Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-03-23
ALONE WITH A MADJTA n
BY A. E. FRESE,

BY A. E. FRESE.
II have often heard Of persons whose
hair was whitened through excessive fear
but as l never saw myself any one so af-
fected am disposed to be credulous on
the subject"
The above remark was made to DR..
Maynard as we sat on the piazza Of his
pretty villa discussing the different eff.
1eets Of terror on dissimilar tempera.
ments. Without replying to me,:he doc.
tor turned to his wife and said:
'Helen, will you please relate to DR..
Maynard the incident within your own ex-
perience. 1t is the most convincing ar
gument can advance"
looked at Mrs. Maynard in surprise.
had observed that her hair, which
was luxuriant and dressed very becom.
ingly, was purely colorless, but as she
was young woman. and also very pref.
ty One, surmised that it was powdered
to heighten the brilliancy of her fine dark
eyes.
The doctor and I had peen friends. and
fellow students, but after leaving college
We had drifted apart. to commence my
practice in an eastern city, he to pursue
his profession in a growing town in the
- West. 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 as she shook down her snowy
tresses over her shoulders, and. seating
herself by her husbands side, she related
the following episode:
"1t 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 ''wake" in
the vicinity, the dead man being q rela.
tive OF one of the serving women. Thus
I was left alone. But felt no fear, for
VIC never had heard Of burglars or any
then consisting Of fewscattering houses.
The 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 the 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, / seated myself by the
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 thought Of retiring, when the
clock in tho Doctors study ABIDING the
parlor struck twelve, so determined to
wait few moments more, feeling sure
that he would be home now very soon. I
closed my book, donncd robe de
chambre, let down my hair, and then re.
turned to my seat to patiently wait and
listen. Not the 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 wcll.known step on the
gravel-walk. did not dare to break The
hush myself by moving or singing, was
10 oppressed by the deep stiffness. The.
human mind j. . strange >torturer Of
itsslf. I began: 10 conjure ups vivid fan.
cies about ghostly visitants, in the midst
Of which occurred to me the stories had
.heald from surerstitious people about
the Troubled spirits OF those who had
died suddenly, like the man whom my
ssrvadtS Had gone to wake who had
bss9 4ipsa {, bgy<.n accident at the saw