Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1861-03-08
WATERFOWL, WIS, FRIDAY, MARCH 8, 1861.
How? 7 a skea.

Bob where did this come from? | asked,
involuntarily drawing back step or two
He took it from grave which the rain
had washed open, answered Il tall young
fellow, turning away with a studder Cut
it off with his knife as cooIly as he might a
bit of wood, although III swear sigh. or
groan, or scream, or all of them together,
came from the body when he first laid his
finger upon it.
Bah? laughed Robert Redlaw, your ven
triloqustt tricks can never imp Sc upon me.
| took the little hand in spite of them, and
shall keep it. A pretty creature it must
have belonged to. Look at tie almond
shaped nails, Greystock,
A woman's hand. I said, and oh, Bob,
there is wedding ring upon the finger!
So there is, said the bob, leaning across
the table, so there is. Strange that | did
not notice it before Come, gentlemen,
Greystock is in a serious mood-let US
leave him. And wrapping his strange
prize cnce more in the 'kerchief, my wild
friend and his comrades departed t
I spent the night in restless dreams. in
al of which that pale little hand. which
had been laid before me, played conspic-
uous part, and arose at daylight. unrefresh-
ed and disririted, Willie | was putting
the finishing touch to my toilet some one
wrapped at my door. and. on my calling
''come in, opened it and entered. 1t was
Bob.
How do you do, my dear fellow he said
| hope you feel better than do. For my
part / never passed so restless night
Some one in the house, or next door, kept
up continual moaning, and the strange
part of it was when | rose to listen, fear.
ing some one was i'll or dying, the sound
ceased until once more placed my head
upon the pillow, when they were resumed
louder than before. At one time I thought
the other fellows were trying to fri -hten
me about the hand, but tt ere was no
chance for that. You remember my little
pet hand, Greystock? I have it bottled
in spirits in private cupboard, where my
laundress, who once tainted at the sight of
a skeleton, will never be alarmed byit.
He spoke merrily. but there was some
thing about him different from his usual
manner, | thought, as we went out to
breakfast together. 1t was foggy morn
ing and the streets were very dreary.-
There were but few people abroad, but, as
we turned the corner, we came face to face
with woman whose head was bent upon
her bosom, and who was moaning bitterly.
She wore no bonnet, and was dressed in
white, but the mud and rain had so drench-
ed and drabbled her until she was pit
liable object to behold | paused and
spoke to her. What is the matter? |
asked. Can I do anything to help you?
As spoke the woman raised her eyes,
and showed me face the beautiful fca-
lures of which were of an ashen palor then
without speaking. held both her arms to-
wards ne Upon the left there was no
hand In my astonishment stepped aside,
and as l did so, the white-robed figure
glidcd past me. and vanished in the fog
In vain we looked for her.-She was gone
beyond our sight or hearing.
That is strange, said, turning to
Bob How miserable the poor creature
locked
And my poor friend, turning from me a
face Of ashy paleness. muttcred between
lis teeth the left hand, too Good heav-
ems the left hand @
We breakfasted together, but through
out the meal, Robert Rcdlaw w1s utterly
unlike himself. No merry jests passed his
lips. no laugh rang out upon the all, and
every now and then, his eyes fixed them
selves upon vacancy, as those Of one whose
thoughts are far away are prone to do
As for myself, was also strangely low
spirited ad ahsracted.
For week subsequent to that day |
saw nothing of my friend, but at the end
of that time, went to call upon him. Bob
WIS standing by the mantle when I enter
ed his room but he turned toward me, and
came toward me, and came forward with
hands outstretched. My dear Greystock.
he said, | am so glad to see you, | should
have come after you to-day if you had not
found your way here. Did you know |
have been i'll since we met last?
| am sorry to hear it, replied.
Yes, extremely i'll continued Robert
| caught cold that night in the damp
graveyard, and have been feverish and de-
liri1us. believe I would not pass anoth-
cr such week. Greystock, for all the dia-
monds of Gtlconda
He paused moment, and then drawing
closer to me, he placed his hand upon my
shoulder, Don't mention it tothc other fel-
lows, he said. but | absolutely imagined
that | saw face looking at me from the
window yonder, and that tall woman's
figure, dressed in white, and having only
one hand--the left one was gone-stood
upon the parapet of the next house and
waved Ler arms towards me. Such mad
idea, You know, for there is scarcely a
foothold for monkey, let alone for a wo-
man.
But these fancies have left you now, |
said ...s.
Yes, hope they have. replied Robert,
have suffered from no optical delusion for
two days, but do wish that terrible groan-
ing could be put a stop to. hear 1t eve
ry night, but cannot persuade myself that
it is the work of my Imagination, yet no
one in the house is i'll, and my landlad.y
will not confess that she has ever heard
the slightest noise. Greystock, it must
be terrible thing to be insane,
Put such fancics out of your mind, Rob
ert, I said The truth is you have been
feverish, and tie remembrance of your
silly piece of word with that hand has ac-
ted upon your mind and caused these APP