A few apple-trees grow straggling about the field; there
were traces also of what had been a kitchen-garden; but the fences
were broken down, the vegetables had disappeared, or had grown wild,
and turned to little better than weeds, with here and there a ragged
rosebush, or a tall sunflower shooting up from among brambles, and
hanging its head sorrowfully, as if contemplating the surrounding
desolation. Part of the roof of the old house had fallen in, the
windows were shattered, the panels of the doors broken, and mended
with rough boards; and there were two rusty weathercocks at the ends
of the house, which made a great jingling and whistling as they
whirled about, but always pointed wrong. The appearance of the whole
place was forlorn and desolate, at the best of times; but, in unruly
weather, the howling of the wind about the crazy old mansion, the
screeching of the weathercocks, the slamming and banging of a few
loose window-shutters, had altogether so wild and dreary an effect,
that the neighbourhood stood perfectly in awe of the place, and
pronounced it the rendezvous of hobgoblins. I recollect the old
building well; for I remember how many times, when an idle, unlucky
urchin, I have prowled round its precincts, with some of my graceless
companions, on holiday afternoons, when out on a freebooting cruise
among the orchards.
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