Ddlph Heyliger

ÍCOÜTINÜiD.] The doctor riow feit all iligmty ot a landholder ri.-inp; within liiiu. He had a little of the German pride of territory in his composition, and alinost looked upon himself as owner of a principality. He began to complain of the fatigue of business, and was fond of riding out "to look at his estáte." His little expeditions to his lands were attended with a bustle and parade that created a sensation throughout the neighborhood. His wall eyed norse stood, stamping and whisking off the flies, for a full hour before the house. Then the doctor's saddle bags would be brought out and adjusted; then, after a little while, liis cloak would be rolled up and strapped to the saddle; then his umbrella would be buckled to the coat; while, ia the meantime, agroup of ragged boys, that observant class of beings, would gather before the door. At length the doctor would issue forth, in a pair of jack boots that reached above his knees, and a cocked hat flapped down in front. As he was a short, fat man he took some time to mount into the saddle; and when there, he took some time to have the saddle and stirrups properly adjusted, enjoying the wonder and admiration of the urcliin crowd. Even after he had set off, he would pause in the middle of the street, or trot back two or three times to give some parting orders, which were answered by the housekeeper from the door, or Dolph frorn the study, or the black cook from the cellar, or the chambennaid from the garret window; and there were generally some last words bawled after hiin just as he was turning the corner. The wholc neighborhood would be aroused by this pomp and circumstance. The cobbler would leave his last, the barber would thrust out his frizzed head, with a comb stinking in it, a knot would collect at tho grocer's door, and the word would be buzzed from one end of the street to the other, "The doctor's riding out to his country seat!" These were golden moments f or Dolph. No soonor was the doctor out of sight than pestle and mortar were abandoned, the laboratory was left to take care of itself , and the student was off on some inadcap frolic. Indeed, it must be confessed, the youngster, as he grew up, seemed in a fair way to f uittil the prediction of the old claret colored gentleman. He was the ringleader of all holiday sports and midnight gambols, ready for all kinds of mischievous pranks and harebrained adventures. There is nothing so troublesome as a hero on a small scale, or, rather, a hero in a small town. Dolph soon becamc the abhorrence of all drowsy, housekeeping old citizens, who hated noise and had no relish for waggery. The good dames, too, considered him as little better than a repróbate, gathered their ilaughters under their wings whencver he approached, and pointed him out as a warning to their bous. No one seemed to hold him in mueh regard, excepting the wild striplings of the place, who were captivated by his open hearted, daring manners, and the negroes, who always look upon every idle, do-nothing youngster as a kind of gentleman. Even the good Peter do Groodt, who had considered himself a kind of patrón of the lad, began to despair of him and would shake his head dubiously aa he listened to a long complaiut from tlie housekeeper, and Bipped a glass of her raspberry brandy. Still his mother was not to bo wearied out of her affectíon by all the wavwardness of her boy, nor disheartened by the stories of his misdeeds witli whicn her good friomls were continually regaling her. She had, it is truc, very little of the pleasuro which rich people enjoy, in always hearing their children praised; bul she considered all this ill will as a kind of persecution which he euífered, and she liked him the better on tliat account. She saw him growing up a fine, tal], good looking youngster, and she looked at him with the eecret pride of a inother's heart. lt was her gieat desire that Dolph should appear like a gentleman, and all the money she coala save went towards helping out lus pocket and liis wardrobe. She would look xut of the window aftcr hiru as he Kallied fortli in his best array, and her heart would yearn with delight; and once, when Peter de Groodt, Btruck with the youngster's gallant appearance on a bright Sunday morning, observed, "Well, after all, Dolph does grow a coniely fellow!" the tear of pride started into the niother's eve. "Ah, neighborl neighbor!" exclaimed she, '-they rnay say what they please; poor Dolph will yet hold up his head with the best of them." Dolph Heyliger had now nearly attained his one-and-twentieth year, and the ' -.-m of liis medical studies was just ëxpiring, yet it must be confesaed that he knew little more of the profession than when he first entered tho doctor's doors. This, however, could not bef rom want of quickness of parts, forhe showed amazing aptness in mastering other branches of knowledge, which he could only have studied at intervals. He was, for instance, a sure marksman, and won all the geese and turkeys at Christmas holidays. He was a bold rider; he was famous for leaping and wrestling: heplayed tolerably on the fiddle; could swun like a fish; and was the best hand in the whole place at fives or ninepins. All these accomplishinents, however, procured him no favor in the eyes of the doctor, who grew more and more crabbed and intolerant the nearer the term of apprenticeship approached. Frau Hsy, too, was forever finding some occasion to raise a windy tempest about his ears; and seldom encountered him about the house without a clatterof the tongue; so that at length the jingling of her keys, as she approached, was to Dolph like the ringing of the prompter's bell, that givea notico of a tlieatrical thunder storm. Nothing but tho infinite good humor of the heedless youngster enabled him to bear all this domestic tyranny without open rebellion. It was evident that the doctor and his housekeeper were preparing to beat the poor youth out of the nest the moment his term should have espired; i shorthand mode which the doctor had of providing for useless disciples. Indeed, the little man had been rendered more thun usually irritable lately in conscquenco of various cai-es and vexations which his country estáte liad brought pon him. The doctor had been repeatedly annoyed by the rumors and tales which prevailed concerning tho old mansion, and found it difficult to prevaü I even upon the countryman and his f amlüy to remain there rent free. Every Kime he rode out to the farm he was tcased by sonie fresh complaiut of Btrange noisos and fearful sights with whicb the tenante wero disturbed at night, and the doctor would como homo fretting and fuming, and vent bis spleen upon the whole houseliold. It was indeed a gore grievance, that affected liim both in prids and purse. Ho was tlireatened with an absolute loss of the profits of his property; and then, what a blow to his territorial consequence to be the landlord of a haunted house! It was observed, however, that with all his vexation the doctor never proposed to sleep in the house himself ; nay, he could never be prevailed upon to remain in tho premises after dark, but made the best of his way for town as soon as the bats began to ilit about in the twüight. The fact was, the doctor had a Becret belief in ghosts, having passed the early part of his life in a country where they particularly abound; and indeed the story went that when a boy he had once seen tne üevii upon the iiartz inounta.ns in Germany. At length the doctor's vexations on this head were brought to a crisis. One morning, as he sat dozing over a volume in his study, he was suddenly started f rom his slumbers by the bustling in of the housekeeper. "Here's a fine to do!" cried she as she entered the room. "Here's Claus Hopper come in, bag and baggage, from the farm, and swears he'll have nothing more to do with it. The whole family have been frightened out of their wits; for there's such racketing and rummaging about the old house that they can't sleep quiet in their beds!" "Donner und blitzen!" cried the doctor impatiently; "will they never have done chattering about that house? What a pack of fools, to let a few rats and mice frighten them out of good quartersl" "Nay, nay," said the housekeeper, wagging her head knowingly , and piqued at having a good ghost story doubted, "there's more in it than rats and mice. All the neighborhood talks about the house, and then such sights have been seen in it I Peter de Groodt tells me that the family that sold you the house and went to Holland dropped several strange hints about it, and said 'thev wished vou joy of your bargain;' and you know yourself there's no getting any famüy to live in it." "Peter de Groodt's a ninny - an old woman," said the doctor peevishly. 'TH warrant he's been filling these people's heads full of stories. It's just like his nonsense about the ghost that haunted the church belf ry as an excuse f or not ringing the bell that cold night w-hen Harmanus Brinkerhoff's liouse was on fire. Send Claus to me." Claus Hopper now made his appearance- a simple country lout, full of awe at finding himself in the very study of Dr. Knipperhausen, and too much embarrassed to enter into much detail of the matters that had caused his alarm. He stood twirling his hat in one hand, resting 6ometimes on one leg, sometimes on the other, looking occasionally at the doctor, and now and then stealing a fearful glance at the death's head that seemed ogling him from the top of the clothes press. The doctor tried every means to persuade him to return to the farm, but all in yain; he maintained a dogged determination on the subject; and at the close of every argument or solicitation, would make the same brief, inflexible reply, "Ich kan nicht, niynheer." The doctor was a '-little pot, and soon hot;" his patience was exhausted by these continual vexations about his estáte. The stubborn refusal of Claus Hopper seemed to hini like flat rebellion; his temper suddenly boiled over, and Claus was glad to niake a rapid retreat to escapa scalding. When the bumpkin got to the housekeeper's room, he found Peter de Groodt and several other true believers ready to receive him. Here he indemnified himself lor the restraint he had suffered in the study, and opened a budget of stories about the haunted house that astonished all his hearers. The housekeeper believed them all, if it was only to spite the doctor for having received her intelligence bo uncourteously. Peter de Groodt matched them with many a wonderful legend of the times of the Dutch dynasty, and of the devil's stepping stones: and of the pírate that was hanged at Gibbet Island, and continued to swing there at night long after the gallows was taken down; and of the ghost of the unfortunate Governor Leisler, whowas lianged for trcason, which haunted the old fort and the govemment house. The gossiping knot dispersed, each charged with direful intelligence. The sexton disburdened himself at a vestry meet Jig that was held that very day, and tl e black cook forsook lier kitehen, and spent half the day at the street pump, that gossiping place of ser. vants, deahng forth the news to all thal came for water. In a little time the whole town was in a buzz with tales about the haunted house. Some said that Claus Hopper had seen the devil, while others hinted that tho house was haunted by the ghosts of some of the patients whom the doctor had physicked out of the world, and that was the reason why he did not venture to live in it himself. All this put the little doctor in a terrible fume. He threatened vengeance on any one who should affect the value of his property by exciting popular preiudices. He complained loudly of thus being in a manner dispossessèd of his territories by mere bugbears; but he secretly determined to have the house exorcised by the dominie. Great was his relief, therefore, when, in the midst of his perplexities, Dolph stepped forward and undertook to garrison the haunted house. The youngster had been listening to all the stories of Claus Hopper and Peter de Groodt; he was fond of adventure, he loved the marvelous, and liis imagination had become quite excited by these tales of wonder. Besides, he had led such an unconifortable life at the doctor 's, being subjected to the intolerable thralldom of early hours, that he was delighted at the prospect of having a house to liimself, even though it should be a haunted one. His offer was eagerly accepted, and it was determined that he should mount guard that very night. His only stipulation was, that the cnterprise should be kept secret from liis mother; for ho knew the poor soul would not sleep awinkif 6he knew that her son was waging war with the powers of darkness. When night came on, he set out on this perilous expedition. The old black cook, his only friend in the household, had providea him with a little uess for supper, and a rushlight; and she tied round his neck an amulet, given her by an African conjurer, as a charm against evil spiritB. Dolph was escorted on his way by the doctor and Peter de Groodt, who had agreed to accompany him to the house and to see him safe lodged. The night was overcast, and it was very dark when they arrived at the grounds which surrouaded the mansión. The sexton led the way with a lantern. As they walked along the avenue of acacias, the fitful lighi, catching fi-om buah to bush, nni tree to tree, ol'ten Btartled the doughty Poter, and made hini full back upon his followers; and the doctor grabbed still cloaer hold of Dolph's arm, observing tliat the ground was very slippery and uneven. At one time they were nearly put to a total reut by a bat which came flitting about the lantern; and the notes of the insects from the trees, and the frogs from a neighboring pond, formed a inost drowsy and doleful concert. The front door of the mansion opened with a grating sound, that made the doctor tuin palé. They entered a tolerably large hall, such as is common in American country houses, and which serves as a sitting room in warm weather. From henee thsy went up a wide staircase, that groaned and creaked as they trod, every step making its particular nete, like the key of a harpischord. This led to another hall on the second story, from whenoe they entered the room whero Dolph was to sleep. It was large and scantilyfurnished; the shutters were elosed, but as they were much broken there was no want of a circulation of air. It appeared to have been that sacred chamber known among Dutch housewives by the name of "the best bedroom," which is the best furnished room in the house, but in which scarce anybody is ever permitted to sleep, lts splendor, however, was all at an end. There were a few broken articles of furniture about the room, and in the center stood a heavy deal table and a large arm chair, both of which had the look of being coeval with the mansion. The fireplace was wide, and had been faced with Dutch tiles, representing Scripture stories; but some of them had fallen out of their places, and lay shattered about the hearth. The sexton had lit the rush light; and the doctor, looking fearfully about the room. was just exhorting Dolph to be of good cheer, and to pluck up a stout heart, when a noise in the chimney, like voices and struggling, struck a sudden panic into the sexton. He took to his heels with the lantern; the doctor followed hard after him; the stairs groaned and creaked as they hurried down, increasing their agitation and speed by its noises. The front door slammed after them; and Dolph heard them scrabbling down the avenue, till the sound of their feet was lost in the distance. That he did not join in this precipítate retreat, might have been owing to his possessing a little more courage than his companions, or perhaps that he had caught a glimpse of the cau,'ie of their dismay, in a nest of chimney swallows, that came tumbling down into the fire place. Being now left to himself , he secured the front door by a strong bolt and bar; and ha ving seen that the other entrances were fastened, he returned to his desolate chamber. Ha ving made his supper f rom the basket which the good old cook had provided, he locked the chamber door and retired to rest on a mattress in one corner. The night was cahn and still; and nothing broke upon the profound juiet but the lonely chirping of a cricket irom the chimney of a distant chamber. The rushlight, which stood in the center of the deal table, shed a feeble yellow ray, dimly illumining the chamber, and making uncouth shapes and shadows on the walls, from the clothes which Dolph had thrown over a chair. "Wltfl ail hls Doraness 01 iiearr, üiere was something subduing in this desolate scène; and he feit his spirits flag within í him as he lay on his hard bed and gazed about the room. He was turning over in his mind his idle habits, his doubtful prospects, and now and then heaving a heavy sigh, as he thought on his poor old mother; fo there is nothing like the silence and lonelinesa of night to bring dark shadows over the brightest inind. By and by, lio thought he heard a sound as if some one was walking below stairs. He listened, and distinctly heard a step on the great stair case. It approached solemnly and slowjy. tramp - tramp- tramp! It was evidently the tread of somo heavy personage; and yet how could ho have got into the house without making a noise? He had examined all the f asténicas, and was certain that every entrence was secure. Still the steps advanced, tramp- tramp - tramp! It was evident that the person approaching could not be a robber- the etep was too loud and delibérate; a robber would either be stealthy or precipitate. And now the footsteps had ascended the staircase; tliey were slowly advancing along the passage, resounding through the silent and empty apartments. The very cricket had ceased its melancholy note, and nothing interrupted their awful distinctness. The door, which had been locked on the inside, slowly swung open, as if self moved. The footsteps entered the room; but no one was to be seen. They passcd slowly and audibly across it, tramp- tramp - tramp I but whatever made the sound was invisible. Itolph rubbed his eyes and stared about him; he could see to every part of the dimly lighted chamber; all was vacant; yet still he heard those mysterious footsteps, solemnly walking about the chamber. They cea sed, and all was dead silence. There was something more appalling in this invisible visitation than there would have been in anything that addressed itself to tlie eyesight. It was awfully vague and indefinite. He feit his heart beat against his ribs; a cold sweat broke out upon his forehead; he lay for some time in a state of violent agitation; nothing, however, occurred to increase his alarm. His light gradually burnt down into the socket, and he feil asleep. When he awoke it was broad day light; the sun waspeering through the cracks of the window shutters, and the birds were merrily singing about the house. The bright, cheery day soon put to flight all the terrors of the preceding night. Doiph laughed, or rather tried to laugh, at all mat naa passea, ana endeavored to persuade hiinself that it was a mere freak of the imagination, conjured up by the stories lie had heard; but he was a little puzzled to find the door of his room Iocked on the inside, notwithstanding that he had positively seen it swing open as the footsteps luid entered. líe returned to town in a state of considerable perplexity; but he determined to say notbing on the subject, until Jiis doubta wero either ooniirmed or removed by another night's watching. His silence was a grievous disappointrnont to the gossips who luid gathered at t'ie doctor's mansión. They had prepared taeir minds to hear direful tales; and thcy were almost in u rage at being aesured that he had nothing to relate. The next night, then, Dolph repeated his vigil. He now entered tho house with some trepidation. He was partió ular in uxamining tho fastenings of all the doors, and securing them well. He Iocked the door of lus chamber, and placed a chair against it; then, having dispatched his supper, he threw himselï on rus mattress and endeavored to eleep. It was all in vain - a thousaiid crowding fancies kept him waking. The time slowly dragged on, r.? if minutes were spinning out themselves into hours. As the night ad vaneed he grew more and more nervous; and healmoet started from his couch when he heard the mysterious footstep again on the staircaso. Up it came, as before, solemnly and slowly, tramp- tramp - tramp! It approached along the passage; the door again swung open, as if thcre had been neither lock nor impediment, and a strange looking figure stalked into the room. It was an elderly man, large and robust, clothed in the old Flemish fashion. He had on a kind of short cloak, with a garment under it, belted round the waist; trunk hose, with great bunches or bows at the knees; and a pair of russet boots, very large at top, and standing widely from bis legs. His hat was broad and slouched, with a feather trailing over one side. His iron gray hair hung in thick masses on his neck, and he had a short grizzled beard. He walked slowly round the room as if examining that all was safe, then, hanging his hat on a peg besido the door, he sat down in the elbow chair, and, leaning his elbow on the table, he fixed his eyes on Dolph with an unmoving and deadening stare. [CONTINUED.]