The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-11-24

IilS Cdiitl, SllSlcHihS iiho hodI-iroob,
hut under a magnolia tree-the whole
vivid splendor of the night revived my
tagging spirits.
" It's horrible place, though. What
did they mean by that story? A dead
woman in the house! | won't sleep
here; not wink. Is that mans dead
wife down cellar2''
ayes; and / thought he had more
sense" said the doctors wife, glooming.
"She was there the last time we came
here; had just died, poor soul Then
he thought of returning TO England in
a month. 1t is a queer story" she went
on, under her breath. "There's mag
nifcent octoroon somewhere near here
her name is Celia Terry-well edu-
Gated and worth money. He loves her;
she won't live as his mistress he don't
want to lose caste by making her his
wife, Poor wretch / don't see but
he is in as bad fix as he can be-what
with his ague and his unrequited love.
But there is the bell ~
81 can't eat / won't 90 down! l
shall die ~ / cried, catching my breath.
"Come, come no nervosities you'll
have hysteria next" said the doctors
wife, handing me her smelling-salts.
"Since we are here, let's make the best
of it. Depend upon it, you'll feel bet
ter tomorrow"
/ pass over the supper it was more
than fair with its delicious fruits, cold
meats, and custards. Pepperpot, the
giant, helped us, scowling all the time,
and looking ready to eat us up.
H. IL 10
sleep in small room adjoining ours,
with the door open. Fortunately the
locks were in good repair. The bats
Numbered in the walls unearthly cries
sounded in every quarter; a white owl
looked in at the window like a Deaths
| head. My nerves were so thoroughly
shaken that | was ready for any amount
of ghostly experience. We had lighted
two night-wicks, but the moon shone
them into darkness, so that they seemed
to float uselessly in their cups of aroma
tic oil.
Worse than all, the fine flowing net
was a sham. The bed swarmed with
mosquitoes, and the gauzy curtains were
full of rents and holes.
Clearly there was to be no sleep for
me that night. Sometimes | sat up,
fighting the insects with my handker.
chief, and almost envying the doctors
wife, who slept serenely, with her large
lace veil fastened over her face by the
four corners Of her pillow
The ceiling of the room had strange,
peculiar fascination for me. In the
centre was a corniced square, much dis
colOred. 1t looked to me like trap
door. In the weird moonlight itseemed
continually moving to and fro; but that,
Of course, was fancy.
| thought of that dead woman down
stairs; heard Ootsteps-tramp, tramp
sounds as Of human voices in the at
mosphere.
Suddenly something happened.
The board within the cornice did
move. Ny strength deserted me utter
ly. | tried to touch the doctors wife.
! strove to speak to her. In vain
was like a dead woman.
Another moment and light rope
ladder was thrown down. 1t touched
one Of the bed-posts, and ratified lit
tie. An icy perspiration broke out on me
from head to foot. | thought / was dy-
ing, but still my eyes retained the power
of vision.
A light figure clothed in white
swung at the opening above me, clutch
ing at the boards, then at the rope. 1t
struggled for a footing, swinging round
with the exertion, and then, slowly
descending, caught at the bed-post,
and stood upright, painting for breath.
1t was a woman, dark, beautiful
woman. Her long, glossy hair, uncoil-
ed and curling, covered her as with a
robe. Her eyes were lustrous and
dewy her arms were bare and superbly
shaped. Never in all my life, before
or since, have | seen face to COM
pare with that-the swimming, dark
orbs, the proud lips dashed with
vermilon, the rich, creamy COM
plexion.
She stood there looking at me | lay
powerless, gazing at her. But one word
escaped her as she clasped her hands in
a passionate cry:
LadyI'
The blood rushed back to my heart.
Who are you p whispered.
" / am Celia Terry"
"What are you doing here ?'
"Oh, it is dreadful-dreadfull y she
murmured, not seeming to hear me-
have been so deceived ~
Miss Terry ~ said another voice.
1t was the doctors wife. She was
leaning on her elbow, wide awake.
Mrs. Parmalee ~ cried the girl,
with start.
How came you here ?''
" Don't look so angry, Mrs. Parma
lee. If you knew what l know Oh,
you thought his wife was in that dread
full box down stairs. It's miserable
deception. knew he never acted like
an innocent man. | have noticed this
sliding panel; saw this rope-ladder in
the shed where he keeps his seeds.
knee0 | saw a human face at the cobweb-
bed window at the end of the room
above this. | found that the roofs
were easy to climb, though | didn't
dare come back that way. Mrs. Par
malice, l dragged this rope-ladder after
me something told me what he used
it for. Mrs. Parmalee, that mans
wife is up there Oh, God help her!"