, conscious of bub one tiling — the addretis of the aiti>an whose testimony, 1 now felt confident, Mould sa\e the life ot an innocent man. A dingy tenement house in the poor disti ict of the pity ' Piot re Crczy, does lie li\c hcie?' ' Yes ; he has a little loom in the garret. Ha*, been away on a piece of work in the countiy foi several weeks; returned last night.' ' Can 1 see him ?' ' Ye; ;' and a moment latei tho aiti--ai> of my \ision was bcior me. K.-igei, bieathlc-s, ignonng all utiiicce^saiy talk, I asked him it ho knew anything of tho Lamona tiial, handing him the paper I had ]u s t read, which he took, regaiding me suspiciously. He was evidently not pioficient as a leader, and the time consumed in hi& pciusal of the article teemed to me an eternity. Bud as I offered to fini h the ac count foi him, impatience biooking no fuither delay, he exclaimed, in broken English : • Mon J)i< u ! Ho iio kill te Mexican. ] pa&s ; T see him m/e door a knifo in hecs hand, so. lie trip and fall on /c step, /c Knife \so in hees side 1 inn j away, or /c ofheets say 1 riene, stab him !' ! ' C'owanl ! And you would let an innocent man be pub to death by withholding yom testimony ?' I c.'ied indignantly. ' For sb'imo !' This view of the case had e\idently not occinicd to one man. He wa\cied a Jit tie, and then finally contented to (oil the (Joint w hat he had told me, «ith the ie*>ult that ! M. Lauien-, wa-, at once acquitted ot the crime foi which he was about to sutlci unjust punishment. The scene in the court-ioom can better be imagined than described, for no wordsi can paint the joy which thiilled e\eiy heait as the judge ie\oked his foimei sentence and pronounced the man befoie him nof guilty, w hile the cheeis of the assembled specfatois wetc but a faint echo of the loving joy and giatitudc that thrilled the hoaifc of tho pi isoners loyal little wife. A ftiange stoiy'-' Peihajx*, and yet as strange are transphinjr all about v.-, for the lealityihin truth often fai morestiango than I the dronms of h'cbion. And F questioii that not much e\il mignt be avoided did we not so blindly ignoic the whis-peiings that come to us fiom a wisdom fai beyond us. 1 Are they not all mini&ieiing spit its?' is the query of Holy Writ, arid when we [ lcain to distinguish betw een a meie w himsi- | cal su|)erstition and that higher spiiituat knowledge that does undoubtedly come to us in times of need to clear away wrong or avett impenditig evil, we .shall be on a higher plane, in closer communication with tho superior intelligences ; and, so connected, able to lessen the evil inlluonces that suriound us. Bub too many of us close up the avenues to a higher spiritual knowledge by the very mistaken idea that thetc is no knowledge beyond our own individual wisdom. Avoid all weak flights of the imagination, bub let tho mind ulsvays be open upwaid. — CL.B.

Atti^tjox to 1) wails. — A w liter says : "One of the most impoitant ibems with poultry management is a clobc attention to details. In a majority of case& it is the looking after small things that Largely defcci mines tho profit that is to be seemed. Lenin not only from your own experience, but also from that of others. You can hardly expect to know all that is necess-ary in all that can be made piofitable, and learning 1 fiom the experience of of hois, as a rule, is cheaper than learning from your own. During the hot weather there it> considerablo lisle of overcrowding. This, at this time, is often very productive ot disease, and while it is better, of course, to have all tho poultiy loosting in the house, yet as a choice between o\ercro\\ding and allowing at least a part of them to remain outside, the latter will be tho most profitable plan. In very many cases, it will pay to sell of! part, at least pi citing out the roosteis that you do nob want io keop after they are lea&onably maturod,"