The daily press. (Cincinnati [Ohio) 1859-1859, 1859-04-11

CINCINNATI, MONDAY, April ~.
[From Chambers Journal
THE UNHIRED SERVANT.
[CoNCLUsION.l

her to sit up with me that night.
"we will sit up, Sophy," she said, ''and try
to make out the digging business. But you
have been frightened by an accidental re-
semblance. If the dead do ever return to this
earth, it must be for some great providontial
purpose, and not to frighten honest people in
the course of their daily duties. Sally is
strange creaturs, and, fear, not of sound
mind, though she works wisely enough. 1t is
our best policy to watch closely, but not to lot
her know that We suspect any thing"
We did watch all that night, with candles
ready to light at minutes warning. Sally
had been given to understand we had gone to
bed as usual, but all the long night there was
no sound in the house; and the very next, when
we were both worn out and fast asleep, my
mother, whose sumbers were much the lightest,
was awakened by the delying in full play,
which ceased, as formerly, the moment she
came out with the candle. Night after night
it was the same. We sat up and watched till
our nerves and courage failed us, without
hearing sound; yet our deepest sleep was
broken by the noise Of spade or pick clanking
against stones, or delying some stubborn soil.
Another strange and rather disagreeable cir
cumstance was, that in spite Of all our conceal
ment, Sally appeared to know that we had an
eye upon her. She watched us in all times and
places, and fiery look Of fierce and frantic
anger began to burn in her black eyes.
"What are you spying about me for ?" she
cried, rushing into the parlor one morning MS
we sat at breakfast. "What do you get up ut
night and come out with candles for? There's
plenty to make noise about this old house be-
sides me, if all stories are true--and they are
true. 1 have heard them opening the doors,
and seen them looking in at the windows. It's
q doomed place, an ill-got property, and will
never come to no good. Leave it and go back
to London as fast as you can"
"Sally," said my mother, with great compo-
sure, though her lips were white, and her serv-
ants eyes looked terrible, 1--WE do not watch you,
but the house, as we are bound to do. If you
find it uncomfortable from any cause, 1 am
willing to pay you your wages, and let you
leave my service"
"Wages-service I" muttered Sally, growing
suddenly cowed and bewildered, and she skunk
ont of the room, muttering something else
which we could not hear.
Our breakfast was not an important affair
after that demonstration. We felt that, what
ever the strange creature meant or might be,
it was neither safe nor easy for US to remain in
the solitary house in her company, and Sally
had evidently no intention of going. She went
to work as usual, and as if nothing had hap
pcned. Even my mother did not care to speak
TO her again on the subject; the dread of her
had fallen on us both. But something must be
done, and after thousand plans formed and
found impracticable, we thought of taking
counsel of the Fairbrothers.
A kind of mutual repulsion had existed be-
tween them and us, from the first. Ralph never
came to the hall except when he was wanted;
and his lady's airs were not calculated to make
seek her in the back where she chose
to abide; but they our only neighbors,
and We took an afternoon walk to the cottage
on the following day. | would not leave my
mother alone with Sally, though she had been
wonderfully steady ever since the morning ex-
plosion, and the night had passed without
noise. We found Mrs. Fairbrother in her ac-
customed place; she had not been out of bed
that winter, and said she did not intend getting
up again till May. Ralph had gone to Nor
wich on his lordship's business he had nc
mind but that of his spouse, however, We
knew; and after propitiating her with the
kindest of inquiries about her health in that
trying weather, my mother related our per-
plexities.
"SaIly Steen,'' said she, turning her face to
the wall, and talking as if to herself; 81
mind the jade well. She took part with that
good or-nothing creature who went off with
the captain" Mrs. Farbrother always spoke
of her former mistress with great contempt
"That was because they were all papists to-
gether, and given to the same goings-on.
know it all. It's a digging of her grave, she
is, every night; they do that for penance after
uncommon sins; but I'll settle her."
With this reflection, Mrs. Fairbrother got up
took out Of her cupboard, hard by her bed, a
plum -eolored satin gown, made in the hight
of the short wasted fashion, lace trimmed
mantle of the same antiquity, beaver hat,
and pair of morocco boots with exceedingly
sharp toes. In these she proceeded to array
herself with the alacrity of a person bound on
some great enterprise, and then desired us to
come along, and she would settle Sally Steen
soon enough.
The first thing saw, as we approached the
hall, was Sally standing in the grand entrance.
She had opened the great door to its full ex-
tent, and was gazing out over lawn and lake
through the frosty haze with which the winter
day was closing.
The moment Mrs. Fairbrother caught sight
of her, she dashed forward, crying, "I'll bring
the jade to her senses" but the next she stopped
short, and stood like one terror-struck; while
Sally, clearing the steps with one bound, rushed
down upon her, the black eyes garing like
those of lion, and the hard hands cutchinl
as if to tear her in pieces. The gardineri
wife knew her danger, and fed screaming across
the lawn, but Sally pursued her. Unable tt
follow or assist, we stood rooted to the spot
They neared the lake, and on its very edge the
frantic woman seized her prey, satin gown and
all, and dashed her in; but Mrs. Fairbrothei
had grasp on her struggling hair, and in they
went together. We saw them plunge and
grapple in the deep water, which surged and
heaved as if the struggle were still going on
below. Our cries at last brought two of the
laborers out of the garden; but all was over
neither ever rose again, and the men said the
lake was fathoms deep at that part 1t was
just where the young squire had pushed in his
elder brother; and they could do nothing til
Ralph came home.
Ralph did come home next morning; the LAKE
was dragged for the bodies, and they were botl
found with shocking traces of mutual violence
on them. There was a coroner's inquest, anC
averdict of homicide and insanity. But il
the course of the inquiry it came out-we neve
could ascertain from what quarter-that tn,
woman who had come as our servant was no
Sally Steen, but a crazed nun from the conven
of the Sisters of Mercy-said to have live,
long on the continent, and been given to strang
austerities. The establishment could, or would
give no account of her, but that her name wa
Sister Magdalene, that she had been allowe
to reside in their convent for a few months, an
that they believed her of unsound mind. TIL
cause of our nightly disturbance was, however
explained by an examination of the room sh
had occupied in the hall. Behind her bed th
thick wall was broken through, and a clea
passage opened into the crypt Of the aneier
chapel, which had been walled up and forgO