The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1874-01-22

pretty 1yoong maid.servant sent: 70,
them, knowing very we'll that tho Rirl
must walk one'way alone, and that, ii
there is aoy danger At oil, q young
woman Of twenty is more 10 the way Of
1t, than one who might be her mother.
l remember going to the door to look
out, and protesting that I was not tho
least nervous-nor was /. I know all
the roads As we'll as l knew my own gar.
den, and everybody round about knew
me-: The way was not at all lonely.
To be sure, there we're not many peo.
pie walking about but then there were
houses oil along-and lastly, a it was
light as day. The moon was shining
in that lavish sort Of way which she
only has when she is at the full. The
houses amid their trees stood whitened
over, held fast by the light, as it we're,
as theawedd1ng-guest was held by the
eye of the Ancient Mariner. The snad.
o~s we're Is black 40 the light was
white. There was = certain solemoits
about it, so full OF light, and yet so
colorless. After I had left the house,
and had come out-1 and my shadow
into the full Wilderness, it made an
impression upon me which I could
scarcely resist. 1la< first idea when i
glanced back was that my own shadow
was some one stealing after mo. That
gave me shake for q moment, though
I laughed At myself: The lights If
the "Barleymow" neatralized: this
solemn feeling, and I went on, 'think-
ing:to myself what q good story it
"ouldsOe for my neighbors-my own
shadow III did not cross the Green, as
1 generally did, partly from a vague
feeiing that, though it was 80 light and
SO safe. there was certain company in
being close: to tho otbeasea-not that l
vas tho least afraid, or that, indeed,
there was any occasion to fear, but just
for oonp'ny's sake. BY this time, i
thin X it must have been very nearly
eleven O'clock, which is a late. hour for
Dinele6eld. All the houses seemed
shut up for the night. Looking up
the Green, the effect of the sleeping
place, with the moon shining on the
pale gables and ends OF houses, and all
the trees in black, and: the white
stretch Of space :iu the centre, looking
as if it had been clean swept by tho
moonlight of every obstacle, had the
straugest effect. I was not in the least
afraid. What should b. afraid Of, so
close to my own door? But still I felt
little shiver run over me..a something
involuntary, which I could not help,
like that little thrill Of the nerves,
which makes people say that some one
is walking over your grave. ;.
= Aad5aE at onoe in tho great .s.;slnesl
and quiet heard a sound quite near
It was very soft At first, not much
louder than q sigh I hurried on for a
few steps frightened, 1 could not tell
why, and then, disgusted with myself,
l stopped to listen. Yes, now it came
again, louder this time; and then
turned round to look where it came
from. It was the sound OF some one
moaning either 10 sorrow or io pain: a
soft interrupted moan, now and then
stopping short with kind Of sob. My
heart began to beat, but I said to my
self, it is some one in trouble, and
can't run away. The sound came from,
the side Of East Cottage, just where
the little railing in front ended; and,
after long look, I bsgso to see that
there was some ono there. What /
made out was the outline Of . figure
seated on the ground, with knees
drawn up, and looking 50 thin tha,
they almost came to = point: It va.
straight up against tue railing, aud SC
overshadowed by the lilao.bushes tha,
the outline of the knees, black, but
whitened over as it were with a sprink.
ling Of snow or silver, was all that
could be made out. It was like some.
thing dinly seen in picture, not like
flesh and blood. 1t gave me the strang.
est sensation to see this something,
this shrouded semblanoe of human
figure, At MI. Rein hardt's door. Al
the stories that had been told of him
came back to my mind. His wife
would have kept the recollection out Of
my mind if l could, but it came with
out any will Of mine. I turned and
went on a. fast a. ever I. could.
should have run like frightened child
had I followed my own instructive
feeling. My heart beat, my feet rang
upon tho gravel aud then l stopped
short, hating myself. How silly and
weak I was! 1t might be some pool
creature, some tramp or wandering
wretch, who had sunk down there il
sickness or weariness, while I in my
oowardioe passed by on the other side
frightened lest it should be . ghost.
do not know to this day how it va.
that forced myself to turn and. g
back, but did. Oh what : moan.
ing, wailing sound it was; not loud,
but the very cry of desolation. l fell
as went, though my heart beat so,
that such a moaning could only come
from ! living creature, one who had
body full Of: weariness and pain, d
we'll as = suffering soul. H.
/ went back and went up to the
thing With those sharp.pointed knees