Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-12-28
A Christmas St"ry-A Real Incl
dent
BY GRACE GREEN WOOD.

On a Christmas night, some years ago
rhere we're gathered about the wide fire
place OF a large New England kitchen
happy family circle consisting OF we'll
to-do farmer, who was a magistrate
known far and wide as Squire Percival
-his comely wife, two fair daughters,
nice, and lsst hut not le-st, a son, lust
home from Ysle for the holidays.
The night without WAS searchingly cold
nd brilliant with moonlight and star
light. The large stone farm house stood
on the brow Of a hill behind protecting
line of tall pine trees, the only green in
the wide landscape. The steep hillside
and the valley beneath wore heavily
hlark-ted with snow.
The early part of the evening had
passed marrily with games, jests and
songs. But for An hour or two the con-
realms of tho supernatural. One Qho.t
had succeeded another till, as the witch
ing time of night approached, and the
fire burned low, the circle instinctively
drew closer together. with thrills and shud.
dars Of atrange spiritual dread, which j.
vet akin TO the keenest pleasure-sn awe
j
-ixhirg of the winds among the trees,
heard in the pauses Of ghostly recit tls,
added its wondrous, weird effect to the
theme.
just "a young Percival had concluded
a wild German legend, which be declared
splendid stuff for drt ans, the out-ide door
was heard TO open suddenly. All looked
around more or les- fearfully, to see stand
IL III eli Of
q fair young woman, clad in white, and
looking pnre, and cold, and luminous like
inearuated moonlight.
With the glide of a spirit she came for
ward. Her feet were quite bare and her
arms were dropping wearily. Masses of
fair hair fell over her shoulders, but her
eyes were dark and fixed with a melan-
choly stare. Her lips were slightly part
ed and almost colOrless. She came into
the circle about the hearth and there
p-uaed, standing utterly motionless-a
beutiful, appalling fgnre.
For a moment all the startled group re-
manned as silent az that strange visitor-
then one younQ girl caught her breath in
one hysterical scream, which was instant
" answered bv a cry from the lips of the
"woman in white" into whose blank eyes
rnshed a wild, kaen light. She gszed
about in terror and bewilderment, then
glanced down at herself. and sank COVER
ing upon the floor covering her face with
her hands. and giving way to childish par
oxvsms of weeping.
The farmers wife, woman of rare
aenae and presence of mind, at once d.
vned the truth.
'She is a sleep-walker,' she said. 'She
mu-t he half dead with the cold. Girls,
bring some wrsppinga.'
Immediately all was bnstle. The farm
or and his son Immediately vanished from
the Scene. and the kind mother, daughter
and niece devoted Themselves to their be-
wildered charge, who still wept and
sobhed under their kind ministratiena,
but declared that she felt no cold and no
pain though her de,ioDt. feet were aotu-
ally bleeding from her long walk up the
icy hill side. and over the crusted snow.
After having heen te-darly put to he'd
however, abe hecama sufficiently composed
70 raRlv to the few Questions which had
hean pnt TO her. She said that she was
Luov FLEET, the MEGA Of the village ply
sician; that she had lately been taken
from SCHOOL on account IF nervousness.
and ssnt To him for medical treatment.
hut that homesicknsss and loneliness had
made her worse. She had ocoasiona llv
walked in her sleep before, bat only about
the hou>- and grounds at home and on
summer moonlight pights. 4 think the
moon hewitohsd me-. she said, smiling
:hrongh her tears. That night abe had
before going IN he'd. looked soross the lit
tla valley To the pleasant house on the
hill, Watching tho cheerful Christmas
lixhts cleaning through the pine traea
md lon0ed TO ha one of the happy partr
there. though sha was a stranger 10 all.
She had oriad haraalf 70 slaep, shs said.
and that was all she knew of her mvsteri-
ons tramp over snow and stones and ice.
Not a memory. not thonQht could she
rscsl' till the moment when abe fonud
nigh'-aress with SO many wondering eyes
fixed upon her.
oh. dear. what do you think of me
What oan you think of me now p she
moanad.
MAYER mind what we think of you. my
NOR child said the good notherly Mrs
Psroival. I'VE love you already, 90 drink
this nice ginger tea and 90 to Sleep
The pnc- child got little natural sleep.
srd in the morning appeared somewhat
'es' sboatly than the apparition of Christ
mas ni.ht. But she was very pale, with
rl'vfnl. shy. erieved look. She was
suffering lee. from exposure than was ex-
peo'ed. bu. more from the nervous shock
ct The night before. and by the advice of
her uncle. who had been summoned, con-
san'ed to remain with her new friends for
. few DAYS
Yonng John Percival was Hospitality
kind to the invalid guest. not seeming to
perceive that she shrsnk from his atten-
ticn In sensitive, diequieted way. Yeti