Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1876-10-02

such as is found within old farm houses
in Out-of-the-way places, where the taste
for oiled black walnut and polished rose
wood has not yet reached. Upon the
walls hung few steel engravings neat
ly framed.
As ! was fatigued with my journey,
and the negus had made me drowsy. l
was soon in bed, and in less time than
it takes to write it had passed into
dreamland.
l had slept probably two hOurs-per-
haps lOnger-when awoke with a pc
culiar sensation, as if the air of the
apartment was compressed. looked
about me- The moon had gone down.
and the pattering on the roof and against
the windOw-panes, together with the rat
tie and clatter of the easements, and the
moaning and screeching of the wind.
convinced me that storm was raging.
The room was envelOped in an inky
blaekness.
As | lay there staring into space, l
became conscious that something or
somebody beside myself was in the room
and was seized with an unaccouRtable
feeling of terror. My teeth chartered
and my limbs shook as if with terror.
was absolutely paralyzed with fear.
AT last l managed to gain sufficient
control over myself to reach out to the
table and light the lamp, which emitted
only sickly fame, so that the distant
corners of the room seemed lost in deep
gloom.
Could l be still asleep and dreaming,
or did my sight deceive me No. l was
confident that at the opposite side of the
room, her elbow resting upon the wiz
dow easement, and her face pressed
against the pane, like one lost in thought,
l saw woman standing. For some mo-
ments she remained in this position,
then she turned, and without noticing
me advanced to the center of the room,
where, to my astonishment. l beheld
table, upon which were scattered writ
ing materials, which was not in the room
when 1 retired. Before this table my
strange visitor seated herself, and tax
ing up pen proceeded to write Her
face, which was extremely pale, was
turned toward me, and was evidently
that of woman of about forty.
How long she sat there have no idea.
Tt seemed hnr-s IN me- though it may
have been only seconds.
Presently heard the sound of ap-
preaching footsteps in the hallway. The
woman laid down the pen, and turned
her eyes toward the door. Nearer and
nearer came the sounds, TIL at last they
reached the very threshold of my room.
My mysterious visitor arose, crossed to
the door, and to my surprise opened it,
| and admitted two men and a woman
all as pale as herself No word was ex-
changed, but all crossed to the table, at
which my first visitor seated herself, and
seemed to add word OF two to the pa
per upon which she had been writing
then each of the new corners scrawled
something upon it, and as quietly a;
they had entered the room passed out Of
it
When the sound of their retreating
footsteps had died away, my guest pass
ed to the table. took up the document
folded it carefully and then crossed t.
the chimney place at the extremity O
the room. and. STOPPING, removed seyera
of the bricks from the hearth. Into th'
hollow thus made she deposited the pa
per, and then carefully replaced tn
bricks
At that instant my light suddenl.
went out A singular droWsiness stol
over me, and | fell into deep sleep
from which loud knocking upon th
door of the room aEoke me to the reali
zation that it was morning, that tn
storm had passed. and the sun was cheer
fully shining in through the windows
while the voice of my host from th
hallway informed me that breakfast wa
waiting. | arose and dressed hastily
Not the slightest trace of what happer
ed during the night remained. Table
papers and all we're gone. | tried th
door. 1t was locked.
'-Only dream, after all" / exelaiu
ed. 1.-The effects of the negus. no doubt.
When breakfast was over George ros
and requesting me to follow him. led Il
: way to the library, when. motioning n
| to be seated. he settled himself IN
I chair near by.
; Il have brought you here" he sal
!. after a brief silence, ito consult wit
5 you regarding the matter referred to
: my letter noticed you were vel
i much surprised last evening when Mat
: entered the dining-room, which was D
!. IN the least singular. considering that
c quite forgot to inform you Of her pre-
!, enee here. As il is about business clos
e lv connected with her that am goil
ie to speak. / viii explain to you SON
thing Of her history. You must kDo
/" then, that l am the youngest Of thr
q sons. Oscar. nay eldest brother. "