The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1873-04-24

solution could not offer, 80 I became
very much occupied about luuob, ssd
'''ea TO seem as careless and easy Is
could.
l thought good deal about tb.,
fancy of my sisters, and persuaded nv
self to- .be merry over it; at the same
time l became deeply interested in Bah
and made Is many err.nds ss l could
into her kitchen that day. I arranged
series Of surprises by wh,ch to OK
tract Information from her, and beear
at osoe by asking her if she had beer
long in San Francisco.
"A GOOD WHILE" she responded.
"But how lcng?" I repeated.
"Oh, number of years." she said
| "Are your parents living at home p
l asked at that same time, to which she
replied:
II am regular orphan, without 9
living soul to look out for my utter.
ests, yet I've got queer kind Of frieu d,
too." At this she twisted her ooun.
tenance into such an unearthly shape
that the wonder is she ever got it
smoothed out again, and the inquiry
closed for that time, for not anothe.
word could I get from her after that.
Then again asked her if Mr. Van
Artlandt had resembled her pictures
saying that Miss Leonie did not seem
to have her mothers face At all.
"They are so like her that they oau
walk and talk" She said. "She gave
ner mind to having her handsome face
painted over and over again, and SC
she put some Of herself into each pic.
ture."
"Her husband is mild and timid
look'ng," l bioted, afraid to express
surprises, lest that should close be-
confidence. "Hls portrait has notAins
distinctive about it, but her. is tn,
most strongly marked and char.eteris
tic enc ever saw"
| "He had nothing remarkable abou
him, except that he could be shapee
any way you wanted to make him bu
she was wonderful woman, ha, ha
more wonderful than she thought hersel
even"
Bah laughed softly, as if she had
hidden meaning in what sbe aaid-in
deed che always laughed that way
aud after single ha, bs, ha, she woult
clip short her hilarity, like her eonver
sation, so that no one could got an.the,
word or grin out Of her until she had
changed her mood.
Miss Leonie's habit was to 20 to bed
''arly; that is, she retired to her room
within an hour or two after dinner
and as SIZE always led the way to the
library and seemed to aveid the parlor
it had become dlsused apartment.
On tho afternoon of Georges depart
ure Two Of the army ladies' came to call
on US, and stayed chatting pleasantly
until it was nearly twilight, and then
Bertha proposed that We should return
there after dinner, and sit the rest Of
the evening.
1t was short meal and We found
the fading light still lingering when We
took oar plaoes at the window and
looked out toto the empty street. 1t
was not an hour fer business or prom.
enads, everything was still, and Bertha
aud were both unusually silent, till
rousing myself from long fit of mus.
ing, l looked round and found the
room quite dark, and Berth. not in
sight. 1 got up quickly and groped
my way toward were she had been sit.
ting, and as nearly as 1 could judge
had halfway reached her chair when
somebody came between US. could
not tell who it was, or by what means
the figure had got there !; tho only light
the room held was a faint reflection
from the street Ia .'p that struck the
opposite wall where the womau's port.
rait hung, and shed a pale, uncertain
sort Of CLEAN over tho carpet beneath
saw the gildsd frame of tho picture,
but the figure seemed gone, and this
outline Of fern between ny sister and
me gradually assumed its exact appear
ance, cnly while the picture was robed
IN ruby velvet, this seemed clad in q
striped stuff like linen.
This sight traus6xed ne, and stood
rooted to the spot in = bevildered sor,
! Of terror till it passed away 1 cannot
tell how, and I saw Bertha lying on the
csrpet near the window.
This discovery gave me strength to
throw of tho fright, and I had lifted
her up and Carried her out int the
lighted hall before I took time to draw
. full breath.
She was only partially conscious and
seemed incapable Of supporting herself,
50 still half carrying her 1 got her up
iuto her own chamber and laid her on
the bed. 1t Was not 80 dark in that
room, the hall light and tho street lamp
made it sufficiently clear to sec the
objects around, aud went to tho dres.
sing.case to got some matches. The
ornamsnted box that always stood there
was empty, and l ran down. .strairs to
the diaing.room .nd returned Is quick
ly as I possibly could: lighting them
on the box as' came. Just as / reach
ed tho top stair: I heard faint scream
and sa" ny sister come staggering to.
ward me.
(ooscLuDED NEXT wEEk.)
"A young man, . stranger, who 1T.