Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1860-08-11
NOT A SPECTRE.
BIT NARY KYLE DALLAS.

wss riding upon old Trotter against 4 snow
storm, with panner upon pannier loaded with
eggs piled upon his back, and weighing him
down. Then was selling eggs, and the GUS
toners were incignant--for where should
have been yolk they found nothing but salt !;
they were all beautiful young women, and
they threw the eggs at my head in their anger;
and as the broke, scattering a shower of salt
over rav fnce, they shouted, "Ilallow Zen !.
lial'ow E'yn at the top Of their voices. Then
! WAS big egg myself and people would lay
me On the edge Of precipiccs, and throw their
eggs at me, until at length awoke with a
start, stretching my arms 10 keep me from
falling, as one often does in sleep. Once more
the tail presses the little mirror, the white
curtatns-att gtimmerirg in the cold moon.
light, which fell through the window, greeted
my eyes. was wide awake. | was perfectly
calm and collected. My face was toward the
window, and suddenly was startled by faint
crimson light. which flushed the wall and the
curtain. Can the sun be rlsingE thought
No, 1t was not the sum- the light was within
my room. and there as true as live, saw
figure, white and straight, advancing towards
my bed, holding light in its hand. Ny
heart stood still, but gdzed eagerly on the
apparition.
= lt-"a+ very fair t., lock upon golden
curiS fell to the waist blue eyes smiled from
beneath delicate brows, a dimplc in the chin,
a tiny mole upon the cheek, teeth like pearls,
and q neck whittier than alabaster--these were
the chief traits yet trcmbled and grew faint
closed my eyes and assumed slumber. The
form advanced, bent over me. and pressed its
lips 10 mine. felt two terrible uncarthlv
kisses, and, unable to control myself longer,
sprang from the bed in an agony Of terror. In
moment the light vanished, heard some
thing Hike a ThHflled- ,-stagFetiHg
- the bed. swOoncd away. The next morning
| awOkc tevcred and i'll. babe farewell to
my hDspiable entertainer and went home. |
never mentioned my vision to any one, but
either the shock or the salt eggs almost fin.
ished my existence. For three wacks ltynt
the point Gt death, and all the while, so they
told me, | rayed Of dimplc in the chin,
mote upon the check, and curlS like molten
moonlight. recovered at last, ard in the
course Of year departed for New York to
enter into business with my uncle. who was
merchant.
" BY curious coincidence ii was once moro
All Hailow Zen when | reached New York,
and MS the cab in which had cnsconccd my.
self at the landing, rolled along Broadway,
though! even while my eyes rested upon the
biiliiantly lighted and gayly bcdecked stores,
and the busting crowd which throngcd the
broad sidewalks, OF the quiet farmhouse
chamber, the dark oak presses, the cbon
framed mirror, and the white apparitlon steal.
ing from the shadows slowly, softly, terribly,
but oh, 50 beautiful Shall ever meet hcr!'
lmurmurcd. Were those spectral kisses the
foretastc Of warm, delicious living carcsscs.
fresh from theruby lips Of all earthly maiden =
~ | >i"..; the carriage stopped atiny unc!oe
door'
HIRE uncle Oliver paused fur moment and
gaz.d around him. Tie oder girls were
bIuShing vioently-wcre in a state Of awful
SERIOUSNESS edi(ying to behold. and no one
spoke single word. Uncle Oliver gave Us
quzzing glance and proceeded:
" 1t was very near the dinner hour, and af
ter cxchangin! greetings with my uncle ard
aunt WAS shown to my apartment, to make
N''mc r'qLiNitc change III my travelling cos
u!;nc. 1t was a very different room from that
pi The Old farmhouse, where | had slept Just
one year before, but somehow | half expec-.
t,d T. see the bright apparition steal frem be.
t"cen the iioS>y lace curtains, or rise from be-
hind the great velvet rocking chair beside the
fireplace, as stood combing my hair and ar.
ranging my cravat before the toilct.glaSs be-
tween the windows.
" The dinnerbc recalled Inc to myself, and
opened the door to descend to the dining.
room. AS stepped into the hall stood di,
rcctiy opposite u flight of broad stairs covered
With 4 Ich velvet carpet, and lit by pend.
ant lamp Of amber glass. Upon those stairs
saw something gliding towards me. Trans.
liked with astonsbmcnt gazcd upon it,
Golden curls, snowy shoulders, blue eyes a
iimpc in the chin, brown mole upon the
check, mouth like a rosebud An | had
felt the pressure Of those lips it was once
more my arparton, not cad in the white
this time. but drapcd IN glossy robes Of tender
purple, ike the hue of an angels wing. The
amber lamp light tloatcd down upon her. and
she came towards me slowly, but surely. !
did not faint this time, but | retrcated to my
room. doube-locked the door, and fell into IA
chair trembling like an aspen leaf A knock
shortly after restored my selfpossession, and
| answered "comc in," with the full deter
mination not TO admit the spectre, if this were
she. The servants voice responded, "PleaSc.
sir, dinner is ready" And with renewed self
"'Mss Star, my nephew, Mr.. Oliver Ian.
don
ut was my uncle who spoke. II vas my
appariton-goldrn curls, dimp!ed chin and
rosebud mouth who bent in acknowledge
1t was /, with my hair standing OH an end,
and my heart in my mouth, who uttered some
words in reply--what, neither nor any one
else knew. She had como at last. In living
| flesh and blood she stood before me, the reali-
zation of my vision-my fate, my future wife!
"Aunt Helen" exclaimed the group in one
breath.
Yes, my denrs, your Aunt Helen" replied
Uncle Oliver, land the very apparition which
had appeared to mo in tho old farmhouse,
from the fairy foot to the soft curlss identical
y the same. Well, my dears. wo knew each
other loved each other, and were married oil
my twenty.third birthday. She became my
wife and on the following All Hnllow Zen,
Eve were sitting quietly before the fire in our
little house. had never told her of my Wis
ion. but on that night had resolved to do So
| had opened my lips to speak, when Helen
spoke instead
"'My dear Oliver she began, did ever
tell you Of my adventure on All Iiallow E'en
Just three years ago. know have not
Would you like to hear it?'
"Of course assented to tho proposition.
"'Well, on this night just three years ago
was long distance from this place. just
at this hour | arrived, weary with long
Journey, at the door Of an old farmhouse
some miles from Cincinnati, on the road to
| NJ
"'At tho door Of an old farmhouse, some
miles from Cincinnati on tho road to NJ?
replied slowly.
| uGVas m amt snd VncIa nf nina an nId