Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1856-11-12

pressed her friend Tor an explanation.
ga mere nothingP' said Mrs. Rhodes;
"an idle fancy ?'
Still there was gloom upon her
fair, ingenious brow, that her friend had
never noticed before. All her en'reat-
les. however, were vain-Mrs. Rhodes
maintained that there was nothing to
communicate -
"Next morning the friends met in their
gardens, which joined. Mrs. Sherman
noticed that on her companions counte-
nance sat the pallor of despair"
" Gracious God - calculated Leigh
Hunt, eve shall soon know all about it.
It's vastly interesting ?"
"By the by" said Dicknns, holding
up his glass, ''isn't this ale little crack
ed ?"
"No, my dear Dickens" said the 81
lent man; "but you are ~
Horne took advantage OF this episode,
to give hearty pull at his ale, and thus
resumed:
CATER a few hurried, stealthily
glances round the garden, Mrs. Rhodes
said: dearest Caroline, 1 have at last
determined to make you my confdante; ;
but l dare not trust myself TO speak here.
l will come to your house-Mr. Rhodes
is in Landon, aud will not return till
Late She therefore opened the little
wicket that separated their shrubberies.
and walked in silence by the side of her
friend till they reached her house. Once
safe in Mrs. Shermans's bed room, Mrs.
Rhodes fastened the door, and having
carefully scrutinizcd the room, she ssid:
"That strange request was made again
last night" "What strange request ?"
81 will tell you," replied Mrs. Rhodes,
in subdued voice
"Now it's coming" said Leigh Hunt.
"Last night be was more emphatic and
determined than ever. Nothing but the
strange tale you so providentially told
me yesterday, encouraged me to deny
the request; but, indeed, he was so ter
ribly pertinaeinus, that I am afraid L
cannot much longer resist y
"What did he want TO do ?" inquired
Mrs. Sherman.
"Why is it so absurd, 1 am half
ashamed to tell you !''
Nonsense! you should have no Sc
crets from me; l have none from you
What was his request ?"
"He wanted TO swaddle me !"
"To what 90
"Why, to wind an immense quantity
of very broad tape round my limbs. He
said it was fancy of his"
"HoW very absurd and yet. 1 don't
liksit"
''He has at least for the last dozen
nights, just as was in my robe de nuit,
and was about to step into my bed, i'm
plored me 10 allow him to wind this i'm.
mense roll of broad tape, or narrow ban
dages, around my limbs but what
makes me think it so very mysterious is,
that last night he told me that if ever
broached a syllable of the subject TO
even my dearest friend, he would kill
me. He said it was fancy of his, and
that he would never rest till he had graf
ifed it."
GOOD Heaven !" said Browning. che
must have been a vampyle."
"My dear friend" cried Mrs SLer-
man, ga strange-horrible suspicion
has come over me- but it is so vague,
that l cannot reduce it into words !''
''But what am 1 to do? o. asked the
poor lady in piteOus tone.
"Let me consult Mr.. Sherman? cried
her friend.
''Not for the world" almost shrieked
the wretched woman. "He will kill me!
Oh! he looked so horrible last night,
am afraid of him; all my love is turned
into horror. into hatred. Would that 1
had died ere had seen him ~ A flood
of tears came to her relief.
After long consultation it was at
length agreed that Mr.. Sherman should
be let into the secret The result of his
advise was this : In the first place the
very worst construction upon the myste-
rious request of Mr.. Rhodes, and declar-
ed that if his council was not followed
he should acquaint the police with the
whole affair in addition he expressed
lis conviction that this strange proceed.
ing was the key to the mysterious death
of his previoug wives. 1t was there
fore concluded that Mr.. and Mrs. Sher
man should conceal themselves in large
closet in Mrs. Rhodes bedroom, and
watch what took place. Somewhat excl
ted and relieved, Mrs. Rhodes went to
her home, and had scarcely finished
her evening toilet, when her husband
returned. He had bought handsome
present to her, necklace of pearls, and
seemed anxious to efface the recol-
lection of his threatening the night be-
fore, and to ingratiate himself in her af
fections.
They passed pleasant evening. and
after light supper, Mrs. Rhodes, as
usual, retired to her chamber. There
she found her two friends in the closet.