Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1874-02-25
lay helpless in dumb, bewildered hor.

"Again !" she said hoarsely, as the
sounds died away into indistinct muir.
murs, and advancing a step she tapped
sharply with crutch on the cedar
wainscot then again louder and more
purposeful rose the wild, beseechiDg
voice this time the words were English.
"Mercy, have mercy not on me but
on my child, my little one; she never
never harmed you. She is dying-she
is dying here in darkness let me but
see her face once more. Death is very
near, nothing can save her now; but
grant one ray of light, and l will pray
that you may be forgiven, if forgive.
ness there be for such as You"
"What, You kneel at last Kneel to
Gerda, and kneel in vain. A ray oi
light? Not if you could pay for it In
diamonds. You are minel Shrek and
call as you will, no other ears can hear.
Die together. You are mine to torture
as will, mine, mine, mine and again
an awful laugh rang through the room.
At the instant she turned. o, the face
of malign horror that met my gaze
The green eyes famed, and with some
thing like the snarl of savage beast
she sprang towards me-; that hideous
face almost touched mine the grasp oi
the skinny jeweled hand was all but
on me; then-I suppose tainted.
For weeks / lay in brain fever, in
mental horror and WEAKNESS so intent,
that even now do not like to let my
mind dwell on it. Even when the crisis
was safely passed | was slow to rally
my mind was utterly unstrung. / lived
in a world of shadows. And so winter
wore by, and brought us to the fair
spring morning when at last l stood by
Roberts side in the old church a cold,
passive, almost unwilling bride.
cared neither to refuse, nor consent to
anything that was suggested; so Robert
and Archie decided for me, and / al
lowed them to do with me as they
would, while / brOoded silently and
ceaselessly on the memory of that
terrible night. To my husband 1 told
all one morning in sunny Bavarian
valley, and my weak, frightened mind
drew strength and peace from his F.; by
degrees the haunting horror wore away,
u
reason, nearly two years afterwards,
was as strong and blithe as in my girl
hood. had learned to believe that it
had all been, not the cause, but the
commencement of my fever. / was TO
be undeceiyed.
Our little daughter had come to us
in the time of roses and now Christ
OF
home, and the house was full of guests.
1t was a delicious old-fashioned Yule
plenty OF skating and outdoor fun, and
no lack of brightness indoors. Towards
New Year a heavy fall of snow set in
which kept us all prisoners but even
then the days flew meIrily, and some
body suggested tableaux for the even
ings. Robert was elected manager
there was a debate and selection of
subjects, and then came the puzzle of
where, at such short notice, we could
procure the dresses required. My hus-
band advised a raid on some mysterious
oaken chests which he knew had been
for years slowed away in a turret-room.
He remembered having, when a boy.
seen the housekeeper inspecting them,
and their contents had left hazy i'm
preston of old stand-alone brocades,
gold-tissues, sacques, hoops, and hoods,
the very mention of which put us in a
state of wild excitement Mrs. Moultrie
was summoned, looking duly Mortified
at the desecration of what to her were
relics the most sacred, but seeing it was
inevitable, she marshalled the way, a
protest in every rustic and fold OF her
stiff silk dress.
"What a charming old place." was
the exclamation with variations as We
entered the long joisted room, at the
further end of which stood in goodly
array the chests whose contents we
coveted. Bristling with unspoken dis
poor Mrs. Moultrie unlocked
one after another, and then asked per-
mission to retire, leaving us unchecked
to "cry havock." In a moment the
floor was covered with piles of silks and
velvets.
"Meg," cried little Janet Crawford,
dancing up to me, isn't it good thing
to live in the age of tulle and summer
silks? Fancy being imprisoned for life
in fortress like this !" holding up a
thick crimson and gold brocade, whale
boned and buckramed at all points. 1t
was thrown aside, and she half lost
herself in another chest and was silent.
Then-.Look, Major Fraude This is
the very thing for you-a true astrolo-
gers robe, all black velvet and golden
stars, if it were but long enough; it
just fits me-"
turned and saw-the pretty slight
figure, the innocent girlish face dressed
in the robe of black and gold, identical
in shape, pattern and material with
what / too well remembered. With a
wild cry 1 hid my face and covered
away.
"Take it off, o, Janet-Robert-
take it from her !"
Every one turned, wondering. In an
instant my husband saw, and, catching
up the cause of my terror, flung it
hastily into the chest again, and lowered
the lid. Janet looked half offended,
but the cloud passed in an instant when
| kissed her, apologizing as well as l
could. Bob laughed at us both, and
Noleu al dulOuIuutul W Il Ninci
room, where we could have the chests
brought to us to ransack at leisure.
Before going down Janet and l went
into a small ante-room to examine some
old pictures which leant against the
wall.
"This is Just the thing, Jennie, to
frame the tableaux," said, pointing to
an immense frame at least twelve feet
square. "There is picture in it, l
added, pulling back the dusty folds OF
a heavy curtain which fell before it.
"That can be easily removed" said
nv husband, who had followed u.s.
With his assistance we drew the cur
tain quite away, and in the now fast
waning light could just discern the
figure of girl in white against a dark
back ground. Robert rang for lamp,
and when it came we turned with much
curiosity to examine the painting, as to
the subject of which we had been max
ing odd merry guesses while We waited.
The girl was young-almost childish
very lovely, but o, how sad F.! Great