The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1875-12-08

cumstance to her husband, who laugh
ed at her nervous fapcies, and practi-
cally suggested that close eve be
kept on the area gate. Two weeks
flew by, and the affair seemed to be
almost forgotten, until one evening, as
Colonel and Mrs. Comyers sat alone
in the dinning-room, the sound of
many footsteps was heard in the draw
ing-room overhead, and a plaintive
air was played upon the old spinnet.
They listened amazed for a minute,
aud at length Mrs. Comyers said
-. Henry, am sure it is that-tbat
"You little goosep' he exclaimed,
langhingl "Stay where you aie, and
I'll Eo aud see"
He bounded up the stairs-there
was hurried sAuffiing of feet; the
music ceased, and he soon returned.
The scene he had witnessed be could
not relate to his nervous, delicatewife.
Therefore, to avoid being questioned,
he said, with an assumption of gaiety,
mabel, congratulate me / have at
last seen your mythical old woman !''
Mrs. Comyers shivered, and nestled
into her husbands sheltering arms, aa
she.whispered, family: "Yes, / know
you have seen her, for 1 saw her go
before you out Of the room:'' -
They could not account for the
phenomenon, and naturally were diff.
dent about mentioning it to any one.
Thus the time passed on until Christ
p With the Christmas time there ar
rived a nephew Of Col. Comyers-
clever, handsome, merry Val Wycher-
ley; a young doctor who had Just ia
ken out his diploma lie had passed
a brilliant examination, and before
again resuming work had come to
spend few weeks in Dublin, for the
purpose of resting his overtaxed hrois.
1t was agreed thai he should not be
told anything about the mysterious
old woman. ovrT
On Christmas Day a number of
friends expected to dine. There was
also to be an eyeuing party; therefore,
in order to save trouble, Mrs. Comyers
had had the dining table arranged
early in the afternoon, and then lock-
ed the door. She was very proud Of
her dairtily-arranged table; she had
tsstefully disposed tho quaint colored
and gilt Venetian glass, and the rare
old china belonging to the house.
Groups of shepherds and shepherdesses
holding cornucopia filed with glisten-
ing holly, interspersed with its own
bright red berries, and the snowy
white ones Of those of the mistletoe,
were placed at intervals along the ta-
BILE.
About 5 in the afternoes, as Col.
Comyers and his nephew were saunter-
ing home round the square, a sudden
and heavy shower came on. They
walked fast, but by the time they ar
rrived at the hall door they were thor.
oughly drenched Col. Comyers i'm
mediately went into his dressing room
on the first landing, inviting his
nephew to follow, but that free.and-
easy yourfg gentleman preferred TAX
ing off his wet boots in the ball.
"Here, Bridget Mary whoever
you are, take these boots. like a good
girl" said he, addressing a woman
standing in the shade at the top of
the kitchen stairs. pa
An aged woman, habited in an old
fashioned black gown, with white
handkerchief pinned across her bosom,
approached him. IIe threw the boots
to her, and, to his horror, they then
went through her! And then the figure
vanished VAL being doctor, his
practical thought was, "By Jove! my
head must be in a precious queer state!
A bad lookout for me, and Christmas
fare in prospective. hal better say
nothing, however, or these good folks
may think / am completely os my
head" .. XXI qs r.I r...
He walked slowly up the stairs, and
on the first landing again was the fig
ure. 1t preceded him step by step,
but Val did not feel frightened las
before, ascribing the vision to purely
physical causes acting upon brain
which he felt was oyertasked. Al
though medical man, It did not oc-
cur TO him to apply the unfailing test
of passing one eye so as to throw it
out of the parallel FOCUS with the 9th
er. If the object be the result of hal
lucination, it is seen still and simply
If actual vision, it IS seen double. The
figure entered the drawing-room. Val
mechanically followed it; and there
what scene met his eye!
On the polished oaken floor near the
fireplace lay the body of a young and
beautiful foreign-look!ng woman, rich
ly dressed. There were wounds about
her neck, half concealed by her long
raven black hair. A tall, darkroom
Plexioned man stood near, holding !