Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-12-15
NO. 2s6.

flous, dlgnifled tone, 'buckle on your ar
NOR now. for am about to propose what
demands Spartanc ourage. Leading from
the llorary next us is a covered way, which
communicates directly with an old sum-
mer house, which was inclosed to serve
as study for grandfather, when he was
a young man. 1t is just the place for our
last most important charm. One of us
must take candle and an apple, and hav-
ing ilrst let down her hair, must pace along
this lonely corridor, enter this ruined tenn
pie, and there find mirror before which
she must seat herself; and as the clock
strikes twelve, must eat her apple and
comb out her hair. She will be rewarded
by seeing the face of her future lover and
husband reflected in the glass as though
he We're looking over her shoulder
Kitty delivered herself of this harangue
with great gusto, adding, Now don't
mind telling you, girls, that leave the
held clear to the rest of you; for nothing
could induce ME to take that terrible prom
enade, though did hang a mirror out
there this afternoon ior any one who
chooses to tempt Providence.
There was quite a pause when she fin
ished, and for the moment curiosity as to
the relative courage of the pretty group
before me kept back the command
which meant to give against this
expedition. The girls looked curious
ly into one anothers faces, but all
seemed to shrink from the ordeal, until
Chrissie Marstone turned and said, with
an odd laugh, "Well, girls, I've made up
my mind that I'll.try it, just for the fun of
the thing.
80 Chrissie, dare you?" burst in sort
| of half protest from all and think this
settled brave Chris She was handsome
blonde. trifie naughty perhaps, yet with
a ravishing smile that belied her stately
mien, for she carried her seventeen years
like society queen. l should have re-
fused any other, think, but liked Chris
label, and l knew her, too, that opposition
would be useless if she was really deter
mined. sit is half past eleven now, cher
les, and Lady Macbeth demands her lamp,
with the rest of her paraphernalia, for l
must be in time to meet my.gallant lover"
pursued the brave Chris, undauntedly.
''We shall all wait for you in the libra
ry," we said, and the lamps were forth
coming rs well as the candle. ..And then
we'll go directly to bed, if you please, my
dears," | was obliged to add. Chrissie
sat by the fire, unwinding the golden glory
of her hair. which rippled in radiant waves
from her crown to her knees. 1t was the
"Marstone hair,n the traditional pride of
her house, and seemed almost too much
for her slight, graceful form. Her cheeks
were flushed with excitement, her eyes
glistened and danced, and her lovely
mouth was tremulous with unspoken
thoughts. | think | never realized her
beauty before but she seemed lovely be-
yond compare.
oh, ,x,1 af~o L.
she took the candle, the apple (Which
Kitty CONSIDERABLY took care should be
small } and her comb, and with rapid step
and not word Of goodbye sped swiftly
down the ''corridor,n as Kitty had roman
lic;tlly termed it. AS watched her all
the righteousness of the scene vanished.
She looked like some sweet saint framed
in the nmbus 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 hal-trightened girls huddled together
in hushed crowd of scared faces up
turned to me with Il half-query aud half
protest. 1--WE ought not to have let her
go-how long will she stay ?' AS none
could answer, they tried to divert them
selves from foolish fears. Kitty was study
ing the clock face and winking hard over
"threc doses of salt, administered two
minutes apart In spite of all attempts
at amusement 1t seemed an age, although
it WAS really only five minutes after twelve.
Sill 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 tiickered once more at the end
ui the passageway. AS she came nearer,
it seemed as though she was very white
else IT was the sickly glare of the candle,
but as she crossed the threshold her fingers
relaxed, the candle fell. and she threw
herself upon my neck with a burst of hys-
terical 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 soolhe her. But she sprang
up in i moment and sand, Girls, don't
ever Try that experimentation it's true.
" e seen him-and I'm sure it's truer ~
"Who-who ?-do tell us all about it,
and the astonished girls drew back in a
halt-holror Is they looked upon Chrisses
unnatural pallor and restless, trembling
fingers. Drawing her down once more,
and clasping my warm hands over her
cold ones, soon Gained her sufficiently
for the narration Of her story.
After lett you | walked fast, because
it was chilly, and although l was not
afraid, | felt excited. OF course all was
quiet when | entered the old study. l
found kuty's mirror and seating myself
before it, lell 10 quiet musing. forgetting
my apple and comb, when | suddenly
heard II stealthy footstep near. AS was
about to turn my head quickly, thinking
some OF you meant to play joke upon me
my uplitted eyes encountered in the mir
ror the reflection of handsome, smiling
iace-that of IA gentleman.
'lt was quite rs life-like as my own,
and seemed to be peering over my shoul-
der. 1t was the face of man twenty-five,
| should judge, with dark hair and merry
brown eyes, "a clear, rich complexion and
a saucy mouth, halt-hidden by long. full
moustache 1t was q face had never
seen before, and | was spell-bound-to
fascinated to move muscle. With half
bow and a whole smile, disclosing fine
: teeth, it or he, or whatever it was, disap-
} peared The revGlsion of feeling the
II yas unna was tarribla Gpah