About twenty years ago, in the
lowest quarter of the city, there
stood an old house which was re
ported at one time to lie haunted,
mid, as snob, was a voided by all ;
no 0110 would live in it, or have
anything to do with it, cousequeut
ly it stood solitary su.d lonely a
grim i!,aiitom among the living.
At last, when the owner of the
place was deciding to pull it down
and bui d another on its site, an old
-man made his appearance and offer
ed to take it on the condition that
the rental was low. Of course, the
owner jumped at the chance, and
Vampire Grip became the tenant
of the haunted house.
There was one great jieculiarity
about his appe&hukW in the tumble
down place no one saw him come
in, no one saw a vestige of house
hold furniture removed, and on the
next morning, when Ins white hair,
long beard and hook-nose were seen
at the window, one and all decided
it was another ghost. However,
Gripsoou dispelled this thought,
for he came down to the door in
person to purchase milk for the
morning meal, and then the mob
saw it was a real flesh and blood
man.
Various speculations ran rife in
those parts as to what old Grip
might be. Hume ventured to assert
that he was a rich old miser, but
he fact of his ordering the dantiest
joints of meat from the butcher op
jKisite, refuted this suspicion ; others
made him out an old fence, but
policemen of the district said that
tie was utterly unknown to them ;
in short, some said one thing, and
some another, but one ai.d all
agreed that there was an unaccount
able and inscrutable mystery about
Vampire Grip which no one could
unravel.
Old 4rip himself said little or
nothing to any one. Always quiet
and reserved, lie plodded around in
bin old, peculiar fashion, and the
faintest hint at cross-questioning
wou d shut up his lips closer thau
death. ' W hen spoken to about
giiosts in his house, he would an
tswer: " Yah, there was ghosts in my
house ; but I don't vay vant to get
rid of them. Oh ! nein, nein, nein."
Strange Old Grip! how the
neighbors wondered! Still, they
did not wish to use viole ce in dis
covering his secret, and thus the
old man lived on, a tenant of the
haunted house, and unmo'estod bv
the people who surrounded htm so
micKiy on every hand.
We will introduce the reader to
Old Grip as the night begins to fall
upon a bright and sunny day. The
room in which we Hud him is very
dark, and the evening twilight
scarcely penetrates the diin windows
into which it is feeby struggling.
Grip is sitting with his back to the
light, awl on the floor before him
kneels a young and lovely girl of
about sixteen Summer 90 wou
drously fair that the win seems to
have melted its golden beams upon
her hair, and left them as a legacy.
She is gazing up hto the old man's
fttce with a ddep expression of love
and reveroi.ee, while Grip's bony
hand uesU"s in her locks and
nnooti.es them back from her white
forehead, Presently she sneaks :
" lei me, graudjia ; you iiw sad
to-night,"
' t ah, my child, I vas sail, dat's
so; 1 vas thinking of the ptt."
" Rut, trrandiKi. vou told me
when 1 came here, that I was to
loiget Use past.
"t told you to forget, Lenore,
but I must not frget, dare not."
" Will you never tell me why
you k?op mo here in Htret 1 am
so tired of living heiy alone."
A shade of sorrow passed over
ttat old ra.(' ike as 1h3 heard thin,
but she did not perceive it in the
shadow.
" I want to see the green fields
again, grandpa," returned Lenore;
" I want to breathe the fresh, pure
air of our country home."
"Hush! Lenore, you vas not
talk like dat. I am in trouble
about you, dear child ; all vas be
veil one of these days; but you
don't vas get impatient; you shall
go home soon."
Lenore taw he was confused, and
she refrained from askiusr other
. . . ; . p .
questions, but she sat looking wist
fully up into his face, half uncon
scious that the tears were flooding
her eyes with tell-tale sorrow.
" Oh, my sweet babe, my cjiild !"
said Old Grip, kissing her on the
forehead. " Please you vas don't
cry. I will tell you all some day
very soon."
" I was not really crying, grand
pa, dear. I have 110 sorrow ; it is
only my thoughtlessness. Pray for
give me.
" Forgive you, Lenore, my pet ?
I vas love yon so much better as
the whole world, and I keep you
in this foolish old house because it
vas very good for you to be here.
There, there, you vas trust your
old Grandpa Grip, and that happi
ness will be here very soon right
avay."
She rose from her kneeling nosi
tion now, and pillowed her beauti
ful fiice on his shoulder, saying as
she did so :
" You are a cood. kind crrandpa.
and I am too wicked to deserve
your love. I will wait very pa
tiently till vou tell me we are to
leave tins place. '
Beautiful Picture in the solemn
silence and scuii-darkuess of that
room. The old man's long, white
beard and frosted silver hair miner-
ling with the bright, golden bands
on te bead ot his only treasure
as ne wins x'leu worus 01 love and
comfort to her. There was an tin-
defined gloom came over them both
as they parted that uirht. Lenore
to her room and Old Grip, to his
desk, lighted by a simple taper,
which only seemed to make the
darkness more visible, and the old
German sat lonsr over the mustv
parchments which lay spread before
turn, as he calculated deeply, and
through ali so verv sadlv. till the
minutes faded into hours, and the
neighboring ctnireh gentry boomed
out the ui.changable tact that it
was twelve o'clock.
Let us for a short time follow
the lieautltul Lenore to her room
in the upper part of the house,
where, after swine throudi some
old inmuer closets, (jrtp had fixed
ner sanctuary, it was a small
chamber, havingofck-naiieled walls.
and one small, old-fashioned win-
dow, looking like a srreen. half.
shut eye, through which could be
reen the countless chimney stacks,
grim ami spectral m the moonlight.
On one side of the room stood tl
bed, and on the opposite wall stood
a mm, dusty picture ot the Cruci-
11x1011.
Lenore entered and ched the
door carefullv. then she seated her.
self at the white toilet table, aud
passing a comb through her long
hair once or twice, she sradnallv
fell into a deep reverie ; nor did she
move irom tnat position till, m the
profound si'ence, she hoard a beau
tiful voice singing tl.et.weet ballad,
" Kver of Tnee," tlien she looked
up, and the listless expression of
her face gave glance to one of
straugo interest, while the dark
blue eyes became fixed on the faded
painthg which represented the re
demptioi. of mankind.
There was a tremulous passion
infused into the well-known song,
as it swelled and died away. At
Its conclusion. Lenore started un.
and crossed tu the picture, looking
back with a basty.half-imiltv dance
at the door of tbd roomu
Tlien the secret of the voice and
song was unraveled. In a moment,
the picture turned aside upon
binges, an oak panel glided back
with a spring, and on the other side
stood a handsome young man,
about twenty years of ace. who
folded the beautiful maiden in his
arms.
This was Leuore's secret, which
Old Grip knew nothing of a se
cret within a secretand the girl
felt naturally guilty, although" it
nan uiu iii;avcuiy gut 01 pure and
holy love. Theobjeetof herchoice,
George 3farkby. was in Kiisrlish-
man, a stranger in a strange laud,
who supported himself upon the
literary work of his busy pen, and
as he possesanl a very jh'ms voice,
Lenore had very often 'heard him
singing in the nurht. and. hv a
strange fascination, had Ji&rned to
iov, even oeiore sue nad seen his
face. i
The secret of the panel was a
mutual discovery, and it had been
a custom with tltem both to sneak
together, as upon tlie night we find
mem.
How long thev talked of le.
and 01 the bright and happy future,
when George could go boldly to
Grip, and tell him all. How hap
py me young man was in possess
ing her love ! aud a fewlboments
before the parting kiss,! we will
leave them standing together be
neath the blessings of the mourn
ful moonlight.
takes great care of his niece. The
best way will be to enter from the
back and work our way up stairs.
If Grip should meet ns. von tnnst.
settle him. I will take care of the
girl."
" But say, ain't there any other
way to do the business without
Hood."
" Bah ! vou are not . mwd
This will not be the first blood
you have drawn by several degrees,
beside the money I give you will
carry you away from the country
and keep you for the rest of your
life." 3
" Well, boss, you're a desperate
cove, and no mistake, but I like
your p uck, and I'll stick by you
to the end."
" Good enough, Jake. You uu.
derstaud, I don't want, von to rail.
den your hands unless it isabsolute-
Tom Hammond was a man
whose life had been mis seftisl.
pleasure, into which no rav of truth
or pure thought ever penetrated.
ue was uid (.rip's ha f nenhew.
aud at the death of his mother's
second husband, he looked upon
the possession of the old man's
property as a sure thins : so much
so that he had obtained several re-
versioi s on his wealth. Ifownwr.
when the will was read, there oc
curred no mention of his name as
an heir; all the mouev and real
estate was unreservedly bequeathed
to nis nan sister, constituting him
her guardian till she obtained her
eighteenth year.
This was a terrific blow to tha
young libertine's hopes, lie be-
came perfectly tunous, nor did he
nesitate to show Ins cruelty, for by
words and harsh treatment. he
caused the child's life to bo a mis.
ery to her. Old Grin, her uncle.
saw this, and saw it with profound
sorrow, tin at last lie determined
to take her away, and keep her in
hiding, till her scoundrel half!
brother should die. or till she be
came of age, for the old man had
heard Tom Hammond give vent to
some verv suspicious thoughts
when he talked about the possibil
ity of Leuore's ever coming into
uie property, and this explains whv
we have found old Grin and the
girl inmates of the lonely, haunted
iiousc, where at least her unco
could protect her,
VV ith these few words of exnk.
nation, we will enter a low Honor
saloon ou a street off the Bowery,
anu nsieu to the conversation which
is taking place between two men-
one, a tall, dark, handsome young
fellow, with an expression of hLuut
vice upon his face, which distorts
u, and deprives it ot a true beau-
ty, while the other is a representa
tive of the class known as rowdy,
nearing upon his low forehead the
stamp of an unmitigated black
guard. They are talking together
very earnestly now. and the burden
of their conversation is as follows;
''Whereabout does she sleep.
boss,'
" I am not sure." answered the
young man, " but it must be at the
top of the hotue, The uki fool
ly necessary. I will do all the
killing that's required, Your duty
win oe 10 go tirough the house and
seize ou anything valuable you can
find sothat the authorities may be
misled as to the motive of our
crime." "
' Just so ,boss; aud if the old
mau comes out why"
Here Jake made au appropriate
gesture, siguiiyillg mat, snouid old
Grip put in an appearance, his life
would answer for it.
These two ruffians remained in
close conversation for another hour,
but as the clock pointed to twelve,
they each drank off their whisky,
and putting their hats over their
eyes, they sallied out into the lonely
silence of the night.
The sky above bad becomp over
cast, with great boulders ot clouds
which seemed tn lu.
upon tneir very tieads. An awful,
dead, sullen stillness hung over ad
things, and the rumbling of distant
thunder came up srrim and foreljod.
ing in its promise of a stormy
night. . ,1 ,
At length Grip's haunted house
is readied just as the tempest de
velopes into a blinding rush ot rain
and lightning. Quickly they scaled
ww wus wiiicn sKirt me oacic,and
climbing by the aid of the closely,
grown ivy, they reached the first
floor window in a few seconds.
Then came out the burglar tools,
and Jake, who is a proficient in his
art, auickly effects an entrance into
the house. The storm howls and
whistles at the windows, the thun
der peals aud rattles, and the elec
tric ilame darts hither and thither
111 Us mad fantastic fury, while old
Grip stops on unconsciously, and
the good and beautiful Lenore is
reading silently iu her owu still
room. 4
Hush! What is that? Afoot
fall on the stair, strange and creep
ing. Lenore starts up in horror.
11 is approaching nearer, nearer, and
she has no power to speak or move,
Her young lieart beat furiously
with fear, her streaming hair thrown
liaek, and her blue eyes fixed on
the door. A moment more and the
stranger enters the room. Great
heavens ! it is he, Iter half-brother ;
atd as he turns and closes the door,
she feels l y instinct that his pur
pose is a deadly one. She shrinks
in terror into tlie farthest corner of
her little room, while her hands
fold together iu involuntary suppli
cation. " Vou know why I am here," he
murmurs, as he gradually approach,
es her
"No Tom; no;" she answers
wildly. " Go away ; please go
away."
" When I have finished my work
I will, but not liefore. You have
stood between me aud wealth long
enough. Vou wou't do so niueb
longer "
" Oh ! Tom, Tom, what do you
! mean," she sobs.
j "What do I twin T Why, this,
LtflDitbis," '
As he spoke he drew forth
long, cruel, glittering knife and
held it before her terrified eyes.
Lenore gave a sudden shriek as
she saw the weapon, and retreated
to the other side of the centre-table.
"Tom, put it away; you bad
wicked mau, it frightens me," cried:
the girl.
"Frightens! frightens! ha! Hi
I should say it would. Take that."-
He flung the gleaming blade
straight at her head, but with an
other scream she avoided it, and
kneeled cowering in the comer.
As the well-dressed villain step
ped forward to secure the knife, a
loud knocking occurred upon the
wall under the picture, but it was
impossible to remove that heavy
panel, bolted as it was ou the inside
of Leuore's room.
Once more Tom Hammond grasp
ed the knife and seizing the girl by
her golden hair be forced ber,' strug,
gling and screaming onto the bed.
The storm ouside still raged in
all its fury, drowniug the fearful
noise within,
George Markby heard his dar
ling's screams, and in vain he shook
and pounded on the panel,
A sudden thought entered his
brain, he flung open the wiidow,
aud shading his eyes from the blue
forked flash, he looked out. There
was a ledge running above his own
window whioh was continued onto
the next house, and, with a mo
ment's pause, ho caught it, and
flung himself out; there he hung
forty feet above the ground by his
hands, and edging along he quickly
gained the window of his love, just
in the nick of time, for Lenore Jjr ;
on the bed, and as tlie villain's
hand was raised to plunge the
deadly kuife into her young heart,
George leaped through the window
with a sudden crash, and drawing
ms pistol, its tearful contents enter
ed Tom Hammond's body just
above the heart. At the sound of
the pistol shot Jake started away
and left the house quickly by the
window through which they Ifed
both entered, leaving poor old Grip
unharmed. Iu terror hev tottered
upstairs and, as he readied hi
child's room he was astonished to
see her tainting in the arms of a
strange young man, and the body,
of his grace-half-nephew lying at
their feet. A few words explained
an. And old Grip mingled his
tears with Leuore's, as the police
were called in aud Tom Hammond's
corpse carried away.
What need to tell tlie sequel of
our tale it is as old as the hills
Lenore Markby has several children
now, who are as old as she wa
when, on that dreadful night she
gained a husband with her life be
tween four walls,
luuLY Phintixg. It is related
that Faust, of MeutK, to whom the
honor of printing is ascribed, hav
ing carried some of his Bibles to
Paris, and offered them for sale as
manuscripts, the French, after com
siderinj; the number of the books,
and their exact conformity to each,
other, and that the best book writ,
ers could not be so exact, concluded
there was witchcraft in the case, and ,
by either actually indicting him. as.
a conjuror, or threatening to do so,
they extorted the secret ; hence the
origin of tlie popular story of the
devil and Or. Faust,
A horrible fall happened to a
loafer at Halt Lake, recently. He
was a large, powerful man, which
made the struggle more tearful. He
sauntered into a drug store there,
recently, and sat dowu ou a recent
ly charged soda fount. Tha proprii
etor slyly turned the cock, and in a
moment the loafer was dancing 011
the top of a water spout, like a ball
of so rk. on the top of a fountain.