The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-05-30

seemed to call for them. / noticed also that
she made excuses to explore rooms and passa-
ges, and found means to observe and exchange
words with the servants. Ada's bright eyes
wsre unusually wide open that day. For me
I hung about her like mute, and dreaded the
coming of the night.
Bedtime arrived too quickly and when we
were shut in together in our roou', implored
Ada earnestly to give up the wild idea she had
spoken of in the morning, and to lock fast the
door, and let us try to go 60 sleep. Such pray
ing, however, was useless. Ada had resolved
upon a certain thing to do, aud this being the
case, Ada was the girl to do it.
We said our prayers, we set the door ajar,
We extiDguished our light, and we went to
bed. An hour we lay awake, aud heard Goth
ing to alarm US. Another silent hour went
past, and still the sleeping house was undis-
turbed. had begun to- hope that the night
was going to pass by without accident, and
had just commenced to dose little and to
wander into q confused dream, when q sudden
squeezing of my hand, which lay in Ada's,
startled me quickly into consciousness.
opened my eyes. Ada was sitting erect in
the bed, with her face set forward, listening,
and her eyes fastened on the door. Half
smothered with fear, raised myself upop my
elbow aud listened too. Yes, o horror! there
it was-the soft, heavy, unsbod footstep, going
down the corridor on tside the door. 1t paused
at the top of the staircase, and began slowly
descending to the bottom. ada !" whisper
ed, with gasp. Her hand was damp with
fear and my face was drenched il a cold dew,
"In Gods name " she sighed, with a long
6rar hen he loft
the bed, threw on her dressing-gown , and went
swiftly away out of the already open door.
What suffered in the next few minutes
could never describe, if spent the remainder
of my life in endeavoriDg to do so. remem-
Der an interval of stupid horror; while leaning
on my elbow in the bed, gazed with fearful
fascinated stare at the half-open door beside
me. Then through the silence of the night
there came cry.
1t seemed to come struggling up through the
flooring from the dinipg-room underneath. 1t
sounded wild, suppressed, smothered, and was
quickly hushed away into stiffness again but
q horrible stiffness, broken by ftful, confused
murmnrs. Unable to endure the suspense any
longer, sprang out of bed, rushed down the
stairs, and found myself standing in the gray
darkness of the winters night, with rafting
teeth, at the door of the haunted dining room.
Ada! Ada ~ sobbed ont, in my shivering
terror, and thrust my hand against the heavy
panel. The door opened with me, staggered
in, and saw a stout white figure sitting
bolt upright in an armchair, and Ada stand
ing quiyering in commissions of laughter by it's
side. fell forward on the floor; bpt before
tainted quite, I heard q merry voice ringing
through the darkness:
30 Lucy! your Aunt Featherstone is the
ghostp
When recovered my senses, was lying in
bed, with Ada and my aunt both watching by
my side. The poor dear old lady had 80 brood
cd OYER the ghost-stories of the house, and so
unselfshly denied herself the relief of talking
them over with me, that, pressing heavily on
her thoughts, they had unsettled her mind in
sleep. Constantly Eliminating on the terror of
that ghostly walk, she hadnnconeciously risen
night after night, and most cleverly accon-
plished it herself. Comparing dates, found
that she had learned she story of the spirit
only few days before the night on which
had first been terrified by the footstep.
The news of Aunt Featherstone's escapadO
few quickly through the house. 1t caused SO
tA1"s Ao"Sno, 1uoO Guo Sohulue RnOSG SooD 1ell
into iil-repute. The legend of the weeping
lady's rarnbles became Invested of its dignity;
and grew therefore to be quite harmless. Ada
anu laughed over our adventure every night
during the rest of her stay. and entered upon
our Christmas festivities with right good will.
have never forgotten to be grateful to Ada
for that good service which she rendered me
and as for Aunt Fea:herstone, must own that
she never again said one word in disparage.
ment of the Thatched House.
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