The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-05-21
AN ECHO OF ECHO.
BY NAV MERFDITH-

H.N' Jan ISe. dere I've been ten
minutes, and no sign of Mr.. Staunt0D
Yer. II he IS not more punctual here
after. shall certainly give up studying
my German with him, much as I love
the language. L shall wait ten minutes
more, and II he does not come by that
time | shall bctBke myself home"
With q gesture of impatience. she
opened the little gold watch which hung
at her waist, and placed it on her Ian
The" TOOK off the wide brimmed hat
which had shaded her brow from tba
summer sun, and threw il On the grass
beside her books already there. Lean
ing her head back upon the coarse trunk
of the tree, and closing her eyes. she
made pretty picture, sitting there so
STILL The breeze whispered through
the soft, green foliage around. sid
PLAYED with the cUrIs on her forehead.
while one stray sunbeam. stealing
through an opening IN the leaves above,
rested with shimmering light on the
wealth OF golden hair, cOiled SO
gracefully round the Acknowledgment
head.
moment more, and she had opened
her eyes, and, with fingers idly towing
with her watch chain. she was sipoing
IN low, sweet voice, the little song We
all know, called "Grandma's Warming
As the last words
eff the boys and the girls had aIwavs been
afraid,
Then grandma herself would have bre1 AN old
maid -
rang out through the silent woods, thew
seemed to be caught up and echoed by
another voice.
Nellie looked to the right hand and 20
the left b5tOre and behind her. and then
with p sudden thought, cast a quick. sIv
glance above. There, high uD in the
huge tree, she caught one glimpse Of q
pair of laughing eyes; but they had not
seen her upward glance, nor suspected
that they themselves had been discav-
cred.
81 wonder whose voice that could
have been, - she said aloud, half RISING.
cit was miserabIy poor imitation Of
an echo, but I shah try TO awaken Il
again.
" II The boys and the girls had always been
Then grandma herself would have been an old
maid
The voice sounded clear end strong
this time, and the echo came once mora
distinct and perfect hUt w.-o expected
that second echo, seeming to come from
the very ground at her feet? Nellie
rose hurriedly,
Indeed. cannot stay alone in such
place. Surely, It is haunted. and by
more than one spirit. mus; away -
She stopped to pick zap her hat. doing
It very deliberately, and keepicg her
back turned towards the SPOT where she
knew Mr., Staunton must descend. A
moment after, his voice sounded close
TO her.
Miss Nellie. good morning. We're
you really frightened by my echoing
your words ?"
. So it was you, was it o. she said.
smiling, and extending her hand
Who would have imagined thnt vou
could so exactly have initiated an
That does NOT accord very well with
what l hesTi you say Just now about
mlserabiy poor imitation; 7 fear Won
are inconsistent.
do not think so; only wanted 70
prove the time-worn prOverb. that lis
teners never bear any good Of them
selves, and to ascertain II YOu were too
far above to hear my words"
So yoU knew ali the time that J was ]
m the tree ?' ne said, just little dis.
. Pontneut lu his tone, 81 hoped TO /
frEhten You.
1ou couldn't have chosen a poorer
way, she answered naivelv, O. for 7 I.
snow every nook and corner of G. csc /
woods, every haunt for miles r0und .
and many q time I've climbed ND This /
very tree, and tried to scare Ta0plc /
with my voice, for you know they say |
the spot rs haunted. But did you hear /
that second echO2'
Yes but surely it con be accounted
Tor II some reasonable wavP'-
! m nos so sure of that, " she an !
SWe'ed @rayely; but maybe We were |
pom ml-takcu-perhaps we faucied we .
again" At
, cry well what shall I say ?"
ooh, anything" this rather impa- /
tiently.
He paused momont-tbon in loud
tone:
IL this spot ne inhabited by obo-.
demon, spirit, ferry, elf or ouor0e in |
the name of Miss Gordon, the fair. the
talented, and the lmpcrious "a slight .
stress on the word imperiOusl. I com
mand and rXhOrt such Ghost, demon /
spirit, fairy eli or gnome. to stand forth
or else forever after hold his peace"
ihat IS absErd," she said. with
s'lSn' Hush, d" Do You suppose any
creature, natural or SUPERNATURAL
"otud ORGY such g uehest? Try zimrlv
a I'M or two Of rhyme That seems 10
be The charm" ~
" Well, ne said. with affected humil-
n.y. ask voU what To say before and
you would not tel nc"
~, 'u5 have told Won now, 70 60 on.
- ha' an inpatient .s-tle soul Il WIS