Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1876-02-02
Toward New Year a heavy fall of

, Toward New Year heavy fall o
, snow set in, which kept us all pris
| oners; but even then the days flew
, merrily, and somebody suggested
!, tableaux for the evening. Robert
was elected manager. There wa,
a debate and selection of subjects,
and then came the puzzle of where
at such short notice, we could pro,
cure the dresses required. My
husband advised q raid on some
mysterious oaken chests which he
knew for several years had been
slowed away in turret room. He
remembered having, when q boy,
seen the housekeeper inspecting
them, and their contents left hazy
impression of old stand-alone bro
cades, gold tissues, hoops, sacques
and hoods, the very mention OF
which put MS in state of wild ex-
citement. Mrs. Moultrie was sum-
moned, looked duly Mortified at the
desecration of what to her were
most sacred relics, but seeing it was
inevitable, she marshaled the way,
a protest in every rustic of her stiff
silk dress. .i'
"What charming old place"
was the exclamation, as we entered
the long oak-joisted room, at the
further end of which stood in good
ly array the chests whose contents
we coveted. Bristling with disap-
proval, poor, Mrs. Moultrie un-
locked one after another, then ask
ed permission to retire, leaving us
unchecked to "cry havoc" In
moment the floor was covered with
piles of silks and velvets.
"Meg," cried little Janet Craw-
ford, dancing up to me, "isn't it a
good thing to live in the age of
tulle and summer silksl Fancy be-
ing imprisoned for life in O fortress
like this" holding up a thick GRIM
son and gold brocade, whaleboned
and bnckramed at all points. 1t
was thrown aside, and she half lost
herself in another chest. and was
silent. Then, "look, Major Froude,
this is the very thing for you-a
true astrologcr's robe, all black
velvet and golden stars, if it were
but long enough--it just fits me-"
turned and saw the pretty,
slight figure, the innocent girlish
face, dressed in the robe of black
and gold, identical in shape and
material with that / too well re-
membered. With wild cry l hid
my face and covered away.
"Take it off. o, Janet-Robert
take it from her."
Every one turned wondering. In
an instant my husband saw, and
catching up the cause of my ter
ror, flung it hastily into the chest
again and lowered the lid. Janet
looked half offended, but the cloud
passed in an instant when l kissed
her, apologizing as well as I could.
Robert laughed at us both, and
voted an adjournment to a warmer
room, where we could have the
chests brought TO us to ransack at
our leisure. Before going down,
Janet and I went into a small ante
room to examine some old pictures
which leaned against the wall.
"Just the thing, Jeanie. to frame
the tableaux," pointingto an i'm
mense frame at least twelve feet
square. "There's picture in it."
I added, pulling back the dusty
folds of a curtain which hung be-
fore IL. pa. il e'iis'
. With my husbands assistance
we drew the curtain quite away,
and in the fast-waninp light could
Just discern the white figure of a
girl against the dark background.
The face was young--almost child
like--very lovely, bat, oh, how sad.
Great tears stood in the innocent
eyes, her hands we're clasped tight
ly around the arm of man who
was bending toward her; and did
I dreams no; there in the hateful
distinctiveness was the hideous
woman Of the Cedar Closet--the
same In every distorted line, even
to the starred dress and golden cir
clet. The swarthy hues Of the
dress and face had at first caused
us to overlook her. The wicked
eyes seemed to glare into mine.
With one wild hound my heart