Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-01-18

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man selfpossession and 6rmness. She had
read of such things as visual deceptions and
second sight; but even allowing that one has
the GOODNESS, on an occasion such ss am now
describing, to impute an unaccountable appa-
rition to such cause as this, it is not agreea.
BILE to find ones self selected as the medium Of
intercourse between the tangible and the in.
visible worlds. That she was startled, and
painfully startled, cannot be denied. Still
her courage did not Immediately forsake her,
as with more timid person might have been
the case under similar circumstances. On the
contrary, she resolved to investigate the mat
ter, and discover, if possible, whether she was
the subject of delusion or not. She there
fore arose, and stepping quickly forward, stop
ped right in front of the mirror. .i:i
There stood her own image, and directly
beside it, that other form-that nameless
something-shadowy, white and weird, with
its flowing garments and its uplifted hand.
There was no mistake now. Within foot of
her the mirror cleaned. and distinctly the two
shapes, her own and its, reflected themselves
in its surface. rsl. ..a.a. s.fi --
Slowly, reluctantly, with cold creeping
horror gradually stealing over her and pene'
trating to the inmost core of her being, she
turned her head, and cast backward glance
over her shoulder to zee what stood behind
her. .... .-... ... .... ,..~,i
There was nothing there. Now, as before.
investigation convinced her that she was com.
pletely alone. 1s ss ....s:f-
Again she looked toward the mirror. The
shape, though still visible, showed fainter in
its outlines than before. Gradually they seem.
ed to melt away, until, as she watched It. it ia.
ded from her view. Then, and not until
then, did her trembling limbs find power to
convey her back to her bed, whittier she hur-
ried, not daring to cast an"ther glance around !;
and burying herself under the covering, so as
to shut out everything from sight, she strove,
though for some time Intellectually, to regain
her composure, which had been so terribly
shaken by this mysterious event. Fo ,.f
Again and again she revolyed in her mind
the possible causes which might have led to
such result, but without being able to ar
rive at any satisfactory conclusion, That no
one could possibly have entered the room and
remained there without being visible, was too
evident a fact, even to admit of doubt.
There was but one rational solution of the
mystery, and that was, that she had been the
subject of an optical delusion. Still, though
she tried to convince herself that this must
really be the case, and believed at last that
she had succeeded in doing so, a lurking, chill.
ing doubt oppressed her heart. Her sudden,
unaccountable awakening, the cold breath
that had swept over her moment after the
apparition had dswned on her sight; above
all, the creeping, thrilling, terrible sensation
of fear that, for short time, had completely
overpowered her, seemed to point at some su-
pernatural agency. Besides, she had distinct
ly felt, while standing in front of the mirror,
a presence near, or seemed to feel it 80. 1t
was this conviction that had forced her, wheth.
er she would or no, to turn her head to see
Yet she tried to ridicule this idea, and discard
it, as the merest folly, from her mind, bring
ing every rational argument that she could
summon to bear upon the subject. Sleep was,
for the rest of the night, edectually banished
from her eyes. She tossed uneasily about un-
til daylight, when weariness, at length, over.
powered her, and she slumbered until the
dressing.bell rang, and Meredith came to as
sist her in making her toilette. ....
"Did you sleep we'll, my lady?" asked that
functionary, as she brushed out her mistress
beautiful hair before the glass. She had ob-
served Lady Desborough's pallor and heavy
looks, the natural consequences of her wake.
full night
"Not very WE'LL" slowly replied Geraldine.
II was restless part of the time, and the
night was very long l think the moonlight
kept me awake; don't forget this evening to
close the shutters"
"You recollect, if you please, my lady,
that it was your own desire to have them left
open" said Meredith, respectfully.
eyes, I know that; but don't wish them
left open again"
Every we'll, my lady"
Lord Desborough was reading the Times
when his wife entered, but he put it aside d.
rectly, and coming forward to meet her, took
her hand and inquired, as Meredith had
done, whether she had passed a comfortable
night To him she gave the same reply, be-
ing resolved to say nothing at present Of the
experience she had undergone.
"You look quite i'll this morning" remark
ed the Earl, in concerned tone, as he scru-
tinized her face. Geraldine, who was acutely
and morbidly sensitive in regard to her plain
appearance, of which, indeed, she had formed
an exaggerated opinion, colored painfully,
and somewhat brusquely Withdrawing her
hand, turned away from his gaze. The Earl's
face clouded over. With a cold air he re-
hturned to his seat, and when he next spoke,
it was to address some trivial and convention
al question to her in the most formal Of
tones. Geraldine inwardly repented of her
hasty movement, but was too proud to en-.
deavor to conciliate him. She assumed as
distant manner as his own, and breakfast
passed off uncomfortably and stifay enough,
neither of them making much effort to sus-
tain conversation. When it was over, the
Earl took up his hat, remarking that out
door business demanded his attention, but