The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1872-04-19

drawing on when they started. 1t was
a long, toiling walk up Pacific street !;
and then, taking winding path over
the brow of the hill, and descending Il
little on the side that fronts the Golden
Gate, they stood before the cottage. 1t
was IA little one story place, with "a gar
den in front full of rank, overgrown
geraniums and trailing Australian vines
struggling on either side the straight
and eedy path.
"This can all be done up nicely, you
know" said Mr.. Harley, cheerfully.
"There was no time for il before you
came in. 1t has been empty and neg
lected for so long that it looks rather
wild"
Mrs. Adds answered in the same
cheerful spirits; she was so grateful to
them that she would not show any re-
gret. But as she was crossing the porch
10 enter the doorway, a shivering chill
struck her that it was impossible TO de-
scribe or account for. The house was
not dark. Those kind friends had had
it lighted lamp burned on the table !;
"A fire blazed in the open crate; what
could have given that shuddering chill
The children, however, made amends
for her silence; for they were loud in
their delighted comments on the new
house, and their surprise at it, odd fur
niture.
The room was small square apart
ment, with an open CRATE and front
and back window. Its floor was covered
with checked mating, and there were
two or three curiously- colored rugs laid
over it. Besides scarlet sofa and two
large chairs, much worn and faded, were
some tiny Chinese tables, and little
cabinet placed on one o. them. To the
right door opened into a smaller room,
containing only a bed and an old walnut
clothes press. Out of that was larger
room built sideways and in the shape of
letter l.; it had two French windows
and a cheerful lookout citywards. A
small kitchen completed the house.
Being night, it looks a little dull, 4"
observed Mr.. Evans, as they went
through the rooms, land smells earthly
e but that's owing to its having been shut
up so long"
1t did smell earthly. The very ali
| seemed close and heavy, and Mrs. Adds
thought it might be that which caused
!, her strange oppression Of spirit Every.
thing needed for their comfort was al
hand, and the gentlemen departed
leaving grateful hearts behind them.
= The days went on, and the feeling Of
oppression, as Mrs. Adds expressed it
t wore lighter by degrees; but She al7ay.
] had = sense of it more or less. Only
when she was ut work she did not sc
- much feel it, Her kind friends had ex
erted themselves to get her plenty O
t work. 1t was hard at first, but she haC
4 help, and got reconciled to ii. This
little room leading off the parlor was
e made a playroom for her children i
a was lined with scarlet chintz. Tn,
/ large, curiously-shaped room was made
4 the bed chamber.
h. So she worked, and prospered, anc
t began to put by nice little sum every
month toward repaying Mr.. Evans anC
d the other gentleman what they had ad
/ vanced her. Her expenses were no
e large. The rent of the house was re
markably low, and she sometimes won
+. dered at it, hoping that Mr.. Evans wa
4 not paying part Of it himself in secret
Y He said he was not, but she could no
! help fearing it. They had no nea
neighbors but farther down toward tn,
! Laguna was a settlement of Spanish
o people, whose children would come III
. and peep curiously through the garden
rails. That their house had been in
I habited by Spaniards, who must hav,
p Quilted il in a hurry, was evident, fo
e the furniture wa. all Spanish.
. When it first was, Mrs. Adds coulC
/ never distinctly trace or recollect, tina
+. she heard her children allude e
l some one they called "the lady She
| grew accustomed TO hear them talk Of
e her, but when she at length asked an ex
p.anational of who the lady was, Their,
2 seemed to be some mystery in the an
5 swers. The children only saw the lady
t at memens," they said; they would
look up from their play and see her 10y
2 them, and when they looked again she {
be gone, they did not know where.
, " Does she come into the garden
Nancy ~ asked Mrs. Adds of her eldes
, girl, a most intelligent child.
| She comes indoors as well, mamma.
} "Comes indoors as well! What doe,
; she say?'
"She never speaks at ALL" wa
Nancy's answer. Mamma, she jus
= comes aud goes like the shadow in tn,
= garden"
This was very strange. That it wa
3 some person from the Spanish settle
ment at the Laguna who came up t.
r indulge her curiosity, Mrs. Adds fell
, sure of. The next leisure hour she hac
3 she walked out that way, taking Nancy
and bidding her point out the lady i
} she saw her. Mrs. Adds did not alto
+. gether like the idea of stranger
D entering her home at will without ask
$ ing leave.
s 1t was bright sunshiny afternoon
a and all the Spanish people seemed to b,
e outside their cluster of huts enjoyin;
e it. The women were sewing, the chill
/ dren playing. Mrs. Adds walked along
exchanging pleasant looks and nod
r with these people, as is the custom il
Y an unsophisticated place like San Fran
/ cisco, and they nodded and smiled bacl
r again.
. " Do you see the lady, Nancy" sh
;. asked in low tone.
b, 4" No, mamma, | can't see her any
e where"
I All at once, as it were, Mrs. Adds be