The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1859-01-22
quite unconscious of her pres


Mrs. Arnold, in the next room, began tt
sing. There was a good piano ut No. AZ
and had often heard her playing before
But this evening she only seemed recalling
snatches of sweet, sad songs, and felt sur,
she was alone. Her touch upon the keys
was soft and dreamy; sometimes she was
playing with one hand, and then would com,
a long pause, though had not heard her
leave her seat. would have given worlds
to have been beside her, in that hour OF
twilight. But it faded; and the cold wall
OF my room was still between US. heard
her singing, Then you'll remember me-
very softly and the music ceased. If had
sat by myself any more l am sure | should
have been mad enough to 20 into the next
room; SO taking my hat and gloves, wen,
out for walk. The door of number A.
stood half way open, and from my end of
the passage could see into the room plain
ly, for the boy had just lit the gas, and
drawn the curtains. She was standing over
the piano, dressed in deep IN burning, though
u wedding g-ring and its heavy guard shone
on her left hand 'Thank heaven! the fellow
Is dead.' | thought and then the next
moment laughed at my absurdity. She
had the evening paper in her hand, though
her head was bent, could not see her face
quite we'll. In only one thing was she diff
ferent from her counterpart in my brain
she was not beautiful, as had fancied she
must be. She was tall and straight, and
elegant in form; and her face was one of
those which change and vary with every
shade of feeling; but only y redeemed from
plainness by pair of deep set and beauti-
fully shaded eyes, whose color, found
when she threw the paper aside, was that
dark lovely blue, one scarcel y ever sees,
except in the sky of a summer night. Just
the eyes had dreamed of all my life-and
yet there was not the slightest chance that
they would ever look at me, as they had
doubtless looked at MIR. Arnold, deceased IL
thousand times. She was girlish widow
yet there was something in her manner
which betrayed the married woman an
ease and Gplonab, which rarely Or never
shows itself in 4 young girl, especially if
she has been reared carefully by mothers
hand.
l might have stood in the passage all
night, critcisng her, had she not entered it
herself, suddenly-for her movements were
all as quick as flashes of light-and taking
me by surprise, that am sure she would
have seen me staring in at her, had she not,
luckily for me, caught her foot in the mat
as she crossed the threshold. She stumbled
and would have fallen, but sprang to her
assistance and caught her, and felt her
heart beating quickly against my arm. She
painted with the sudden start it had given
her, but stood up in second, and Just
glancing at me me as stood beside her in
the dark passage, said quietly, Thank you,
| Charles. might have hurt myself very
| ~ bnl md ir-
the way, | wish you would have that stupid
thing taken away. Ny uncle fell over it
last night and suppose it will be my aunt's
! turn next
She ran lightly up the stairs to her sleep
ing room, laughing to herself rs she went.
She had mistaken me for the waiter But
| did not care (though fancied there was
some difference in our height and air) since
. it had given me the pleasure of hearing my
! own name, and spoken hy her lips. Ideclarc
Cathcart, (my wife) calls me Charles, an old
feeling comes over me, and see the hal! Of
the Spread Eagle, and Mrs. Arnold running
up the stairs, while stand in state of
maudiin admiration below. 50 much for
the power of association.
Invent to the Opera that evening.
theatre because had no acQualntances in
the city, and it was dull sitting in my room
alone. They played 1.-The Bohemian Girl
| remember, and the tenor sung Mrs. Ar
nold's song, ''Thcn you'll remember me-;
And the lights, and the music, and the
crowd, seemed to pass away, and leave Inc
listening to her again, touching the piano
softly, and half singing. half humming the
. ] hn tod 70
them aloud they would surely bring tear.
with them. thought of her constantly till
the opera was over, and the house empty;
thought of her over my hot supper al
Ncrv's: and thought of her as went home
along the deserted streets. | looked up al
her window to see the light there as en-
tered the court yard. 1t was burning
brightly enough, and entered the house
and sat down in the c0tfec-room few mo-
ments with the landlord, who was grca,
friend of mine, in his way. | did not talh
to him, nor he to me-we were neither oI
US talk ng men, and seldom had many word:
together. But he pccred over the morning
paper steadily, intent upon political news
and he held mine upside down before me
and felt with thrill of bashful satisfaction
that was no longer Indifferent to the ad
Samivel! beware of the vidLers - No, ,
IN eve, and was in love, as hopelcSsly
as unrcasonably, and rs foolshly us any
sober man of thirty could well be!
must now proceed to state that Mrs
ArnolI's room was on the second floor, JUS
above No. 40, and looking out upon Grace
street itself. TO it she went quietly tina
-, cG b,
when was sitting in my box at the oper;
thinking of her. Something made her wake
full. She sat down at her tollet-tablc and
talked awhile to the housekeeper, who haC
come up with clean pillow cases, and asked
many questions about the house and tn,
family. How they broachcd the topic dc
not know after a time, they began to think
and to speak about that strange phenome
non, called "spiritual rappings.'' The
Cock Lane ghost was brought upon the car
pet, and various other stories told, till Mrs
Arnold grew nervous, and laughingly de
clared she would hear no more. Then th
housekccper babe her good night, and sh
bed.
The room was large, rather dark, and ful
of corners and recesscs. The light of tn
|
served to make these corners visible in thci
, shadowy gloom. The bed was high, ant
hung about with dark crimson curtains tn
furniture of the room was dark, too, ant
, the cushions of the chairs and the covers o
the tables red also. 1t is color whcl
needs much light to set it off to advantage
,, it looked dismal enough to her ust them
At one end of the room door led into
! kind of large closet, which was unfurnished
and looked out into the court yard; bu
this door opened out INFO Mrs. Arnold
room, and locked on that side. Sometime
!, linen was kept there, and the housckeepe
i, had evidently been there that evening, 70
the key was in the lock, and the door a lit
tie ajar. Mrs. Arnold would have prefer
red it, but she was too timid to cross he
room just then.
, She undrcsscd slowly, singing in a 10,
. voice the song had heard her sing tina
evening. As she bent down to unlace he
. boot, she happened to cast her eyes toward
e the closet (she had II vision like an eagle
, and to her surprise and terror, she saw i