The St. Cloud journal., 1871-10-26

hrst as an exquisite bliss, then as an
inefable terror, which now had van
ished away, and accommodating,
"They are gazing still, Isbel."
"Who, and where?" For I had quite
forgotten what he said about the poop 9
staring at me.
"And there is Colonel Hart. He sees
US. Shall beckon 2"
"As you will"
Colonel Hart came up into our box.
He shook hands with my husband,
bowed to me, then looked round, half.
curiously, halfuneasily.
II thought there was a friend with
you."
"None. We have been alone all even.
ing"
"1ndeed How strange
"What! That my wife and 1 should
enjoy a play alone together ?" said
Alexis, smilirg.
Excuse me, but really was sur
prised to find you alone. I have GER
tainly seen for the last half-hour third
person sitting on this chair, between
you both"
We could not help starting; for, as 1
stated before, the chair had, in truth,
been left between us, empty.
"Truly our unkown friend must
have been Invisible. Nonsense, Colo
mel how can you turn Mrs. Saltram pale
by thus peopling with your fancies the
vacant air ?"
II tell you, Alexis" said the Colo
mel Che was my husbands old friend,
and had been present at our hasty and
private marriege), "nothing could be
more unlike fancy, even were l given
to such. 1t was a very remarkable
person who sat here. Even strangers
noticed him."
"Him J" | whispered.
"It was man, then," said my bus
band, rather angrily.
"a very pecuiar-looking, and cx.
tremely handsome man. I saw many
glasses leveled at him."
"What was he like 2" said Alexis.
rather sarcastically. "Did he speak =?
or we to him 2"
':No-neither. He sat quite still, in
the chair"
My husband turned away. IF the
Colonel had not been his friend, and
so very slmp1e-minded, honest, and
sober a gentleman, think Alexis would
have suspected some drunken hoax,
and turned him out of the box immcdi-
ately. As it was, he only said:
"My dear fellow, the third act is
beginning. Come up again at its close,
aud tell me if you again see ny in visible
friend, who must find so great an at
traction in viewing, gratis, dramatic
performance"
III perceive you think it a mere
hallucinatjon of mine. We shall see.
| suspect the trick is on your side, and
that you are harboring some proscrib-
ed Hungarian But In not betray
him. Adieu."
"The ghostly Hungarian shall not
sit next you, love, this time" said
Alexis, trying once more to remove the
chair. But possibly, though he jcsted,
he was slightly nervous, and his efforts
were vain. "What nonsense this is 3;
1sbel, let US forget it. I will stand be.
hind you, and watch the play"
He stood. clasping his hand So.
cretly and hard. Then, l grew quieter
until as the drop-soene iell, the same
cold air swept past u.s. 1t was as il
some one, fresh from the sharp sea-
wind, lad entered the box. And, just
at that moment, We saw Colonel Hart's
end several other glasses leveled as be.
fore.
"It is STRANGE" said Alexis.
"It is horrible" l said. For 1 had
been Graded in Scottish, and then fill.
ed with German superstition ; and my
own life bad been so wild, so strange
that there was nothing too ghastly 0,
terrible for my imagination to conjur<
up.
II will summon the Colonel. W.
must find out this" said my husband
speaking beneath his breath, and look
Ing round, as if he thought he was over
heard.
Colonel Hart came up. He looked
very serious ; 80 did a young man who
was with him.
"Captain Elmore-Mrs. Saltram
Saltram, I have brought my friend here
to attest that l have played of on you
no unworthy jest. Not ten minutes
since he, and |, and some others saw
this same gentleman sitting in thi<
chair"
"Most certainly-in this chair" ad
ded the young captain.
/ My husband bowed he kept cour
teous calmness, but I felt his hand grow
clammy in mine.
"Of what appearance, sir, was the un
known acquaintance of my wife's ant
mine, whom everybody appears to see
| except ourselves 7"