The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-07-01
The Anti-Monopo1ist.

evening, as Colonel and Mrs Comysrs sat
alone in the Dining room, the sound of
MANY footsteps was heard in the drawing
room overhead, and a plaintive air was
pla, ed upon the old spinnet. They listened,
amazed. for a minute, and at length Mrs.
Comyers said
s.Henry, l am sure it&is that-that
thing!"
..You little goose!" he exclaimed, laugh
ing. ssstay where you are, and III go and
see."
He bounded up the stat, s-there was a
hurried shutting of feet; the music ceased,
and he soon returned. The scene he had
! witnessed he could not relate to his nerv-
Gus. delicate wife. Therefore, to avoid
neinc questioned, he said, with an asump
ton gaiety-
"Mabel. congratulate me! I have at
least seen your mythical old woman"
Mrs Comyers shivered, and nestled into
her husbands sheltering arms, as she
whispered, family; eyes; know you have
seen her, for | saw her go before you out
of the ROOM
They could not account for the pheno-
menon, and naturally were difhdent about
mentioning it to any one, Thus the time
passed on until Christmas.
With the Christmas time there arrived
nephew of Col Comyers-clever, handsome,
merry Val Wycherley; a young doctor who
had lust taken out his diploma He had
passed brilliant examination, and before
again resuming work had come to spend
few weeks in Dublin, for the purpose OF
resting his overtaxed brain. 1t was
agreed that he should not be old anything
about the mysterious old woman.
10 number 0f friends
were expected to dine. There was also to
be an evening party; therefore in order to
save trouble, Mrs. Comyers had had the
dining-tahle, arranged early in the after
noon. and then locked the door. She was
very proud of her daintily arrange table;
she had tastefully disposed the quaint col
ored and gilt Venetian glass, and the rare
old china belonging to the house Groups
. of shepherds and shepherdesses holding
cornucopia filed with glistening holly, in
| terspersed with its own bright red berries,
and the snowy white ones of those OF the
y mistletoe, were placed at intervals along
the table.
h About FIVE in the afternoon, as Col. Com
y yers and his nephew were sauntering home
round the square a sudden and heavy
f shower came on. They walked fast, but by
d the time they arrived at the hall door they
$ were thoroughly drenched. Col. Com
vers Immediately went into his dressing
: room on the first landing inviting hi
= nephew to follow, but that free AMI easy
r. Young gentleman preferred taking off hi
IS wet boots in the hall.
Is "Here, et!-Mary-whoever yo'
70 are. take these boots, like good girl,
., $ id ne. addressing a woman standing Il
r the shade at the top of the kitchen stairs
l. An aged woman habited in an old-fash
Of Toned black gown, with white handker
chief pinned across her bosom. approache
70 him. He threw the boots to her, and, t
IN his horror, they then went through her
m and then the figure vanished. Val, beln
a octor, his practical thought was, ''b
It. Jove my head must be IN preclou
or queer state bad lookout for me. an
he and Christmas fair in prospective ha
hit better say nothing. however, or lhese goo
ba folks NAV think | am completely off m
-s head"
be He walked slowly up the stairs, and
be the first landing again was the figure
rv preceded him step by step. but Val did ne
oil feel frightened-as before, ascriblng IN
" vision to purely physi causes acting upo
n brain which he felt was overtasked. A
re though medical man. it did not occur
him to apply the uniailing test of presslr
ba one eve so as to throw it out of the parail
,ot focus with the other If the object be Il
result of hallucination, it is seen still an
m simply. if actual vision. il is seen doub.
re- The figure entered the drawing room.
ms mechanically followed it: and there-wh
aep a scene met his eye.
IN On the polished oaken floor near the nj
Nv, place lay the body o young ana oeauui
,re foreicn-looking woman, richly dresse
he There were wounds about her neck Ia
concealed by her long raven black hair.
nm, tall dark complexioned man stood mes
holding a long, thin Venetian stiiet
ON while beside him stood the old woman. W
vlv laughed fearful laugh, as she spurned
nan body with her foot
ned As she laughed. the vision faded, ana
Wvcherley lef; the drawing room, unea
md for his brain. At the door he was met
.aw Mrs. Comyers. who insisted upon his co
.ves inv down to see her pretty dinner-tat
,;ch Col. comyers was also one of the priviieg
,er. and the proud young housekeeper unioci
own the dining room door when 10 ALI the
ouisite old china and glass lay In fragme
pht- upon the floor. The table-cloih was pui
she away. and al the pretty decorations ru
ous- lcssly destroyed. In recess near the
! he placestood dark, foreign-looklng man 2
She the old woman. 10th of whom iaugned
cart ilisEly. and then vanished. The scene
age witnessed by the three Mrs Com!
tainted in her husbands arms. serl
What nervous illness followed, and as soon
was practicable she was removed from
nded house
The Val wycherley recounted his experie
, the in the drawing room, and Col. Comyers
rdly mitted that he had witnessed the same Sc
She Of coursethey left the house but reIra
cure. from making the reason public, beyond
hall ing the proprietors, who naturally qua
hast credi, ii. But tenant after tenant
men scared away by strange noises ana app
ance. and the house fell gradually mi
1 you present state of decay. not even car
r alb. ker could be induced to remain IN II.
The main facts of the preceding stor J
perfectly true, and were reiafea 70
n the waiter by Mrs Nugent's daughter,
N the present proprietress Of the Ill-faied n
The Aryosy.