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

ohu IL INV
kind Of ground.foor granary-where no
one had any business. Well, it was pro
posed that one Of US should 60 into this
room alone, lock the door. stand before a
glass, pare and eat an apple very deliber-
ately, looking fxedly in the glass all The
time and then, if the mind never once
wandered, the future husband would be
clearly shown in the mirror against the
wall. AS | was always the fnol-hardy
girl of every party, and was, moreover,
very desirious of seeing that apooryphal
individual, my future husband. (whose
non-appearance | used 10 wonder at and
bewail in secret,) was glad enough TO
make the uial, notwithstanding the en-
treaties of some of the more timid. Lu.
cy, above all, clung 10 me, and besought
me earnestly not to goat last, almost
with tears. But my pride OF courage,
and my curiosity, and certain nameless
feeling of attraction, were too strong for
me. | laughed Lucy and her abettors in
to silence; uttered half dozen bravadoes,
and taking up bedroom candle, passed
Trough the long silent passages to the
cold, dark, deserted room-my heart beat
ing with excitement, my foolish head diz-
zy with hope aud faith, The church
clock chimed quarter past twelve as
opened the door.
1t was an awful night. The windows
shook. as if every instant they would
burst in with some strong mans hand on
the bars, and his shoulder against the
frames; and the trees howled and shrieked
as if each branch were sentient and in
pain. The ivy beat against The window
sometimes with fury, and sometimes with
the leaves slowly scraping against the
glass, and drawing out long shrill sounds,
like spirits crying to each other. In the
room it was worse. Rats had made i
their refuge for many years, and they
rushed behind the wainscot and down in
side the walls, bringing with them show
ers Of lime and dust, which ratified lik'
chains, or sounded like mems feet hurry
ing to and fro and every now and ,hel
a cry broke through the room, one coult
not tell from where or from what, but ;
cry, distinct and human heavy blow
seemed to be struck on the floor, whicl
cracked like parting ice beneath my feet
and loud knockings shook the walls. Ye
in this tumult, was not afraid. Treas
oned on each new sound very calmly
and said, "Those are rats" or 'rhose ar
leaves" and "birds in the chimney" o
"owls in the ivy," as each new howl o
scream strnck my ear. And was not il
the least frightened or disturbed; it al
seemed natural and familiar. I place.
the candle on table in the midst of lh
room where an old broken mirror stood
and looked steadily into the glsss, having
first wiped off the dust, I began to ca
Ewes forbidden fruit, wishing intenty
!, as | had been bidden, for The apparition Q
my future husband.
In about ten minutes, I heard dull
' vague, unearthly sound felt, not heard
1t was as if countless wings rushed by
and small low voices whispering, too--a
if crowd, multitude of life was abol
7. me- as if shadowy faces crushed u
against me, and eyes and hands, an
I, sneering lips, all mocked me. / was sui
focated the air was so heavy, so file
!; with life that could not breathe. I wa
pressed OF all sides, and could not tur
j.; nor move without parting ,hickening va
pors. l heard my own name, ca
:. swear to that to-day! fheard it repeate
through the room, and then bursts {
laughter followed, and the wings rustic
I and fluttered, and the whispering voice
4 Knocked and chartered, and the heavy a
= = so filled with life, hung heavier and thicl
!. !, er, and the things pressed up to me close
"A a and checked the breath on my lips, wit
u the clammy breath from theirs.
10 l was not alarmed was not excited
Is but | was fascinated and spell-bonnd; W
!. with every sense seeming to possess te
% times its natural power, still went Q
looking in the glass, still earnestly desi
- ing an appari,ion, when suddenly | sa
y a mans face peering over my shoulder
IS the glass. Girls, I could draw that ia,
g to this hour! The low forehead, wi
4. the short curling hair, black as JET, gro,
az ing down in sharp point; the dark eye
A. beneath thick eyebrows, burning with
es peculiar light: the nose and the dilatir
Of nostrils: the thin lips curling into a smi
ID Il see them NIL plainly before me nov
le And oh! the smile that it was I'll
er mockery and sneer, the derision, Il
g. sarcasm. the contempt, the victory tn
in were in it ! even then it struck me into
$, sense Of submission. The eyes locke
lg full into mine; those eyes fastened {
i'd each other: and, as l ended my task, IL
IN church clock chimed the half-hour: an
IT. suddenly released, as il from a spell,
y turned round, expecting to see, lvir
a, man standing beside me. But met O
~ ly the chill air coming in from the loo
ad window, and the solitude of the dark nigt
IS. The life had gone: the wings had rush'
ef away: the voices had died out, and
'e. was alone--wi.h the rats behind Il
IN wainscot, the owls hooting in the ivy, al
a the wind bowling through the trees.
ms ConYinced that either some trick h