The Major's Lease
Scary Books: Indian Ghost Stories: S. Mukerji
A curious little story was told the other day in a certain Civil Court
in British India.
A certain military officer, let us call him Major Brown, rented a house
in one of the big Cantonment stations where he had been recently
transferred with his regiment.
This gentleman had just arrived from England with his wife. He was the
son of a rich man at home and so
This was the first time he had come out to India and was consequently
rather unacquainted with the manners and customs of this country.
[Illustration: This is a rough plan, the original of which was probably
in the Major's handwriting.]
Major Brown took this house on a long lease and thought he had made a
bargain. The house was large and stood in the centre of a very spacious
compound. There was a garden which appeared to have been carefully laid
out once, but as the house had no tenant for a long time the garden
looked more like a wilderness. There were two very well kept lawn tennis
courts and these were a great attraction to the Major, who was very keen
on tennis. The stablings and out-houses were commodious and the Major,
who was thinking of keeping a few polo ponies, found the whole thing
very satisfactory. Over and above everything he found the landlord very
obliging. He had heard on board the steamer on his way out that Indian
landlords were the worst class of human beings one could come across on
the face of this earth (and that is very true), but this particular
landlord looked like an exception to the general rule.
He consented to make at his own expense all the alterations that the
Major wanted him to do, and these alterations were carried out to Major
and Mrs. Brown's entire satisfaction.
On his arrival in this station Major Brown had put up at an hotel and
after some alterations had been made he ordered the house to be
furnished. This was done in three or four days and then he moved in.
Annexed is a rough sketch of the house in question. The house was a very
large one and there was a number of rooms, but we have nothing to do
with all of them. The spots marked "C" and "E" represent the doors.
Now what happened in Court was this:
After he had occupied the house for not over three weeks the Major and
his wife cleared out and took shelter again in the hotel from which they
had come. The landlord demanded rent for the entire period stipulated
for in the lease and the Major refused to pay. The matter went to Court.
The presiding Judge, who was an Indian gentleman, was one of the
cleverest men in the service, and he thought it was a very simple case.
When the case was called on the plaintiff's pleader said that he would
begin by proving the lease. Major Brown, the defendant, who appeared in
person, said that he would admit it. The Judge who was a very kind
hearted gentleman asked the defendant why he had vacated the house.
"I could not stay," said the Major "I had every intention of living in
the house, I got it furnished and spent two thousand rupees over it, I
was laying out a garden...."
"But what do you mean by saying that you could not stay?"
"If your Honour passed a night in that house, you would understand what
I meant," said the Major.
"You take the oath and make a statement," said the Judge. Major Brown
then made the following statement on oath in open Court.
"When I came to the station I saw the house and my wife liked it. We
asked the landlord whether he would make a few alterations and he
consented. After the alterations had been carried out I executed the
lease and ordered the house to be furnished. A week after the execution
of the lease we moved in. The house is very large."
Here followed a description of the building; but to make matters clear
and short I have copied out the rough pencil sketch which is still on
the record of the case and marked the doors and rooms, as the Major had
done, with letters.
"I do not dine at the mess. I have an early dinner at home with my wife
and retire early. My wife and I sleep in the same bedroom (the room
marked "G" in the plan), and we are generally in bed at about 11 o'clock
at night. The servants all go away to the out-houses which are at a
distance of about 40 yards from the main building, only one Jamadar
(porter) remains in the front verandah. This Jamadar also keeps an eye
on the whole main building, besides I have got a good, faithful watch
dog which I brought out from home. He stays outside with the Jamadar.
"For the first fifteen days we were quite comfortable, then the trouble
began.
"One night before dinner my wife was reading a story, a detective story,
of a particularly interesting nature. There were only a few more pages
left and so we thought that she would finish them before we put out the
reading lamp. We were in the bedroom. But it took her much longer than
she had expected it would, and so it was actually half an hour after
midnight when we put out the big sixteen candle power reading lamp which
stood on a teapoy near the head of the beds. Only a small bedroom lamp
remained.
"But though we put out the light we did not fall asleep. We were
discussing the cleverness of the detective and the folly of the thief
who had left a clue behind, and it was actually two o'clock when we
pulled our rugs up to our necks and closed our eyes.
"At that moment we heard the footsteps of a number of persons walking
along the corridor. The corridor runs the whole length of the house as
will appear from the rough sketch. This corridor was well carpeted
still we heard the tread of a number of feet. We looked at the door "C."
This door was closed but not bolted from inside. Slowly it was pushed
open, and, horror of horrors, three shadowy forms walked into the room.
One was distinctly the form of a white man in European night attire,
another the form of a white woman, also in night attire, and the third
was the form of a black woman, probably an Indian nurse or ayah.
"We remained dumb with horror, as we could see clearly that these
unwelcome visitors were not of this world. We could not move.
"The three figures passed right round the beds as if searching for
something. They looked into every nook and corner of the bed-room and
then passed into the dressing room. Within half a minute they returned
and passed out into the corridor in the same order in which they had
come in, namely, the man first, the white woman next, and the black
woman last of all.
"We lay as if dead. We could hear them in the corridor and in the
bedroom adjoining, with the door "E", and in the dressing room attached
to that bedroom. They again returned and passed into the corridor ...
and then we could hear them no more.
"It must have taken me at least five minutes to collect my senses and
to bring my limbs under control. When I got up I found that my wife had
fainted. I hurried out of the room, rushed along the corridor, opened
the front door and called the servants. The servants were all
approaching the house across the land which separated the servants'
quarters from the main building. Then I went into the dining room, and
procuring some brandy, gave it to my wife. It was with some difficulty
that I could make her swallow it, but it revived her and she looked at
me with a bewildered smile on her face.
"The servants had in the meantime arrived and were in the corridor.
Their presence had the effect of giving us some courage. Leaving my wife
in bed I went out and related to the servants what I had seen. The
Chaukidar (the night watchman) who was an old resident of the compound
(in fact he had been in charge of the house when it was vacant, before I
rented it) gave me the history of the ghost, which my Jamadar
interpreted to me. I have brought the Chaukidar and shall produce him as
my witness."
This was the statement of the Major. Then there was the statement of
Jokhi Passi, Chaukidar, defendant's witness.
The statement of this witness as recorded was as follows:
"My age is 60 years. At the time of the Indian Mutiny I was a full-grown
young man. This house was built at that time. I mean two or three years
after the Mutiny. I have always been in charge. After the Mutiny one
Judge came to live in the house. He was called Judge Parson (probably
Pearson). The Judge had to try a young Muhammadan charged with murder
and he sentenced the youth to death. The aged parents of the young man
vowed vengeance against the good Judge. On the night following the
morning on which the execution took place it appeared that certain
undesirable characters were prowling about the compound. I was then the
watchman in charge as I am now. I woke up the Indian nurse who slept
with the Judge's baby in a bed-room adjoining the one in which the Judge
himself slept. On waking up she found that the baby was not in its cot.
She rushed out of the bed-room and informed the Judge and his wife. Then
a feverish search began for the baby, but it was never found. The police
were communicated with and they arrived at about four in the morning.
The police enquiry lasted for about half an hour and then the officers
went away promising to come again. At last the Judge, his wife, and
nurse all retired to their respective beds where they were found lying
dead later in the morning. Another police enquiry took place, and it was
found that death was due to snake-bite. There were two small punctures
on one of the legs of each victim. How a snake got in and killed each
victim in turn, especially when two slept in one room and the third in
another, and finally got out, has remained a mystery. But the Judge, his
wife, and the nurse are still seen on every Friday night looking for the
missing baby. One rainy season the servants' quarters were being
re-roofed. I had then an occasion to sleep in the corridor; and thus I
saw the ghosts. At that time I was as afraid as the Major Saheb is
to-day, but then I soon found out that the ghosts were quite harmless."
This was the story as recorded in Court. The Judge was a very sensible
man (I had the pleasure and honour of being introduced to him about 20
years after this incident), and with a number of people, he decided to
pass one Friday night in the haunted house. He did so. What he saw does
not appear from the record; for he left no inspection notes and
probably he never made any. He delivered judgment on Monday following.
It is a very short judgment.
After reciting the facts the judgment proceeds: "I have recorded the
statements of the defendant and a witness produced by him. I have also
made a local inspection. I find that the landlord, (the plaintiff) knew
that for certain reasons the house was practically uninhabitable, and he
concealed that fact from his tenant. He, therefore, could not recover.
The suit is dismissed with costs."
The haunted house remained untenanted for a long time. The proprietor
subsequently made a gift of it to a charitable institution. The founders
of this institution, who were Hindus and firm believers in charms and
exorcisms, had some religious ceremony performed on the premises.
Afterwards the house was pulled down and on its site now stands one of
the grandest buildings in the station, that cost fully ten thousand
pounds. Only this morning I received a visit from a gentleman who lives
in the building, referred to above, but evidently he has not even heard
of the ghosts of the Judge, his wife, and his Indian ayah.
It is now nearly fifty years; but the missing baby has not been heard
of. If it is alive it has grown into a fully developed man. But does he
know the fate of his parents and his nurse?
In this connection it will not be out of place to mention a fact that
appeared in the papers some years ago.
A certain European gentleman was posted to a district in the Madras
Presidency as a Government servant in the Financial Department.
When this gentleman reached the station to which he had been posted he
put up at the Club, as they usually do, and began to look out for a
house, when he was informed that there was a haunted house in the
neighbourhood. Being rather sceptical he decided to take this house,
ghost or no ghost. He was given to understand by the members of the Club
that this house was a bit out of the way and was infested at night with
thieves and robbers who came to divide their booty in that house; and to
guard against its being occupied by a tenant it had been given a bad
reputation. The proprietor being a wealthy old native of the old school
did not care to investigate. So our friend, whom we shall, for the
purposes of this story, call Mr. Hunter, took the house at a fair rent.
The house was in charge of a Chaukidar (care-taker, porter or watchman)
when it was vacant. Mr. Hunter engaged the same man as a night watchman
for this house. This Chaukidar informed Mr. Hunter that the ghost
appeared only one day in the year, namely, the 21st of September, and
added that if Mr. Hunter kept out of the house on that night there would
be no trouble.
"I always keep away on the night of the 21st September," said the
watchman.
"And what kind of ghost is it?" asked Mr. Hunter.
"It is a European lady dressed in white," said the man. "What does she
do?" asked Mr. Hunter.
"Oh! she comes out of the room and calls you and asks you to follow
her," said the man.
"Has anybody ever followed her?"
"Nobody that I know of, Sir," said the man. "The man who was here before
me saw her and died from fear."
"Most wonderful! But why do not people follow her in a body?" asked Mr.
Hunter.
"It is very easy to say that, Sir, but when you see her you will not
like to follow her yourself. I have been in this house for over 20
years, lots of times European soldiers have passed the night of the
21st September, intending to follow her but when she actually comes
nobody has ever ventured."
"Most wonderful! I shall follow her this time," said Mr. Hunter.
"As you please Sir," said the man and retired.
It was one of the duties of Mr. Hunter to distribute the pensions of all
retired Government servants.
In this connection Mr. Hunter used to come in contact with a number of
very old men in the station who attended his office to receive their
pensions from him.
By questioning them Mr. Hunter got so far that the house had at one time
been occupied by a European officer.
This officer had a young wife who fell in love with a certain Captain
Leslie. One night when the husband was out on tour (and not expected to
return within a week) his wife was entertaining Captain Leslie. The
gentleman returned unexpectedly and found his wife in the arms of the
Captain.
He lost his self-control and attacked the couple with a meat
chopper--the first weapon that came handy.
Captain Leslie moved away and then cleared out leaving the unfortunate
wife at the mercy of the infuriated husband. He aimed a blow at her head
which she warded off with her hand. But so severe was the blow that the
hand was cut off and the woman fell down on the ground quite
unconscious. The sight of blood made the husband mad. Subsequently the
servants came up and called a doctor, but by the time the doctor arrived
the woman was dead.
The unfortunate husband who had become raving mad was sent to a lunatic
asylum and thence taken away to England. The body of the woman was in
the local cemetery; but what had become of the severed hand was not
known. The missing limb had never been found. All this was 50 years ago,
that is, immediately after the Indian Mutiny.
This was what Mr. Hunter gathered.
The 21st September was not very far off. Mr. Hunter decided to meet the
ghost.
The night in question arrived, and Mr. Hunter sat in his bed-room with
his magazine. The lamp was burning brightly.
The servants had all retired, and Mr. Hunter knew that if he called for
help nobody would hear him, and even if anybody did hear, he too would
not come.
He was, however, a very bold man and sat there awaiting developments.
At one in the morning he heard footsteps approaching the bed-room from
the direction of the dining-room.
He could distinctly hear the rustle of the skirts. Gradually the door
between the two rooms began to open wide. Then the curtain began to
move. Mr. Hunter sat with straining eyes and beating heart.
At last she came in. The Englishwoman in flowing white robes. Mr. Hunter
sat panting unable to move. She looked at him for about a minute and
beckoned him to follow her. It was then that Mr. Hunter observed that
she had only one hand.
He got up and followed her. She went back to the dining-room and he
followed her there. There was no light in the dining-room but he could
see her faintly in the dark. She went right across the dining-room to
the door on the other side which opened on the verandah. Mr. Hunter
could not see what she was doing at the door, but he knew she was
opening it.
When the door opened she passed out and Mr. Hunter followed. Then she
walked across the verandah down the steps and stood upon the lawn. Mr.
Hunter was on the lawn in a moment. His fears had now completely
vanished. She next proceeded along the lawn in the direction of a hedge.
Mr. Hunter also reached the hedge and found that under the hedge were
concealed two spades. The gardener must have been working with them and
left them there after the day's work.
The lady made a sign to him and he took up one of the spades. Then again
she proceeded and he followed.
They had reached some distance in the garden when the lady with her foot
indicated a spot and Mr. Hunter inferred that she wanted him to dig
there. Of course, Mr. Hunter knew that he was not going to discover a
treasure-trove, but he was sure he was going to find something very
interesting. So he began digging with all his vigour. Only about 18
inches below the surface the blade struck against some hard substance.
Mr. Hunter looked up.
The apparition had vanished. Mr. Hunter dug on and discovered that the
hard substance was a human hand with the fingers and everything intact.
Of course, the flesh had gone, only the bones remained. Mr. Hunter
picked up the bones and knew exactly what to do.
He returned to the house, dressed himself up in his cycling costume and
rode away with the bones and the spade to the cemetery. He waked the
night watchman, got the gate opened, found out the tomb of the murdered
woman and close to it interred the bones, that he had found in such a
mysterious fashion, reciting as much of the service as he could
remember. Then he paid some _buksheesh_ (reward) to the night watchman
and came home.
He put back the spade in its old place and retired. A few days after he
paid a visit to the cemetery in the day-time and found that grass had
grown on the spot which he had dug up. The bones had evidently not been
disturbed.
The next year on the 21st September Mr. Hunter kept up the whole night,
but he had no visit from the ghostly lady.
The house is now in the occupation of another European gentleman who
took it after Mr. Hunter's transfer from the station and this new tenant
had no visit from the ghost either. Let us hope that "_she_" now rests
in peace.
The following extract from a Bengal newspaper that appeared in September
1913, is very interesting and instructive.
"The following extraordinary phenomenon took place at the Hooghly Police
Club Building, Chinsurah, at about midnight on last Saturday.
"At this late hour of the night some peculiar sounds of agony on the
roof of the house aroused the resident members of the Club, who at once
proceeded to the roof with lamps and found to their entire surprise a
lady clad in white jumping from the roof to the ground (about a hundred
feet in height) followed by a man with a dagger in his hands. But
eventually no trace of it could be found on the ground. This is not the
first occasion that such beings are found to visit this house and it is
heard from a reliable source that long ago a woman committed suicide by
hanging and it is believed that her spirit loiters round the building.
As these incidents have made a deep impression upon the members, they
have decided to remove the Club from the said buildings."
More
-
The Ghost At Garpsdal
In Autumn, 1807, there was a disturbance by night in the outer room at Garpsdal, the door being smashed. There slept in this room the minister's men-servants, Thorsteinn Gudmundsson, Magnus Jonsson, and a child named Thorstein. Later, on 16th Nove... The Ghost Of Lord Clarenceux
In the chair which stood before the writing-table in the middle of the room sat the figure of Lord Clarenceux. The figure did not move as I went in; its back was towards me. At the other end of the room was the doorway, which led to the small b... The Ghost Of Major Sydenham
Concerning the apparition of the Ghost of Major George Sydenham, (late of Dulverton in the County of Somerset) to Captain William Dyke, late of Skilgate in this County also, and now likewise deceased: Be pleased to take the Relation of it as I ... The Ghost Of Peg Alley's Point
Peg Alley's Point is a long and narrow strip of wooded land, situated between the main stream of Miles river and one of the navigable creeks which flow into it. This little peninsula is about two miles long, from fifty to three hundred yards in widt... The Ghost Of Rosewarne
"Ezekiel Grosse, gent., attorney-at-law," bought the lands of Rosewarne from one of the De Rosewarnes, who had become involved in debt by endeavouring, without sufficient means, to support the dignity of his family. There is reason for believin... The Ghostly Warriors Of Worms
The abbot of Ursperg, in his Chronicle, year 1123, says that in the territory of Worms they saw during many days a multitude of armed men, on foot and on horseback, going and coming with great noise, like people who are going to a solemn assemb... The Girl In Pink
The following anecdote was told to myself, a few months after the curious event, by the three witnesses in the case. They were connections of my own, the father was a clergyman of the Anglican Church; he, his wife and their daughter, a girl of twen... The Girl In Pink
The following anecdote was told to myself, a few months after the curious event, by the three witnesses in the case. They were connections of my own, the father was a clergyman of the Anglican Church; he, his wife and their daughter, a girl of twen... The Good O'donoghue
In an age so distant that the precise period is unknown, a chieftain named O'Donoghue ruled over the country which surrounds the romantic Lough Lean, now called the Lake of Killarney. Wisdom, beneficence, and justice distinguished his reign, an... The Goodwood Ghost Story
My wife's sister, Mrs M----, was left a widow at the age of thirty-five, with two children, girls, of whom she was passionately fond. She carried on the draper's business at Bognor, established by her husband. Being still a very handsome woman,... The Great Amherst Mystery
On 13th February, 1888, Mr. Walter Hubbell, an actor by profession, "being duly sworn" before a Notary Public in New York, testified to the following story:-- In 1879 he was acting with a strolling company, and came to Amherst, in Nova Scotia. H... The Great Amherst Mystery
On 13th February, 1888, Mr. Walter Hubbell, an actor by profession, "being duly sworn" before a Notary Public in New York, testified to the following story:-- In 1879 he was acting with a strolling company, and came to Amherst, in Nova Scotia. H... The Grocer's Cough
A man of letters was born in a small Scotch town, where his father was the intimate friend of a tradesman whom we shall call the grocer. Almost every day the grocer would come to have a chat with Mr. Mackay, and the visitor, alone of the natives, ha... The Grocer's Cough
A man of letters was born in a small Scotch town, where his father was the intimate friend of a tradesman whom we shall call the grocer. Almost every day the grocer would come to have a chat with Mr. Mackay, and the visitor, alone of the natives, ha... The Hand Of Glory
One evening, between the years 1790 and 1800, a traveller, dressed in woman's clothes, arrived at the Old Spital Inn, the place where the mail coach changed horses, in High Spital, on Bowes Moor. The traveller begged to stay all night, but had ... The Haunted And The Haunters: Or The House And The Brain
A friend of mine, who is a man of letters and a philosopher, said to me one day, as if between jest and earnest--"Fancy! since we last met, I have discovered a haunted house in the midst of London." "Really haunted?--and by what?--ghosts?" ... The Haunted Cove
Commonplace in itself and showing positive vulgarity in the style in which its pleasure-grounds are laid out, Clyffe, near Berwick-on-Tweed, has yet one delightful feature of its own,--to wit, a private bay to which access is obtained by a tunn... The Haunted House - The Mortals In The House
Under none of the accredited ghostly circumstances, and environed by none of the conventional ghostly surroundings, did I first make acquaintance with the house which is the subject of this Christmas piece. I saw it in the daylight, with the su... The House And The Brain
A friend of mine, who is a man of letters and a philosopher, said to me one day, as if between jest and earnest,--"Fancy! since we last met, I have discovered a haunted house in the midst of London." "Really haunted?--and by what? ghosts?" ... The Hymn Of Donald Ban
O God that created me so helpless, Strengthen my belief and make it firm. Command an angel to come from Paradise, And take up his abode in my dwelling, To protect me from every trouble That wicked folks are putting in my way; Jesus, that did'st s... The Hymn Of Donald Ban
O God that created me so helpless, Strengthen my belief and make it firm. Command an angel to come from Paradise, And take up his abode in my dwelling, To protect me from every trouble That wicked folks are putting in my way; Jesus, that did'st s... The Interval
Mrs. Wilton passed through a little alley leading from one of the gates which are around Regent's Park, and came out on the wide and quiet street. She walked along slowly, peering anxiously from side to side so as not to overlook the number... The Iron Cage
[As you express a wish to know what credit is to be attached to a tale sent forth after a lapse of between thirty and forty years, I will state the facts as they were recalled last year by a daughter of Sir William ... The Iron Chest Of Durley
Mr _John Bourne_, for his Skill, Care and Honesty, was made by his Neighbour _John Mallet_, Esq., of _Enmore_, the chief of his Trustees, for his Son _John Mallet_ (Father to Elizabeth, now Countess Dowager of _Rochester_) and the rest of his C... The Isle Of Pines
For many years there lived near the town of Gallipolis, Ohio, an old man named Herman Deluse. Very little was known of his history, for he would neither speak of it himself nor suffer others. It was a common belief among his neighbors that he ... The Knot In The Shutter
"It is said that a dream produced a powerful effect on Hone's mind. He dreamt that he was introduced into a room where he was an entire stranger, and saw himself seated at a table, and on going towards the window his attention was somehow or other a... The Knot In The Shutter
"It is said that a dream produced a powerful effect on Hone's mind. He dreamt that he was introduced into a room where he was an entire stranger, and saw himself seated at a table, and on going towards the window his attention was somehow or other a... The Lady In Black
A ghost in a haunted house is seldom observed with anything like scientific precision. The spectre in the following narrative could not be photographed, attempts being usually made in a light which required prolonged exposure. Efforts to touch it ... The Lady In Black
A ghost in a haunted house is seldom observed with anything like scientific precision. The spectre in the following narrative could not be photographed, attempts being usually made in a light which required prolonged exposure. Efforts to touch it ... The Lianhan Shee
One summer evening Mary Sullivan was sitting at her own well-swept hearthstone, knitting feet to a pair of sheep's-grey stockings for Bartley, her husband. It was one of those serene evenings in the month of June when the decline of day assumes... The Lost Cheque
Mr. A., a barrister, sat up one night to write letters, and about half-past twelve went out to put them in the post. On undressing he missed a cheque for a large sum, which he had received during the day. He hunted everywhere in vain, went to bed, ... The Lost Cheque
Mr. A., a barrister, sat up one night to write letters, and about half-past twelve went out to put them in the post. On undressing he missed a cheque for a large sum, which he had received during the day. He hunted everywhere in vain, went to bed, ... The Lost Key
Lady X., after walking in a wood near her house in Ireland, found that she had lost an important key. She dreamed that it was lying at the root of a certain tree, where she found it next day, and her theory is the same as that of Mr. A., the owner ... The Lost Key
Lady X., after walking in a wood near her house in Ireland, found that she had lost an important key. She dreamed that it was lying at the root of a certain tree, where she found it next day, and her theory is the same as that of Mr. A., the owner ... The Lost Securities
A lady dreamed that she was sitting at a window, watching the end of an autumn sunset. There came a knock at the front door and a gentleman and lady were ushered in. The gentleman wore an old- fashioned snuff-coloured suit, of the beginning of the... The Lost Securities
A lady dreamed that she was sitting at a window, watching the end of an autumn sunset. There came a knock at the front door and a gentleman and lady were ushered in. The gentleman wore an old- fashioned snuff-coloured suit, of the beginning of the... The Major's Lease
A curious little story was told the other day in a certain Civil Court in British India. A certain military officer, let us call him Major Brown, rented a house in one of the big Cantonment stations where he had been recently transferr... The Man At The Lift
In the same way, in August, 1890, a lady in a Boston hotel in the dusk rang for the lift, walked along the corridor and looked out of a window, started to run to the door of the lift, saw a man in front of it, stopped, and when the lighted lift came... The Man At The Lift
In the same way, in August, 1890, a lady in a Boston hotel in the dusk rang for the lift, walked along the corridor and looked out of a window, started to run to the door of the lift, saw a man in front of it, stopped, and when the lighted lift came... The Man Who Went Too Far
The little village of St. Faith's nestles in a hollow of wooded hill up on the north bank of the river Fawn in the county of Hampshire, huddling close round its gray Norman church as if for spiritual protection against the fays and fairies, the... The Marquis De Rambouillet
The Marquis de Rambouillet, eldest brother of the Duchess of Montauzier, and the Marquis de Precy, eldest son of the family of Nantouillet, both of them between twenty and thirty, were intimate friends, and went to the wars, as in France do all... The Marvels At Froda {273}
During that summer in which Christianity was adopted by law in Iceland (1000 A.D.), it happened that a ship came to land at Snowfell Ness. It was a Dublin vessel, manned by Irish and Hebrideans, with few Norsemen on board. They lay there for a long... The Marvels At Froda {273}
During that summer in which Christianity was adopted by law in Iceland (1000 A.D.), it happened that a ship came to land at Snowfell Ness. It was a Dublin vessel, manned by Irish and Hebrideans, with few Norsemen on board. They lay there for a long... The Mezzotint
Some time ago I believe I had the pleasure of telling you the story of an adventure which happened to a friend of mine by the name of Dennistoun, during his pursuit of objects of art for the museum at Cambridge. He did not publish his experiences ... The Mignonette
Mrs. Herbert returned with her husband from London to their country home on the Border. They arrived rather late in the day, prepared to visit the garden, and decided to put off the visit till the morrow. At night Mrs. Herbert dreamed that they wen... The Mignonette
Mrs. Herbert returned with her husband from London to their country home on the Border. They arrived rather late in the day, prepared to visit the garden, and decided to put off the visit till the morrow. At night Mrs. Herbert dreamed that they wen... The Miraculous Case Of Jesch Claes
In the year 1676, about the 13th or 14th of this Month October, in the Night, between one and two of the Clock, this _Jesch Claes_, a cripple, being in bed with her Husband, who was a Boatman, she was three times pulled by her Arm, with which s... The Old Family Coach
A distinguished and accomplished country gentleman and politician, of scientific tastes, was riding in the New Forest, some twelve miles from the place where he was residing. In a grassy glade he discovered that he did not very clearly know his way... The Old Family Coach
A distinguished and accomplished country gentleman and politician, of scientific tastes, was riding in the New Forest, some twelve miles from the place where he was residing. In a grassy glade he discovered that he did not very clearly know his way... The Old Nurse's Story
I set out one evening for the cottage of my old nurse, to bid her good-bye for many months, probably years. I was to leave the next day for Edinburgh, on my way to London, whence I had to repair by coach to my new abode--almost to me like the... The Open Door
Here again is something that is very peculiar and not very uncommon. We, myself and three other friends of mine, were asked by another friend of ours to pass a week's holiday at the suburban residence of the last named. We took an eveni... The Other Lodgers
"In order to take that train," said Colonel Levering, sitting in the Waldorf-Astoria hotel, "you will have to remain nearly all night in Atlanta. That is a fine city, but I advise you not to put up at the Breathitt House, one of the principal h... The Phantom 'rickshaw
"May no ill dreams disturb my rest, Nor Powers of Darkness me molest." --_Evening Hymn._ One of the few advantages that India has over England is a certain great Knowability. After... The Pied Piper
The following instance is so extraordinary, that I should not repeat it if the account were not attested by more than one writer, and also preserved in the public monuments of a considerable town of Upper Saxony; this town is Hamelin in the pri... The Pig In The Dining-room
Mrs. Atlay, wife of a late Bishop of Hereford, dreamed one night that there was a pig in the dining-room of the palace. She came downstairs, and in the hall told her governess and children of the dream, before family prayers. When these were over,... The Pig In The Dining-room
Mrs. Atlay, wife of a late Bishop of Hereford, dreamed one night that there was a pig in the dining-room of the palace. She came downstairs, and in the hall told her governess and children of the dream, before family prayers. When these were over,... The Pool In The Graveyard
By this corner of the graveyard the red dawn discovered to Jonas a little pool of clear water, with mosses and parsley-ferns all around it, and so clear and cool-looking that he must drink. The larger part of it was still shadowed by the wall. ... The Power Of The Dead To Return To Earth
Though there is no period at which the ancients do not seem to have believed in a future life, continual confusion prevails when they come to picture the existence led by man in the other world, as we see from the sixth book of the _AEneid_. Combi... The Radiant Boy Of Corby Castle
The haunted room forms part of the old house, with windows looking into the court. It adjoins a tower built for defence, for Corby was, properly, more a border tower than a castle of any consideration. There is a winding staircase in this tower... The Rattlesnake
Dr. Kinsolving, of the Church of the Epiphany in Philadelphia, dreamed that he "came across a rattlesnake," which "when killed had _two_ black-looking rattles and a peculiar projection of bone from the tail, while the skin was unusually light in col... The Rattlesnake
Dr. Kinsolving, of the Church of the Epiphany in Philadelphia, dreamed that he "came across a rattlesnake," which "when killed had _two_ black-looking rattles and a peculiar projection of bone from the tail, while the skin was unusually light in col... The Red Book Of Appin
Once upon a time, there lived a man at Appin, Argyllshire, and he took to his house an orphan boy. When the boy was grown up, he was sent to herd; and upon a day of days, and him herding, there came a fine gentleman where he was, who asked him ... The Red Lamp
Mr. Cooper says: "A fortnight before the death of the late Earl of L--- in 1882, I called upon the Duke of Hamilton, in Hill Street, to see him professionally. After I had finished seeing him, we went into the drawing-room, where the duchess was, ... The Red Lamp
Mr. Cooper says: "A fortnight before the death of the late Earl of L--- in 1882, I called upon the Duke of Hamilton, in Hill Street, to see him professionally. After I had finished seeing him, we went into the drawing-room, where the duchess was, ... The Restraining Hand
"About twenty years ago," writes Mrs. Elliot, "I received some letters by post, one of which contained 15 pounds in bank notes. After reading the letters I went into the kitchen with them in my hands. I was alone at the time. . . . Having done wi... The Restraining Hand
"About twenty years ago," writes Mrs. Elliot, "I received some letters by post, one of which contained 15 pounds in bank notes. After reading the letters I went into the kitchen with them in my hands. I was alone at the time. . . . Having done wi... The Rival Ghosts
The good ship sped on her way across the calm Atlantic. It was an outward passage, according to the little charts which the company had charily distributed, but most of the passengers were homeward bound, after a summer of rest and recreation, ... The Rose Garden
Mr and Mrs Anstruther were at breakfast in the parlour of Westfield Hall, in the county of Essex. They were arranging plans for the day. 'George,' said Mrs Anstruther, 'I think you had better take the car to Maldon and see if you can get any of th... The Satin Slippers
On 1st February, 1891, Michael Conley, a farmer living near Ionia, in Chichasow county, Iowa, went to Dubuque, in Iowa, to be medically treated. He left at home his son Pat and his daughter Elizabeth, a girl of twenty-eight, a Catholic, in good hea... The Satin Slippers
On 1st February, 1891, Michael Conley, a farmer living near Ionia, in Chichasow county, Iowa, went to Dubuque, in Iowa, to be medically treated. He left at home his son Pat and his daughter Elizabeth, a girl of twenty-eight, a Catholic, in good hea... The Scar In The Moustache
This story was told to the writer by his old head-master, the Rev. Dr. Hodson, brother of Hodson, of Hodson's Horse, a person whom I never heard make any other allusion to such topics. Dr. Hodson was staying with friends in Switzerland during the h... The Scar In The Moustache
This story was told to the writer by his old head-master, the Rev. Dr. Hodson, brother of Hodson, of Hodson's Horse, a person whom I never heard make any other allusion to such topics. Dr. Hodson was staying with friends in Switzerland during the h...