Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1859-03-19
COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, SATURDAY, MARCH 10, 1853.

played the " Bohemian Girl" I remember
and the tenor sung Mrs. ArnOld's song, " Tbei
you'll remember me-" And the lights. ant
the music, and the crowd seemed to pas
away, and me listening to her again touching
the piano softly, and half singing, half hum
ming the words, az, if she trusted herself Il
utter them aloud, they would surely bTine
tears with them. thought Of her constantly
till the opera was over, and the house empty
thought Of her over my hot supper ct VeTy's
and thought of her as went home along thC
deserted streets. looked up ct her window
to see the light there, an entered the court
yard 1t was burning brightly enough. and
entered the house, and sat down In the coffee.
room few moments with the landlord, who
was great friend of mine, in his way. did
not talk to him, nor he to me--we were neither
of US talking men, and seldom had many
words together. But he peered over the morn
ing paper steadily, intent upon political news
and held mine upside doXn before me, and
felt, with thrill Of bashfuI satisfaction that
was no longer indifferent to the advise Of Mr..
Weller, senior" Samivill Samiveli beware
I Of the viddeFs No a widow had changed
me in the twinkling ofan eye, and was in
love, as hOpclessly, MS unrcasOnably, and o.
foolishly as any sober man Of thirty conId be
] must now proceed to state that Mrs. Ar.
nold's room was on the second floor just above
No. 40, and looking out upon Grace Church.
street ITSELF To il she weRt quietly on that
eventful evening at the hour Of ten, just at the
time when I was sitting in my box ct the
opera, thinking Of her. Something made her
wakeful. She sat down at her toilet.table and
talked awhile to the hOuse.kccpe-, who had
come up with clean pillow-cases, and asked
many questions about the house and the fam.
lly. How they broAched the topic, did not
know-but after time they began to think
and to speak about that strange phenomena
called "sPiIituaI rapping." The Cock Lane
ghost was brought upon the carpet, and var.
iOus other stories told, TIL Mrs. Arnold grew
nervous, and laughingIy declared she would
hear no more. Then the house.keepeF bade
her good night, and she locked her door, and
began to prepare for bed.
The room was large, rather dark, and full
Of corners and rcccssea The light of the two
wax candles on the tOilet-table only served to
make these corners visible In their shadOwy
gloom. The bed was high, and hung about
with crimson Gu tains; the furniture Of the
room was dark, too; and the cushion Of the
chairs and the covers Of the tables red also.-
1t is color which needs much light to sci II
off to advantage; it looked dismal enough to
her just then. At one end Of the room, door
led into kind Of large closet, which was un.
furnished, and looked out into the courtyard;
but this door opened out into Mrs. Arnold'a
room, and locked on, that side. Sometimes
linen was kept there ; and the housek ceper had
evidently been there that evening, for the key
was in the lock, and the door . little sjar.-
Mrs. Arnold would have preferred it locked,
but she was too timid to cross her room Just
then.
She undressed slowly, singing In low voice
the song had heard her sing that evening.
AS she bent down to unlace her boot, she hap.
pened to cast her eye toward tho closet, (She
had a vision like an eagle 1and to her surprise
and terror she saw 1t move distinctly -Only
the lower part Of the door, for she had pres.
cnce Of mind enough not to start, and the bed
concealed the upper part, a. she was STOPPING.
The legend Of that woman who aaw the great
boot of man under her bed, yet had courage
to stay in the room oil the evening. going on
with her ordinary household duties, within
reach of the assassin's knife till her husband
came, and' she was safe. flashed across her
mind, and taught her to act. She yawncd lug.
uriously, interrupted her singing one moment,
and then went on with steady voice. Alter
she had prepared for bed she folded her dress
;ng-gOwn around her, and brushed her hair
before the glass. In that mirror she could zee
the door move now and then, as if her visitor
was getting impatient; and once II creaked.
She started, naturally, and threw her slipper
against the wall, as II to ftighten away The
mice, and then resumed her occupation.-
When that was over she went to hcf Jewel.
case, which stood upon the toilet-tablc, and
turned its bright contents out in heap before
her. She held . spray of diamonds against
her hair, as IL to try its effect; she Claspgi and
unclasped her bracelets, and toyed with her
rings. Meanwhile the door crcaked again, and
letting an unset diamond fall to the ground,
and STOPPING to pick It up, she saw with q
rapid glance that burly, Unlocking man was
peering at her from behind the curtain Of the
bed. He started back, thinking himself dis.
covered and in that moment Of horrible. .anxi.
ety-that moment which, for aught she kAew,
might be her last-what did she dop She
could hear his breathing distinctly, sharpened
as all her senses were, and almost felt the cold
steel in her heart; and so she made herself a
mockinG courtesy in the glass, and held the
diamond spray above her forehead
duchess Of Nemoursw she said softly
"And why notY ] should look well with q
cornet. Iwish my husband was deadl''
She leaned her head upon her hand, and
seemed to think. A sudden rustling told her
that the robber was retreating. The door
swung softly tOgether-she saw 1t in the glass
and her resolution was taken.
"TwO diamond rings and diamond spray"
she said, counting theg gems aloud, as she put
them back in their case. "A ruby and an
amethyst bracelet, . ruby ring, and garnet
But where Is the garnet necklace, by the
way? How stupid Of me to mislay it! And
my husbands gift, tool wonder if have
put it in my trunk!"
The trunk stood very near the door Of the
closet! She went and unlocked it, and tum.
bled its contents out upon the floor, bending
over it with her light, while that man was
within two feet Of hcrl / wonder how she
had the nerve to do it Indeed, she said after.
wards that she knew he was bending down
too, and looking over her shoulder at the
trinkets As she turned them over with steady
hand and that her greatest difficulty was
to keep from breaking out into hyRlerieal
laughter, and SO betraying that she knew Of
his presence. .4,..a i-v
The necklace was not there. She pushed
the things aside impatiently, aAut down the
trunk, and placed the candle on. the lid. Then
she stood up. with her finger on her lip and
her head bent down.
"Wherc can the necklace hef"
She turned, as if to 60 by the closet, toward
q chest Of drawers that stood In the corner Of
the room; made one step past Il; whirled sud-
denly; and pushing both hands upon the door
II -.