The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1876-03-02
ONE NIGHT!

Ii was horrible story that l an
about to narrate-so horrible that il
has haunted me ever since | heard it
Constantly at night, before / fal
asleep. IMAGINE each line in in thai
ghastly face-but this wont do. If
must tell the story | had best com.
mence at the beginning.
spent last summer at the seaside
it was not in the least a fashionable
watering place, but so quiet that the
things that would have been of little
or no interest elsewhere, there became
wildly exciting.
Among the new arrivals, one dav,
there came party that Interested me
in AN extraordinary degree-a lady
with her daughter and maid.
The daughter, Miss Liasee-Jennie
Linsee was one of those persons whom
you feel sure has history. Tall, fair
hair, with dark eyes and a sensitive
mouth. She was extremely handsome
but her face was one of the saddest |
ever saw in my life. | thought her
face sad before knew her; but after
ward, in the pauscs of conversation,
have seen that expression deepen, or
strengthen rather, into one of perfec,
misery.
Once in particular l remember. of
| noticing this; we were speaking OF
hands, and admired hers, saying that
they looked so strong and yet were so
delicately shaped.
l wondered at the time what there
could be in this simple remark to dis
tress her. But since have heard her
story, | understand not only this, but
many other things that seemed very
strange to me.
Three years ago Miss Linsee was
visiting friend, young girl OF about
her own age, at her home on the Hud-
son.
1t was large, rambling, country
house, with an unusual number OF
sleeping rooms. and Jennie, on her ar
rival, was the only guest, so that on
each side OF her the rooms were un-
occupied.
The evening she arrived her friend
insisted on her going TO bed early, |
saying that she must be very weary,
but Jennie insisted that she was not
tired, and absolutely refused to 90 to |
bed.
AT last regular romp ensued, and |
Jennie's friend locked her guest into |
her room, shouted good night through |
the key-hole and ran laughing down
the long hall.
Jennie smiled as she listened to the
footsteps growing fainter and yet
fainter, and then, turning to the long,
oval mirror, proceeded to take down
her hair. This mirror reached from
the floor to the ceiling, and hung di-
rectly opposite the bed. and was par
TALLY draped in muslin.
AS Jennie brushed her hair and in
looked at herself, she fam
cied she saw movement among the
shadows around the bed. She looked
again; the bedstead was low and
broad, and shadows deep: but Jennie
felt sure that she was not mistaken,
but that a man lay extended iull length
on the floor.
For moment she was breathless
with terror; her first impulse tEen,
woman-like, was to scream but Jen-
ME Linsec was no coward, and after a
minute or so of strong self-control,
was rather amused at such an adven-
ture.
81 will leave the room.' she said to
herself, Gas if | had forgotten some
thing, and will turn the key on the
good heavens." and she
stood appalled, at the thought. The
door was already locked, What
should she do? She dared not call
for help. A thought struck her.
"Alice!' she cried, "come back a
moment. l forgot to tell you some
thing"
Her voice trembled. Again and
again she called. All was silent. She
listened for an answer. Was it imag-
or did she hear faint NUT
tered oath from under the bed?
AT last she decided to go to her bed
quietly, leaving her watch, portmonie
and iewelry where the man could easi-
ly get them, aud she would pretend to
fall asleep.
First she inclined the mirror so that
lying in bed she could see in it the re-
fiectien of everything that went over
the room. Then going 10 the fireplace
she calmly lighted each candle in the
branches, saying aloud with laugh,
IL hope l shall not set the house on
fire, but l never could resist candles,
and mean to have an illumination
for once"
Then, with an ill-cnncealed shudder,
and slowly, as if going to her own ex-
Jennie went to bed.
For hours it seemed to her, but we
cannot tell how long it was, Jennie
lay, trying to breathe softly, yet regu-