The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1866-12-01

of the chairs, for she could not diycst
herself of Il queer nervous feeling with
regard to them. So she gazed into the
fire that bazed brightly in the CRATE, for
1T was q chill evening, though it was
May.
"I'vc noticed" began the old woman,
that there's never been third of MAY
without some part of the day feeling
chill. However warm it may have
been beforehand, or may be the day
after, there's never been third of May
for the last sixty years that I've not
been all the better for a bit of fire.
"lts the anniversary of day that
sends chill to all those who remember
it, or were in anyway connected with it,
and it comes to me among the rest.
l suppose I'm getting to be one of the
last that it will come to, for Pm wearing
ON toward eighty, Meg, and what am
going to tell you happened when l was
a girl of sixteen or seventeen.
"One of the earliest things 1 can
recollect is the old Hall being put into
complete repair; for seventy or eighty
years ago it was much in the same con-
dition that it is now, and no ono would
take it, for there was an i'll story hang
ing to it, and it was said that none who
held it i'll possession ever came to any
good.
"Well, as l said, it was put in repair.
There were carpenters and bricl1layers
and masons at work, and in q short
time you would scarce have known the
house. The fine old gardens, too, with
their terrace-walks and stone steps, and
fountains, were all set in order, and u
grand place it looked altogether, though,
perhaps, there was still gloomy air
about; but that only made it the grand
cr.
1.-The master of it was not the man to
be daunted by anything, and when he
was told of the evil stories and the
ghosts, as in duty bound, he curled his
lip contemptuously, and made some
mocking remark that no one at the time
cared to repeat.
He was tall, dark man, nigh fifty,
l should say, with q bronzed complex
ion, and a proud, stern look on his face,
and his hair was as black as a raven.
He wore q pointed beard and q short
mustache, but the rest of his face was
close shaven.
"He came from foreign parts, and he
brought mint of money with him
there seemed to- obc no end of it, judging
''s' 80, 1,,". ~rnnpany he kept, and The horses
ana the hou,.t'.,, .-.-A -,--V I-snS Deiong-
ing to him.
"My aunt was houselleepcr at the
Hail, and now and then used to go up
to see her; and sometimes, if it was
very early in the morning, sho would
let me look through tho stately rooms,
when the housemaids were dusting and
Sweeping them. Very splendid they
were, and at first l could see nothing
distinctly; there seemed to be such q
confusion of silk and satin, and gildcd
furniture and pictures, and vases and
statues, and mirrors, and flowers, and
tapestry, and / cannot tell you what !;
but, by degrees, | came to separate them,
and to know each room and what it con-
tanned, for you see, Meg, it's as easy to
get accustomed to fine things when one
secs them constantly, as to poor ones,
and so it was with me.
"Thc room l liked best of all was my
lady's boudoir, as they called it. Itwas
at the end Of one of the corridors, and
had windows opening into wide bal
cony, that was always filled with the
choicest plants. The walls were hung
with blue silk, and the silken curtains
were bordered with gold fringe. 1t was
Just such room as one might expect to
sec in u fairy palace, and / was never
tired.of looking at the beautiful things
, heaped together there.
"One day had obtained permission
to go into this room with my lady's
maid, and was so much absorbed in
gazing at picture that had just been
hung up, that l did not perceive that she
| had gone away, imagining that 1 was
, following her; and so was left alone.
} {" 1t was a picture of a child,a beau-
tiful boy, with blue eyes, that had no
5 look of the proud, stern master of the
house in them-the Squire, rs we coun-
Try folk used to call him.
+ ~ was still gazing at it, when heard
, IL voice say
, "' Who are you, my little girl"
r 81 had never heard such voice be-
9 fore; the words were not spoken as we
+, English people would speak them, and
: the tone was 50 sweet that / scarcely
c thought Il human being had spoken tc
me.
| 81 turned, and there stood lady in
r a loose white dress, that seemed to float
round her. She was very pale and
r fragile-loolking, and her hair was like
r pale gold.
:" For moment thought she NIGH
G be an angel, and then it suddenly fash
h ed upon me that it must be my lady
e herself. SO L dropped low curtsey
IL and said
II "I am Mrs. Bridgets niece, m.
lady,
e, $3.50 you are admiring my room,
o said my lady; tell me what in it pleas
n cs you bcst.'
IL "My eyes involuntarily sought til
picture, and pointed to it.
le A flush OF pain passed over m
vi lady's countenancc.
Mt "' Yes,' she said; you are ri%h'
O. little pirl-therc il nOthin1s 10 ComDaI