Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1873-09-30


When l pulled the bell and glanced
at the forbidding closed blinds, l
really did wish that / had never
thought of teaching. The door
was opened presently, and Mrs.
Irving welcomed me to my new
home.
"I think / shall like to have you
here, she said, lit has been so very
lonely here since my niece married
and went away. My husband is
absent so much that feel indeed
alone
"'There is, they say, "a skeleton
in every house, but really / can't
find any here said that night, as
| sought my pillow.
'IIer table was certainly worthy
of the acceptance of a king, and
all the furniture of the house was
beautiful, enjoyable, and cheerful.
"The next morning, as / came
down to breakfast, Mrs. Irving in
troduccd me to an old gentleman.
"'You will find my Uncle Grey
rather eccentric she said, as she
led me away to the farther part of
the room; but l am sure you will
not notice it too closely. He was
disappointed in marriage, and, con-
sequently, women are not liked by
him very we'll
GAS we seated ourselves at the
table, | saw that he had once been
very Hercules in size and strength,
and that even now he seemed pos
sessed of wonderful physical pow
ers. knew not why, but | felt a
strange dread of him, for there was
something in his dark, piercing
eyes that spoke Of the fire of in
sanity. Upon inquiry, l learned
that he had been insane. After
that morning, however, he seemed
to ignore my presence. Tie was a
very quiet man, and as he seldom
spoke to any one, and often remain
ed in his own room for days at q
time, I soon ceased to think Of him.
"Out, InutnluS, 'S' l'''o.5Su. s''iO a.
! the hall, on my way to school, l
heard Mrs. Irving's voice in the sit
ting room. was about to bid her
'good-morning,' as was my usual
custom, when | heard her exclaim:
"'Oh, Arthur! you are the last
man / expected to see to-day, and
you know you are the best boy in
the world to give me such glad
SURPRISE
waited to hear no more, for |
knew by those words that Arthur
Marlton, her nephew, had returned
from Europe. Scholastic duties
detained me until q late hour that
day, and it was evening before /
was introduced to Mr.. Marlton.-I
The hours seemed to glide away
like moments as we listened to his
experience in the Old World, and
it was late before we retired. AS
reached the landing at the head of
the stairs, my light, by a draft of
wind from some direction, was blown
out. / gained my room in the
dark; just as / was about to enter
a cold hand was pressed against
mine, and fierce whisper seemed
to come from above:
"'Dare to make him love you, and
l will kill your
"The darkness was so intense that
could see nothing; but / burst
open the door, entered, and locked
myself in my room. l was almost
dead with fright, but l re-lighted
my lamp as quickly as possible.
"'What could it have meant 2 /
questioned. | knew that l was the
only inmate of that part of the
house, and l tried to persuade my
self that it was a dream. Still, the
pressure on my hand seemed so
real. All night long the terrible
whisper rang in my ears, and /
slept little.
"The next morning Mrs. Irving
me about my heavy eyes,
asking if / were i'll.
"'Only headache | replied, and
looked at her uncle. But Major
Grey quietly slipped his coffee, as if
he had not regard for anything
else in the world, and the more l
thought of it, the moro | reflected
that must have been deceived.
"Arthur and / soon became warm
friends. i could see that Mrs. Irv-
ing was pleased. Every day she
became more thoughtful of my
wants. and | could not help wishing