The north Iowa times. [volume] (M'Gregor [i.e. McGregor], Iowa) 1856-1857, 1857-03-27
MGREGOR, FRIDAY, MARCH. "a, 1857

agreeable sensation. I have stated tha
my cottage was situated on the banks Q
the river, and was surrounded by gar
den. The entrance lay at the other side
| by the high road but am fond of boat
ing, aad I had constructed, therefore,
little wicket, with flight of wooden step
leading down to the waters edge, nea
which my small rowing boat lay moored
This evening, l came along by the mead
ows which skirt the stream the meadow.
are here and there intercepted by villa!
and private enclosures. Now, mine was
the first; and could walk from the towr
to my own garden fence without once d.
verging from the river-path. I was mu.
sing, and humming to myself some bars OF
apopular melody, when, all at once, be.
gan thinking OF Albert and his theories
This was, asseverate. the first time he
had even entered my mind for at least two
days. Thus going along, my arms folded
aud my eyes fixed on the ground, l reach.
ed the boundaries of my little domain
before l knew that l had traversed half
the distance. Smilingat my own abstrac-
ton, paused to go round by the entrance,
when suddenly, and to my great surprise,
saw my friend standing by the wicket,
and looking over the river towards the
sunset. Astonishment and delight de-
prived me at the f-st of all power of
speech. At last-"Albert'' 1 cried,
''this IS kind OF you. When did you ar
rive !" He seemed not to hear me, and
remained in tho same attitude. I repeat
ed the words, and with similar result.
"Albert, look round, man p Slowly he
turned his head, and looked me in the
face and then, oh, horror even as was
looking at him, he disappeared. He did
not fade away; he did not fall but, in
the twinkling of an eye, he was not there.
Trembling and awe struck, l went into
the house, and strove to compose my
shattered nerves. Was Albert dead, and
were apparitions truths? dared not
think dared not ask myself the ques-
ton. / passed wretched night; and
the next day l was as unsettled as when
first he left me.
1t was about four days from this time
whena circumstance, wholly inexplicable,
occurred in my house. l was sitting at
breakfast in the library, with volume of
Plato beside me, when my servant enter
ed the room, and courtesied for permiss-
ion to speak. l looked up, and supposing
that she needed money for domestic pur-
poses, | pulled out my purse from my
pocket, saying: "Well, Katrine, what do
you want now ?" drew forth a tlorin, and
held it towards her.
She courtcsied again, and shook her
head. "Thank you, master but it is not
that
Something in the old woman's tone of
voice caused me to look up hastily
what is the matter. Katrine? /? Has any
thing alarmed you?''
If you please, master-if it is not a
rude question, has-has any one been
here, latelyi"
"Here !'I repeated. "What do you
mean?"
"In the bed, up stairs, master"
l sprang to my feet, and turned as cold
as statue.
1.-The bed has been slept in, master. for
the last four nights"
flew to the door, thrust her aside, and
in moment sprang up the staircase and
into Albert's bedroom and there, plainly.
plainly, l beheld the impression of
heavy body left upon the bed Yes,
there, on the pillow, was the mark where
his head had been laid; there the deep
groove pressed by his body! 1t was no
deception this, but a strange, an incom
prehensible reality. Igroaned aloud, and
staggered heavily back.
ut has been like this for four nights,
MASTER" said the old woman. Each
morning have made the bed, thinking,
perhaps, that you had been in there to lie
down during the day but this time l
thought l would speak to you about it"
"Well, katrine, make the bed once
more; let us give it another trial; and
them
said no more, but walked away
When all was in order, / returned, bring
ing with me basin of fine sand. First
of all, closed and barred the shutters ;;
then sprinkled the floor all round the bed
with sand; shut and locked the chamber
door, and left the key, under some trivial
pretext, at the house of friend in the
town. Katrine was witness to all this
That night, l lay awake and restless
Not sound disturbed the utter silence of
the autum night; not breath stirred the
leave against my easement.
rose early the next morning; and by
the time katrine was up and at her work,
l returned from Ems with the key
Come with me, Katrine," said; ''let
us see if all be right IN Herr Lachner's
bedroom"
AT the door, we paused and looked,
half.terriied, in each others faces then
l summoned courge, turned the key, and
entered. The window shutters, which l
had fastened the day before. were wide
open-unclosed by no mortal hand and
the daylight streaming in. fell upon the
disordered bed-upon footmarks in the
sand Looking attentively at the latter,
l saw that the impressions were alterna-
tely light and heavy, as if the walker had
rested longer upon one foot than the 9TH