Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-04-27
Miscellaneous.
TWO MYSTERIES EXPLAINED.


of the northern suburbs Of London. Re.
duced at last TO two members, sister and
myself, we gave up housekeeping, and for
some time Travelled about England. Tired
at length of wandering, we returned to our
old neighberhood, and looked shout for q
settled residence. One day, while walk
ing down q well remembered street, we
were struck with the appearance Of q
large handsome corner house, where we
recollected perfectly, only year or two
before, had been a greengrocer's shop.
We stopped and asked deferential cross
ing-sweeper how that imposing edifce
had grown there, and were told that the
shop had been burned down with every
thing in it, and this house built on it's
ruins.
We were concerned to hear such o mel
ancholy account, having known the green,
grocer well, and we ixqnired anxiously If
there had been any loss Of life. "Tr0th, my
lady, and there was" said our glib inform
ant-Irish, Of cOurse-"for the masther
Weakened in the night and sr1elled the fire !:
and he reused the wife, who had a young
baby, and babe her wrap In blanket, and
take the wee thing and go straight down
through the door, for the fire was in a
room above: and he rushed up TO save the
other childer, aud he did it, and got them
all safe out ON the roof Of the next house,
and 50 down into the street but when he
came TO look for the mistress, faith! she
was nowhere TO be found and boy that
was standing by, frind Of my own, tould
me that he saw her, from q back yard,
stand at the window, and then turn as
though 70 come down the stairs-and she
had q sheet wrapped around her, and the
baby In her arms under the sheet; but
why she stopped so long, and why she
looked out O. window, and why she niver
larnt, for the roof fell in and none burst
90 near the flames; and, shure enough,
next day they found her, and the bit Of a
baby In her arms still; and whether she
stayed TO gather up her tIinkets and such
like, or her sinses forsook her, or the
smoke choked her, not living crater car
tell, for the sowl went out of her poor
body and river came back to tell us the
rason, and Thank We kindly, my lady.
Shocked and distressed at the sad ending
of the poor woman, and anxious to escape
minute details, we abruptly left the Irish
sweeper, and went our way. remem
bered the poor greengrOcer's wife very
we'll, and had often remarked that hel
gooseberries were the driest and
wholesomest, her raspberries lest mashed
her strawberries the least suspicious look
ing of any fruiterer's in that district.
Well, In the end, we took that very
house. 1t was then autumn and there We
remained the winter. spring, summer, and
autumn again; and then came that terrible
hard winter Of 1867. As the frost In.
creased, we found the cold Of our bed
rooms impossible to bear 80 my sister and
! agreed to occupy one large room with q
southern aspect, and keep q fire in II con.
stantly The first night that this arrange
mcnt was put in practice, we went up
stairs at our usual time, shout twelve
o'clock. Our bedroom was over the
drawing room floor, and there were other
rooms above, where the servants slept
The staircase window on the second floor
was exactly opposite our door, on the
curve of the upper stair, which formed q
small landing. We found our fire burning
brightly, and while my sister stirred anf
heapcd 1t with Goals, put down what
was carrying and went back to shut tn
door. But, Instead Of shutting it, stood
holding the handle, staring into the dark
ness outside, speechless, motionless, con
sciOus of nothing but an unutterable nor
ror; my eyes fixed upon an object not two
yards distant, whose appearance alone
without any other reasoning, witnessed
that it was no inhabitant Of earth isg
On the top stair of the fight that led to
the upper window stood the figure Of 8
woman, wrapped from head to foot in q
thick white covering; rounded and bulky
about the shoulders and arms, as if hold
ing child or bundle; tapering towards
the feet, as If but slenderly clothed; ev,
cry fold, every wrinkle, every curve Of
the limbs as distinct a. we see them in
each other under strong light. But the
browning horror was this through this
perfectly formed and apparently solid fig
ure distinctly saw the staircase window
the opposite wall, the faint light coming
from outside--all = plainly visible as 4
nothing stood between them and me; and
vet there was woman, tall, broad, snvel
oped in thick covering, and placed In I
position which ought TO havo scrsened