The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1827-12-06

clldnneI peftoiNo HeT ledlules, nui sht
saw that the shape and turn of her head
and neck were graceful and elegant IN
the extreme the rest OF her person she
could not So well discern, as II was en-
veloped in green silk gown, and tine
fashion Mt that period was not 50 tavora-
bic to display Of figure as now. 1t oo-
cured To her thet il must be some par
ticular female friend who had called in,
bat then the woman had told her that
no vSiefs bad ever come before alto
gethcr she could not well understand The
matter, but she thought she would oh
serve whether she went off rs quietly as
she had entered and ior that purpose
/ she altered the position Of her char SO
as to command view Of tho door, and
| fixed herself with her nook on her kuoes,
but her eyes intently set upon the lady
in the green gown. In ms position she
remained Tor considerable time. but no
, alteration took place in the room the
stranger sat evidently gazing on the tlce
Of the sick gentleman, whilst he hcayed
and sighed and breathed i'll agony Us II a
night-mare were on him.
Nurse "A second time moved towards
him in order TO hold him up in the bed,
or give him some temporary relief, and
| second time the MYSTERIOUS ylstant mo-
toned her to remain quiet and unwIl-
llngly, but by kind OF fascination, she
complied, and again commenced her
watch. But her position was a painful
hneS she sat SO long j. SO quietly that
AT last her eyes closed for moment
am when she opened them, the lady was
gone, the yonngman was o zee more com-
posed ana after taking something TO re-
lleve his breathing, he fell into gen
tie sleep, from which he had not aw1-
kenrd when her colleague arrived in the
morning 10 take her place, aud nurse
| returned to her own house about day
| break.
The following night she was again at
her duty she come rather beyond her
time, and found her companion already
mullled, e waiting impatently TO set out.
She lighted her to the stairs, aud heard
her close the hall door behind her j;
when, on returning to the room, the
wind as she shut the door, blew out her
candle. She relighted II, however, from
the dying embers, reused up the IRE,
and resumed, as before, her seat and her
volume of Prophecies. The night was
stormy, the dry crisp sleet KISSED on III
window, and the wind sighed ~ heavy
gusts down the spacious chimney, whilst
the rafting of tho shutters, and the oc-
caSional clash of door in some distant
part of the house, came with dim and
low echo along the dreary and silent
passages. She did not feel SO comtortt-
! Bile as the night before /; the whiStling ri
the wind through the trees made her
flesh creep Involuntary and sometimes
the laundering clap OF distant door
made her stare and drop her book, with
sudden prayer for the pr election OF fIea-
ven. She was thinking of giving Sp the
engagement, aud was hall resolved 10 q
so on the morrow whenali at once hen
ear was struck with the heavy throes and
agonzed breathing of her charge, aud
on raising her head she saw the same
lady IN the green gown seated IN the
same position as'the night before. Well
thought she, this is unusually strange ;
bat it Immediately struek her that il
must be some inmate of the house, for
what human being could venture ont II
such dreary night, and al such an hour
bnt than haf ,raSS Al lRIthar knr \
as one could wear III the streets on d
wintry night, nor vet such as they woulf
be likely to have on m the house at thai
hour II was in fact, the fashionable
summer costume of the time. She rost
and made her a curtesy, and spoke to
her politely, but got no reply save the
waving of the hand by winch she hat
been sllenced before. At length the "a
citation of the invalid was 50 increased
that she could not reconcile IT to her du
ty to sit still while stranger Was atten.
ding him. She accordingly drew nearer
to the bed, in spite of the repeated
beckonings Of the lady, who, as she ad
vanced drew her veil closer across heI
face, and retired to the table al tbe win
dow. Nurse approached the bed, bu
.sas terrified on beholding the counle.
nance of the patient, the by drops o
cold sweat were rolling down his pal,
brow his lIVid lips were qul1oring viii
agony and, as he motloned her again
his gdring eyes followed the retredtlnl
figure in the green gown. She sooI
saw thai it was III vain 10 attempt assist
ing; helmpatientIy repulsed every prof
fer of attention and she again resumeC
her seat, whilst tire silent visiter return
ed to her place by the bed side. R,the
paued AT being thus bailled in her lnten'
lions Of kindness, but still putting iron
her the idea OF a supernatural being, Tho
| old N.nunan amin anLnrmlund IN which