The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1874-10-08

blight had passed over it. 1t had long
passed its blossomng. and was in that
dark green, rather dusty condition which
city vines assume when the summer has
/ ne.rly gone 1t did look faded and broken.
Pephaps some animal had run across it,
and here and there had twisted off a leaf
or a tendriI
Going upstairs, | went to my closet tor
the key OF Mr.. Ayscough's room, and as |
did 50, | noticed that the queer little en-
broidered slipper was gone In a moment,
all my superstitious terror came back up
on me-
As entered Mr.. Ayscough's room,
where the portrait hung | was struck by
sense OF something wrong, | know not
what. Here was the portrait, and the
handsome ornaments OF the room were
untouched. | looked in vain for some
proof OF disorder. | soon found it. The
wrltlng-table was opened paper spread
about, and pen with fresh ink in it was
lying on the silver lnkstandl
AS ! stood gazing at this ineXplicable
thing a door swung to and startled me
from my stupor. | went to the inner room
through the linen-closet As did so, the
door leading to the garret gently moved.
Is ii by an invisible hand | had never
noticed or thought Of this door before, nor
had | ascended to those garnet rooms
since Mrs. Morton had taken me thither
on the fiji st day OF my arrival
A sense OF infinite horror took possess.
sion OF my soul. | was then in the land of
spirits The dead Gertrude did haunt
these rooms consecrated to her 1t was
her pleasure TO come back, write at her
table, even arr nge the cast-otf garments
she had worn, to use the perfumes she had
loved in her lite-perhaps to 90 up into
that play-room where she had p'ayed as a
child, aud whittier would follow her.
| was lifted out of myself. | went on,
| knew not how, up the garret stairs; nor
was | much astonished when | found on
the topmost landing the little embroider-
cd, spangled slipper which | had missed
from my closet shelf.
went on toward the pleasant bedroom
which was curtained by the wisteria vine
and looked in. There she lay, the golden
haired Gertrude of the picture, sleeping
on the bed in the corner. This was no
trick OF the imagination, for ON one foot
was the companion slipper to the one
held in my hand Her breathing was reg
ular and soft, and the color of youth and
health was on her cheek and lip Fear
seemed to depart out of me. | approach
ed and took hold OF the hand which lay
outside the light coverid. No sooner had
! touched it than it grasped mine like a
wise. This being ghost OF live woman,
started up and held me fast.
"Who and what are you ?' sad /.
"A woman, like yourself, answered the
ghost "Have pity on me"
And why are you here-what does it
mean -
ADO not look so frightened" " said She
''l like you very much you and | have
lived together.all summer have heard
you talk with Mr.. Ayscough | know |
frightened YOU about the ghosl. found
ont the first night We came here how
much looked like the picture Of the dead
lady, and | have copied her dress so that
could use the likeness to the best advan-
tage if ever ! should be caught But |
have oversight myself and have been
caught at last 1t does not much matter
| am sick. | shall not last long Butt
must co. 1T is almost time ior rehersal
| Ferdinand is waiting for me Let me 90.
| How could | grow 50 careless.
| LET YOU 90, said | ''out of this house,
! Never Burglar y thief know not
what Y
no. neither. Come with me to MIR
/ Avscough's rooms Every level every
bit of silver is safe. | have taken nothing
but some paper, and that is all here You
shall have it, but YOU must let me 90, We
are the acrobats you have often been to
see. would hear arrange in the morn
ing with your nephew to come and see
us in the evening. Then would look
for Your GOOD, kind ewes and gray
hair in the audience, and | would think
/ 'She little knows how intimate we are,
and | would laugh at the thought Now
| come ana see that am no thief. and then
| let me 20 -
| 50 she took me down unresistinglv to
the lower rooms Possessing herself of
the keys she unlocked the trunks and
showed me the sparkling diamonds, the
pearls, the silver which We're indeed all
there intact She then looked longingly
! in the other trunks. "Ah - said she, II
do love luxury | wish could take some
| of these dresses But no; | am no vulgar
| thefni
How did YOU get in this house, at
| last ! found voice to say:
"Oh, we climbed by the Wisteria vine
1t was nothing to us; we often live in de
serted houses in summer; a fortress is no
stronger than its weakest point. We are
acrobats we 60 over roofs, up vines, into
windows easily; but must 90. You will
find a little place under the fence where
we have removed board At nighttall
we would creep in, and then ascend the
! vine. We always went out at the front
| door when possible, and that was often,
4 aS tn y1ral l. bi1t iO
| the dinng-room, or library We know
how to watch our chance, both within and
without Never was a city house so shell
| tered from outside observation as this
YOU have no neighbors in the intrusive
| sense. We have untastened window or
two out of which we could always drop
into the garden. You have been placid
and kindly hostess to two people who love
diablerie; believe me, madame, we could
have frightened you out of your wits "
She darted up stairs and returned like
| lightning, went to MIR. Ayscough's table
and gathered some more sheets of paper
rolled them rapidly together, took one OF
my marble hands, and pressing it kindly,
| slipped out of the door.
Yes, | let her 60 | was powerless.
| Down the front staircase, out of that hand
some, respectable house she went, and
had promised to protect it Two tumblers
| - acrobats--gymnaStS- thieves, murder
ers, burglars, tor aught knew, had been
telloW-lnmates with me, and had let one
OF them goa pretty protcctrcss [! can
not remember how | did it, but | know |
wrote telegram to Mr. Ayscough and
sent Nancy for the doctor. know | wrote
! also letter. for it is before me
MIR. AYsCoUGH. Yesterday in visiting your
apartment | became convinced that some in
truder mad been meddling with your inkstand.
| VIII confess toyou that have been the victim
OF superstitlons fears, and that believed once
that saw the ghost OF your wife was weak
enough TO feel these fears come over me again.
| AS searched about the rooms, half in terror,
| observed the little garret door swing gently
| OPEN ascended to find a woman sleeping in
the nursery bed. 50 astonishing was the like
ness 10 Gertrnde's picture, that still believed
| ! saw a wrath
81 took the hand. however, of a live woman.
| It was the , acrobat Rosalind, now performing at
| Blakeiy Iheater. She and her husband having
! gained access to the garnet rooms in the early