The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1876-03-23

ALONE WITH a HADMANs
3, FREsE,

" SsNSO&A 80 WIZ yAN9OO4vO b0o1
but Is I never ~ myaeffany one 20 Il.
fected ! al disposed 10 be- orsduloss on
Tho abovs; nask= vas nads 10 DR..
Maynard assxs=satson the piassa 5of his
pretty Wills Tho az irent ef.
feets Of terSzo tsmpera.
ments. Witkoutlrsplyliingzt o ms,,he doc.
tor turned to hiss xi(s and .said
"Helen, will you please rclate to DR..
Maynard the incident; within your own ex.
perience. It is themost convincing Or.
gument can ADVANCE
Hooked at Mrs. Maynard in surprise.
I had observed that her hair, which
was laxuriant and dressed very bccom.
ingly, waa purely colorless, but As she
was young woman. and also very pref
ty one, surmised that it vas powdered
to heightenthe' brilliancy Of her fine dark
eyes. L. r: '3zt* >7..t* ~: ~..5s !, .',.s.s
Tho doctor and had peen friends and
fellow students, but after leaving college
We had drifted apart. +, I to commence my
practice in IN eastern city, he to pursue
his profession 10 = growing town in the
West. l was now on visit to him for
the first time since his marriage.
Mrs Maynard, no doubt, reading my
supposition by my look Of incredibly,
smiled IS she shook down her snowy
tresses over her shoulders, and seating
herself BY her husband side, she related
the following episode: =
ut is now nearly two years ago since
my husband was called on, one evening,
to visit patient; several miles away.
Our domestics had all gone to Z ''Wake' in
the vicinity, the,d eadman being rela-
tive OF one Of the serving women. Thus
l was left alone. But Ifslt no fear, for
We never had heard Of burglars or any
sort Of desperadoes in our quiet villsge,
then consisting Of a.few scattering houses.
Tho windows leading out on the piazza
were open as now, but secured the
blinds before my husbands departure,
and locked the outside doors, all except
the front one, which I left for tho doctor
to lock after going out, so that if should
fall asleep before his return he could enter
without arousing me. I heard the doc
tors rapid footsteps on the gravel, quick.
ened BY the urgent tones Of the messen.
ger, who awaited him, and after the
sharp rattle of carriage wheels had BE-
come but IN echo, l seated myself by tho
parlor astral and soon become absorbed
in the book had been reading before be-.
ing disturbed by the summons. But after
time my interest succumbed to drowsi.
ness, and I thought Of retiring, when the
clock in the doctors study adjoing the
parlor struck twelve, so I determined to
wait few moments more, feeling sure
that he wonld be home now very soon.
closed my book, .donned robe de
chambre, let down my hair, and then re.
turned to my seat to patiently wait and
listen. Not tho faintest sound disturbed
the stiffness of the night. Not breath
Of air stirred leaf. The silence was so
profound that it: became oppressive.
longed for the sharp click Of the gate.
latch and the well.known step on the
gravel-walk. I did not dare to break The
hush myself by moving or singing. I was
so oppressed by the deep stiffness. The
human mind is d strange torturer Of
itself. l began to conjure up vivid fan.
cies about ghostly visitants, in the midst
of which occurred to me the stories I had
heard from surerstitious people about
the troubled spirits Of those who had
died suddenly, like the man whom my
servants had gone to wake who had
been killed by an accident at the saw
mill. In the midst Of these terrifying re-
Elections Was startled by = stealthy
football on the piazza. I listened be-.
tween fear and hope. 1t might be the
doctor. But no, he would not tread like
that, the step was too soft and cautious
for anything less willy than cat. As
listened again, my eyes were fixed on the
window.blind. I saw the Stats move:
slowly and softly, and then the rays of 4
full moon disclosed thin, cadavcrous
face, and bright, glittering eyes peering
at me. o, horror! who was it! what
was it! I felt the cold pe,spiration
start at every pore. l seemed frozen in
my chair. could not move, could not
cry out, my tongue seemed glued to the
roof of my mouth, while the deathly
white face pressed closer, and the great
sunken eyes wandered in their gaze
about the room. In = few moments the
blind closed As noiselessly as it had been
opened, and the cautious footstep came
toward the door. 'Merciful heaven!' I
cried, in horror-stricken whisper, Is
heard the key turn in tho lock, the doc.
tor, in his haste, must have forgotten to
withdraw the key"
'God forgive me!'' calculated Doctor
Maynard, interrupting his wife and look.
ing far more excited than she. II can
never forgive myself for such thought.
less act. Please proceed my DEAR
II heard the front door open. the steps
in the hall, aud helpless as statue still
sat rivited in my chair. The parlor door
was open. and in it stood tall, thin man,
whom had never beheld before. He
was dressed in long, loose robe, sort
Of gaberdine and black velvet scull cap
partially concealed broad forehead vn-
derneath which cleaned black eyes,
bright as living Goals, and placed 50 near
together that their gaze was preternatur.
al in its directness; heavy grizzled eye.
lids hung over them like the tangled
inane Of : lion the nose was sharp and
prominent, and the chin was overgrown
with white hair, which hung down in
locks weird rs the ancient mariners.
He politely dof1ed his cap, replaced it,
and then said, in Z slightly foreign &C.
cent:
"'Madame, it is not necessary for me
to stand on any further ceremony, Is
your husband, Doctor Maynard, there.
upon he again bowed profoundly has
already acquainted you with the nature
Of my business here tonight. per.
ceive,' he added, glancing 1T my neglige
robe, that you were expecting me.
'N'o," I found voice to stammer.