The Republican journal., 1872-10-17

acter. But since the night of the Halloween
mystery, she had seemed drearv and pre-
occupied and although she never referred
to it again in my presence, seeming to
avoid the subject, still felt sure that she
brooded over it. Meditating thus, stroll
ed back to my room, and was putting the
finishing touch to my coffure, when Kittv's
voice started me from my revery
She burst into my room, dragging Chris
sic fairly off her feet, and, closing the
door, clasped my waist. and whring me
aboutthe room, exclaimed, 30 Aunt Jean,
Aunt Jean, isn't it grand-Im so happy
so happy" When recovered my breath
| held the crazy witch fast, and said
"Child what possesses you-what is
the matter?"
"Oh, do sit down here and I'll tell YOU
all about it. Chris, come here and hold
her other hand You see, Auntie Mr.. Dick
would come with us. and kept asking me
about Chrssie all the way; and when we
got to the house and they We're introduced,
they acted so funny was completely puz-
zled. Chlissie kept turning red and white
and Mr.. Dick looked at her in Il kind of
daze 1t was Il case Of love at first sight.
so Rollie and | considered it best to let
him escort her. (profound Kitty y land
they walked Just ahead OF us. Wen, as we
were coming up the avenue-suddenly
Mr. Dick said BY Jove' again just as he
| did this afternoon, you remember; and
was about to reioin him, when he added,
| Il have It'll it, and looked so straight
at Chrissie that she dropped her head on
his arm and was sure he must be mad to
make love so violently. OF course we ask
ed him what he had q privately suspect
| ed it was Chrissie's handD, and then he
said about n month ago he was riding
| across the country near here, and on Il
| strange road he lost his way. 1t was verv
late, nearly midnight, so he resolved to
| stop at the first house where he saw II light
and ask shelter or further direction. Soon
he came upon a large building, and in Il
small one close by was pale light. Ty-
ing his horse. he hurried toward it, and
seeing the door slightly aiar. was about
to enter, when he saw the figure OF Il wo-
man with long golden hair, seated before
u table with her back TO him. At first he
| thought she was praying; but, with his
usual love of adventure, he determined
| to see her face SO he stepped nolselessly
| behind her and saw that she was before Il
mirror. That moment she raised her eyes
SUCH heavenly eyes he sai,i-;,n,i iouk-
ed ut his face in the glass, peering from
behind the golden veil of her beautiful
| hair; and as she looked. not Il sound came
| from her, but every trace Of color died
out of her face, leaving it like marDlc
and fearing to trighten her more, he cave
i reassuring smile, and quietly withdrew
as he came Until he was fairly in his sad
| die again and some distance on. he did
not once think of his elrand, so enraptur-
I,.l .I n, l
he rode on until he came to 4 village anu
finding hotel, stopped long enough for
4 few hours rest. and was off at dawn
Since that time those eyes have followed
him in dreams, and come between him
and all duty"
80 Kitty, DON'T" pleaded Christabel rs
| she hid her face in my lap.
"Whv, darling, I'm Just repeating his
own words, only | can't tell II rs splendid
| ly Us he did Well any way, he never
thought about the locality when Roland
asked him to come here; and 50 when he
came on Chrissie this afternoon. her face
| seemed like a dream to him, and he could
not help that exclamation. Still he wasn't
at all sure about her; yet when he saw her
again by lamplight, the resemblance was
startling. But he thought it must be his
he looked up suddenly toward the house.
and it all il.ahed across his mind in i mo-
ment-the large building looming ont of
the darkness and the smaller one with
| light moving about in it-ior | suppose
some Of the folks are proving around
Chrissic made us hurry into the house,
| but promised she would explain her part
to him by and by and | think it would be
so romantic if she would only go out into
the old study with him, and tell him all
about it there. Isn't it splendid to think it
was all true, after all, Aunt jean and
Kitty paused quite out of breath. For
answer | raised Chrissie's face and head
between my two palms, while | asked,
''And what does my Chrstabel say to all
this ? Did she recognize her midnight low
er this afternoon ?"
yes, Auntie," she responded in low
tone, II knew the face the moment | saw
| it, but I dared not say word. | knew
you would all quiz me so and it all SEEM
! ed so mysterious till he explained it. But
| it seems us though | must have known
| him all this time
"Well. my darling, | hope it will all
come right" hardly know what to say
But had an uncomfortable sense that
| things were settled in one direction al
ready. Chrissie had new shyness and
seemed reluctant yet anxious to 90 down
stairs. As we entered the parlor, | saw
our little romance was still secret among
us five, and would remain so. During a
pause in the games Chrlsse whispered
! quietly to me, "Aunte, Mr.. Delamorc is
! impatient to have me keep my promise,
and Kitty has put it into his head that the
| story must be told in that very room.
haye agreed. if Kitty and Mr.. Hayden
and yourself will 90 with rs"
$50 into the library, dears, all of YOU,
and stay till can slip away unperceived."
Which | soon did, and in solemn file,
with triumphal torches, we marched down
| the corridor into the grim, musty little
study, where we received chrism Of cob
web by way of baptism in this new lovers
bower. Rollie perched on the desk, Dick
leaned near him, and Kitty nestled in my
lap, while Christabel stammered out the
story of her ordeal, which the irrever-
ent Rolle received with shout of amuse-
ment. But the delighted hero looked as
though he would like, then and there, to
assure her of the faithtuness of the
prophecy. Kitty suddenly sprang from
nv knee, exclaiming:
"There I've been wondering how that
door came to be open. | remember now
that was the way | came in to bring the
mirror, for | had horror of that pokey
old passage"
Things were getting a little awkward,
and proposed a return to the plrlor lest
we should be missed, unanimously
leading the procession this time.
With a wooing SO mystcriously and ro-
mantically begun, can you doubt the Sc
quel? Mr.. Dick found my old home very
attractive long after the family dispersed,
and the 'strange road" becamea highway
to happiness with him. This is an age of
progress. The wooing sped SO we'll that
| placed June roses in my cap for the
double wedding, for willful Kitty deter
mined to have things her own way. We
fitted up the old study as a little chapel,
and the dainty brides made dainty wives
where Chrissie met her fate.
SUDDEN AND SINGULAR DEATH. Mr..