Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-11-04


mouth was tremulous with unspoken thoughts
i think / never realized her beauty before;
but she seemed lovely then beyond compare.
Throwing a shawl about her shO uIders she
took the candle, the apple (Which Kitty con-
siderately took care should be small), and her
comb, and with rapid step, and not a word of
goodbye, sped swiftly down the corridor" as
Kitty had rOmantieally termed it. As watched
her all the righteousness Of the scene vanished
She looked like some sweet saint framed in the
nimbus OF her shining hair-like Beatrice going
to her dungeon.
She soon disappeared from our sight in a bend
OF the passage-way and the group Of half fright
ened girls huddled together in a hushed crowd
OF scared faces upturned TO me with half query
and half protest. 1--WE ought not to have let
her go-how long will she stay?'' As none could
answer. they tried to divert themselves from
foolish fears. Kitty was studying the clock face
and winking hard over "three doses of salt, adj
ministered two minutes apart" In spite of all
attempts at amusement, it seemed an age, al
though it was really five minutes after twelve.
Still the corridor was dark and silent, and had
almost made up my mind to break the spell
and go to meet her, when the pale light flick
cred once more at the end of the passage-way
AS she came nearer, it seemed as though she
was very white-elSe it the sickly glare of the
candle, but as she crossed the threshold her fin
gers relaxed, the candle fell, and she threw her
self upon my neck with q burst of historical
sobs The nervous strain had been too much,
and led her into the parlor again, and, drawing
her down on the broad divan, tried to soothe
her. But she sprang up in a moment and said.
" Girls, don't ever try that experimentation it's
true. I've seen him-I've seen him-and I'm
sure it's truei'
who-,cho?-do tell us all about it, and the
astonished girls drew back In half-hor as
they iookedupon Chrissie's unnatural pallor and
restless, trembling fingers. Drawing her down
once more, and clasping my warm hands over
her cold ones, soon Gained her sufi ciently for
the narration Of her story.
chilly, and although was not afraid. felt ex-
cited or course all was quiet when entered
the old study. found Kitty's mirror and seat
ing myself before 1t, fell to quietly musng, for
getting my apple and comb, when suddenly
heard stealthy fOOtstep near. As was about
TO turn my head quickly, thinking some of you
meant to play joke upon me, my uplifted eyes
handsome, smiling fsce-that of a gentleman
1T was quite as life-like az my own, and
see to be peering over my shoulder: 1t was
with dark hair and merry brown eyes, a clear
rich complexion and q saucy mouth, half-hi
den by long, full moustache. 1t was a face
too and Was
oov and whole smile, disclosing fine teeth, it
OF he, or whatever it was, disappeared. The re-
vulsion Of feeling the moment it was gone was
terrible. Such q horrible fright came over me
a. turned and saw that everything was UNI
changed-not trace of humanity near-that i
elutched my light with a desperate grip and flew
lntO the entry! How i reached you all shall
never know, for felt as il was sufiocating"
Kitty.
1t is impossible, nv child that Il could have
been any thing but an over-excited fancy, and
You must all forget it now and get ready for
"No. Miss Jeanette, kno~, and shall al
ways affirm TO my dying day that my senses were
clear, and did indeed see another face in the
glass beside my own" answered Christabel, in
tone OF such earnest conviction that was stag
gered for q moment. The girls, rallying from
their scare, insisted it was a .true sign and now
that Chrissie had seen her lover, they would
make one more EFFORT SO Daisy went to bed
faithfully obeying the directions
" Turn your boots toward the street,
Leave your carriers on your feet,
Put your stockings on your head,
lou1ldream of the one you're going TO wed!',
while Kitty, pursuant to her "salt charm
having successfully accomplished the three
swallows-went to bed backward, and lay down
upon her right side, determined to sleep without
stiIrlng TIL morning. As my room was separa-
which the girls had improvised into dormi-
tory for the sake of being together, L had the
benefit OF kitty's martyrdom. After they had
fully exclam, +" on dear, If L could only stir
enough to have drink! I'm dying of thirst!'' vet
refusing all offers of relief, determined not to
sroil her charm. Then
"0h girls! how I pity Lots wife. L should
think she would have swallowed the Dead Sea-
And again: This is erer so much worse
than having your photo taken, because you can
NIX then; besides, IL you do spoil it, you can
have another one taken"
Thus through the watches of the night came
the lamentations of this small jeremiah till
suddenly there was q bound upon the floor, and
a burst of laughter, as poor parched Kitty made
an attack on The pitcher, and between swallows
announced that She was ''cured in every sense
Of the word;-catch her in such a pickle again,
if she never got married" which was the last
sound heard from my dove-cote.
The morning dawned clear and fresh, and No
yembtr seemed to borrow her first day from her
predecessor, TO get a good start as it WERE and
found my birds could be larks as well as owls: for
ere my own toilet was complete heard the rust
ling and nesting and twittering, which finally
merged into general gossiping, and the click Of
little heels across the floor This assured me that
my breakfast preparations could pro-
ceed, for neither superstition senti-
ment can exist without food, 1 find.
on rising, she found her tiny boots staring at the
barn instead of streetward, and she was quite
sure
"Some elfin sprite
On mischief hight
had turned them. Wonderful visions were re-
lated at the table, in which hObgoblins and
knights seemed to have an even chance Of it,
while Kitty's demand on my coffee pot betrayed
her brinny condition. Christie was still trife
pale and preoccupied.
And thus ended, or seemed to end, the Hal
loween Frolic.
As the last blue ven whsked out of sight down
the road, heartily wished them all back. But
the sunlight and laughter fingered long in the
old house, cheering me until the Thanksgiving
me again; and while was engaged in preparing
"diveTs and sundries'' of sweets and pastes,
flesh and fowl, her nimble, tasteful fingers were
identifying the rooms with festoons and garlands
and bright bOquets. Her blithe young friends
hunted through highway and woodland for
came in laden. For several days the
great hall was piled with a beautiful
confusion of dark evergreens, trailing
Princess Pine, smoky wreaths of graceful Gle
mats, great clusters of the scarlet and orange
bitter-sweet, and the dazzling globes of the
snowberry. Baskets of ferny moss too and
sprays of wild cranberry! Wasn't it lovely
frame for beautiful faces and graceful formsP
Can you wonder the old home was TRANSPORTED
under the magic of such influences, and that
a proud hostess greeted the newcomers, as by
twos and tens they all gathered under the roof
tree? Every nook was filed, from the great
"spare-c hamber"-do e-bedded for the Occa-
sion-tO the old mahogany crib for Baby NJ aud
Well, all went on finely, till just as we were
about TO march in grand procession TO the
ksgiying-feast; the door burst open, and,
TO our great surprise, merry Rollie Hayden, my
young nephew, in all the pride and promise of a
nearly attained majority, walked in, with
=" How are you all, good kinsfolk, and my
blessed Auntie? j was determined to come, IF
II took leg, and though it was hard to get OF,
did il; and here's my chum, Mr.. Richard Della
more, whom 4 insisted upon bringing to see a
genuine Thanksgiving. He protested, but
i knew you'd give him hearty welcome,