The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1869-01-14

garded looks" she said to her hus-
band, who had not followed her; ''all
the bushes standing up ike 50 many
ghosts in their white shrouds! And
that is the Abbot's Pool, suppose -
that dark spot under the treei It looks
strange to me seen from here"
She drew the curtain with some ex.
clamstion about the cold, and came 10
her husbands side, shiyering.
"You have caught cold You are
i'll, Elsie Do you feel faint7"
20 no; something seemed to strike
me cold in moment Isott would say
that some one was walking over my
grave"
"Sit down." he said, and drew a
chair to the FIRE, adding, in his quick,
professional manner, never neglect 3
shiyer. Are you warmerl You are
sure7 Let me feel your hand again"
Quite well now ] think the old
Abbot's Pool Ghost must have had
some idea Of appearing to me, do you
know7 am glad lie thought better
of it, and didn't You can't think how
strange l felt for a moment,-quite sud
denly,-as ! was looking at that gloomy
place"
'It is a gloomy place." he said, still
chafng her hands. "Some of these
days we'll leave it far Away, Elsie.
There! I've put some warmth into
these poor little chilled fingers at last. I"
To Lide some vague feeling of dis
comfort which still hung about her, she
turned to table where several we'd
ding presents and other ornaments
were arranged, and took up a basket Of
old-fashioned card fligiee, in which a
number of rolled papers, pink, blue,
and yellow, stood mp like soldiers at
drill.
"What kind old-fashioned thought
Of old Miss Ducane's'' she said, smiling.
"Have you seen her present to me,
Pbilip,-a set Of Shakespeare charac-
tersl Shall draw and try my fate7
Though il is rather late in the day for
that" Laughing, she drew out a pink
paper, but her countenance changed as
she read it, and she handed it to her
husband, saying: 81 don't think they
should put anything so painful and hor-
rid as thati"
1t was the sentence from Richard
the Third:
Have not to do with him; beware Of him;
Sin, Death, and Hell have set their marks on him,
And all their ministers attend on him.
"Tear it up" said Philip Denbigh,
curtly.
"But they are all arranged in order:
it will spoil the set"
Then the set must be spoilt. Tear
up the paper"
Elsie had never heard that tone of
command before, aud she wondered to
see how his eyebrows were drawn TO-
gether until they nearly met, and how
be watched her obedient fingers, as if
she could not tear the offending paper
into morsels small enough
When it was done, be took up the
heap ofletters awaiting him, and be-
came buried in their contents; but while
Elsie moved softly about, accustoming
herself to the new room and the new
life, she now and then met his eyes,
fixed on her with look she could not
understand, and which was instantly
withdrawn when their glanGes met.
She resolved to put the obnoxious pres
ent out Of sight next morning; nor did
she feel quite happy until he had fp-
ished reading his letters, and had spo-
ken to her again in his usual voice and
manner.
On the following morning a thaw
had set in. Everything was dripping
and dropping, and when Mr.. Denbigh
mounted his horse, after breakfast, to
60 on his rounds, be recommended his
wife not to set foot outside OF the door
all day. She promised to obey, unless
it should turn out temptingly fine, and
during the morning was fully occupied;
for old Isott seized upon her, and in-
sisted on her undergoing display of
the contents of every drawer, closet,
and cupboard, and of the inventories
thereunto belonging. This got over at
last, she ate her solitary luncheon, and
after that found plenty to do in arrang-
ing her possessions, so that it was not
until late in the afternoon that she came
into her drswing.room to SEQ that the
fire was bright and ready for her hus-
bands return. 1t struck her that the
empty dower-vases looked dreary, and
wanted dash of color to set off their
whiteness the sun shining in at the
moment, she hastily put on cloak. and
hat, and clogs, and sailed ont to gath
er some sprays of holly, of which plen-
ty grew on the banks of the Abbot's
Pool.
Down the slippery garden walk she
went with careful steps, and up the
green bank, more slippery still, which
overhuDg the deep hollow where the
half-froEen waters lay. A shower of
melting snow fell from bush as she
drew bough down towards her; and
as she bent forward, shaking of the
drops from her cloak and hair, she saw
something glistening in the wet grass at
her feet. She stopped to pick it up,
and il was ring, "a ring OF curious
workmanship, with q ruby set in it
The sight was a strange one to her.
Just such ring had been one of the
few ornaments left her by her mother,
and she had given II to her frst hus-