A Daughter of Maryland — page 102: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

‘ «= ee PP APE te me Oe ot A eS % ™ "" ie RR eee Nr REDE UTNE eRe eon fr a f ed #3 Bee 4h ah Petes Bu toh Nis Noe hk a = Pe por"? ser =) ee | A DAUGHTER OF MARYLAND. 83 oa hasten on his way to Graymont, which he reached without ey further adventure. It was nearly midnight when he came in sight of his old R home, which loomed up so lonely and gloomy in the star- oe light that he could scarcely suppress a shudder as he con- tinued to approach. The weather-beaten walls were fast showing the ravages of time, while the extensive grounds, stretching away on every side with a gradual slope, were choked with coarse weeds and bushes, that struck at him and whipped him as if to beat back an unwelcome invader into their domain. In front of the old mansion, which must have been a fine building in its prime, an English poplar with stark, scrawny branches and white trunk stood like a gaunt skeleton sentinel keeping watch and ward over the deserted homestead. This presentment was made more real by a gust of wind lifting the dead branches and smiting them against each other so that an uncanny rattling sound broke the solemn silence. | ‘*A most undesirable place for one to seek a night’s - repose,’’ exclaimed the fugitive involuntarily. ‘‘But I felt it would be my last chance to bid farewell to the scenes that are dear to me in spite of their sad associations. Ah, 3 how brief are the works of man! It seems only yesterday a , the old spot was filled with life tates beauty, where now not ae a single happy feature remains. ’ pee Continuing to advance as he spoke, he reached. the oes threshold of the main entrance, when as he swung ajar the heavy door it creaked and groaned dismally on its rusty hinges. This was the signal forsharp cries and a hurrying and skurrying within, as numerous animal denizens which had taken up their abode here darted hither and thither at this disturbance of their peace. Unmindful of these, and leaving the door open so as to _ be better enabled to find his way, Carroll Southard slowly Be threaded room after room, calling upon himseif an attack from a mob of aroused bats at almost every turn. eT Oe oe aa yeu, : ' ? - mcrae er ia comicbooks.com «4 : 1) Seat aS de ae mes sea" bee eye ’ ; dst, fa « i « + - 4 ne ary Pe tre ee. ; oo ~~. ' ee Se al a va sb - 4 iA