The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1873-04-17

.IE| .tt-s:st
sod"mott reasonable Of women, but iii,
fever seemed 70 h.ve quit. upse. b.r
spirits snd made her At times . little
stspFisiquss. l'es o4ii s:1,.2s ,.i,.y ..:, /
a. scarcely sxpeeted thes reality TO
equal tho d description given in the pa.
Peg, but 3 4 When cur e.rri.ge: stopped At
she narnnber rn1t We had given tho, coach
man, "e found it to be a really sp]en-
did house, With lovely little parterre
and fountain in front, and handsome
mesale vestibole aud ornamental inner
doors. -,
An odd looking young girl with iuky
black eyes and oolorlsss sort Of face
opened the door. She vas dressed as
. common servant, and had a peculiar
y risky, oomioal sir about her with
whioh her serious eyes aud pall.d face
eontrasted strangely.
/: George asked her if We could see Tie
house, and she said she could call Mis-
Van Artlaudt, and disappeared, leaving
% 10 the hall.
We did net have to wait long before
pretty, but sad looking young lady
appeared and received US politely. She
- 80 very sileot, answering ~ whatever
she could By . simple inclination of the
head, but her manner, was sufficiently
courteous, and No did not pay much It.
.ention to her, as our interest was
more in tho house than in her.
The farniture was handsome, and in
good taste, and tho. rooms wore lofty
aud sp.eious; everything &as we'll .p.
pointed and veil kept, but an :sirless,
depressing sort Of feeling began to steal
over us q ~ passed from room 70 room,
and I loeked rouad, really. anxious to
find some fault in the arrangements by
which TO seeopas for the growing aver.
sion, but everything = ~. provokinplJ
complete, and there wasn't defect that
vs could mention. -.
When ~ returned to the :p.rlor,
! Bertha stood still in tho middle Of th,
floor and tried to trace the pattern of
the handeome carpet with the end Of
her parasol. J.: ."':
'tMeli, dear, what do you think p
asked George while the silent young
lady vino had followed Us around With
an. eager look, IS if she VAS waiting
snx;eusly for our deoision, stepped- to.
ward the: window to: raise the curtain.
|"Why, zther, are 80. e.oy family por-
traits that the rooms seem quite, peo.
pied with them," whispered Bertha,
aod she: glanced toward TWO tull-iebgth
pictures 90 either side the handsome
msntel mirror. H.:
They were the only portraits in the
room, smaller copies Of them adorned
the large chamber overhead and medal.
lions Of the same faces hang in the din.
ing-reon. They, ysre not remarkable,
exeept that the isd,'s taee Was hand
some Jet eueeing boz: 6gars curved .
little, and her face wore emile Of suob
subtle character, that: it seemed rs if
she we're bending forward with secret
she meant to whisper.
Miss Van Artlandt came back from
the window and resumed her place be.
side us with 40 expeo.ant air.
! "Well," began George again, with q
strong demonstration of oheerfalness,
eve have seen the house, and it only
remains for you ladies to decide."
"Oh, am quite satisfied" said Bsr.
tha with an air of misgiving, "but per.
haps W had better"
"Certsioly," said George, "the terms,
L had almost forgotten very importan,
item-the terms" :. .. -,
ss He looked toward Misi Van Artlaud,
iaqulringly, and hesitsted. >>= %.
IF yon will favor me with. the id.
dress Of your agent" he suggested. Ber'
TIA and Izwalked away and tegso to
;exsmine the view: Of the back windows
Ejust awe heard the young lady say:
l. II transact: all business connected
with my property myself. = Lam .lon.
in tho world, unfortunately, and Obliged
TO- attend to my own interests::''
'"What An odd young person." whis'
pered Bertha ."Oh, Mary, how thai
woman ID the portrait seems. to follow
one With her eyes. lam 30 glad thai
George understood my look. Their.
seems to boa mysterious influence about
this place. / think it must be tha
{picturs:''' ...-sEE.,.- = ~.
H. We affected to be- eneased IN look
ing out ofthe bsct window, aud Georg'
talked to the young lady !; by and b,
hs: came over to us With . Satisfied air
aud said, "Nowthen if you ore ready
am quite At your SERVICE" and SO v.
bowed to Miss Van Artlaudt, and 20
ling out into the hall found the odd
looking maid waiting to open the doc,
for ~. When .we got into the csrrisgt
Bertha drew long breath
"Isam 20 glad that had the fore
thought to make the arrangement did
Gsorge dear" shs said, II could no'
bear to NY anything against the house
before that young lady, but it really il
sepnlchtal, and those pictures seem t
tabsorb the whole roou.'