Plymouth advertiser. [volume] (Plymouth, Ohio) 1853-1988, 1854-03-18


concealed in the room, searched every
corner of it, l lifted lids of boxes filled
with the dust of ages, and with rotting
paper lying like bleaching skin. took
down the chimney board, and SCOT and
ashes flew up like clouds l opened dim
old closets, where all manner Of foul in
sects had made their homes, and where
daylight had not entered for generations
but found nothing. saiis6ed that moth
ing human was in the room, and that no
one could have been there tonight, nor
for many months. if not years, and still
nerved to state of desperate courage,
went back to The drawing-room. But as
| left that room felt that something
flowed out with me and, through the
long passages, | retained the sensation
that this something was behind me. My
steps were heavy, the consciousness of
pursuit having paralyzed, not quickened
me for knew that when l left that
haunted room had not left it alone. As
| opened the drawing-room door, the
blazing fire and the strong lamp.!ight
bursting out upon me with peculiar eX
preston of cheerfulness and welcome, |
heard laugh close at my elbow, an ] felt
hot blast across my neck. | started
back, bnt the laugh died away, and all |
saw were two points Of light. fiery and
flaming, that somehow fashioned them
selves into eyes beneath their heavy
brows, and looked at me meaningly
through the darkness.
They all wanted to know what | had
seen; but refused TO say word; not lik-
ing to tell falsehood then, and not liking
to expose myself to ridicule. Fot felt
that what had seen was true, and that
no sophistry and no argument, no reason
and no ridicule, could shake my belief in
it. My sweet Lucy came uD to me, see
ing me look so pale and wild, threw her
arms around my neck. and leaned forward
10 kiss me. As she bent her head, felt
the same warm blast rush over my lips,
and my sweet sister cried, why, Lizzy,
your lips burn like FIRE !
And so they did, and for long afer.-
The presence was with me still, never
leaving me day nor night; by my pillow,
it's whispering voice often waking me from
wild dreams: by my side in the broad
sunlight;by my side in the still moonlight;
never absent, busy at my brain, busy al
nv heart-a form ever banded to me. Ii
fitted like cloud between my sisters
eyes and mire, and dimmed so that
could scarcely see their beauty. 1t drown
ed my fathers voice, and his words fell
, diHused and indisiinct.
Not long after, stranger came into
our neighborhood. He bought Greer
Howe, deserted old property on the river
side, where no one had lived for many
years. not since the Young bride. Mrs
Braithwaite, had been found in the rive,
f one morning, entagled among the dark
weeds and dripping elders, s,ranged and
drowned, and her husband dead-none
knew-lying by the chapel door. The
place had bad name ever since, and nc
. one would live there. However. it wa.
I said that ranger, who had been long il
, the East, Mr., Felix, had now bought it
/ and that lie was coming to reside there
, And, true enough, one day, the whole O
4 our little town Of Hill Snow was III state
$ of excitement, for travelling carriage
, and four, followed by another full of ser
vants-Hindoos, or Lascars, or negroes
n dark col,red, strange looking people
i passed through, and Mr.. Felix took poss
f ession of Green Howe.
d My father called on him after time
S and I, as the mistres of the house, wen
If with him. Green Howe had beer
!. changed, as if by magic, and we
;, both said so together, as we entered th'
h iron gates that led up the broad walk. Th'
rnined garden was one mass Of plants
fresh and green, many of them quite rev
It to me; and the shrubbery, which had beel
n q wilderness. was restored to order. Th,
n house looked larger than before, now tha
+ it was so beautifully decorated, and th'
W broken relis.work, which used 10 han,
n dangling among the ivoy, was matted will
,e creeping roses. and jasmine, which left OIL
h me The impression ofhaving been in flow
'. or, which was impossible. ltwas fair,
), palace; and we could scarcely believe tha
a his was the deserted, ill.omened Greer
g Howe. The foreign servants, too. il
e eastern dresses, covered with rings, ant
=. necklaces and earrings, the foreign smel
e of sandal wood, and camphor, and musk
lie the curtains that hung everywhere il
At place of doors, some Of velvet, and som
a of cloth of gold; the air of luxury, sucl
ID as !, simple country girl, had never seel
N before, made such powerful impression
10 On me, that felt as carried away 10 SOM
4, unknown region. As we entered. MI
II Felix came to meet US; and drawing asid
g heavy curtain that seemed all of gol
l. and fire-for the fame colored flower
,e dane I'd and quivered on the gold-he lie
t, us int, an inner room, where the darker
ID ed lights, the atmosphere heavy with pei
| fumf s, the statues, the birds like livin
,e Jewels, the magnifcence of stufIs, and tn
I'd luxuriousaess Of arrangement overpowe'
ed me. felt as if had sunk into le
I'd thargy in which l heard only the ric