, 1877-01-12
How I Became a Heroine.
By MISS MARY Z. PARKER.

Trwas the first evening of my arrival
at Aston Hall, to pay long visit TO my
s;ater and her husband, who had only
Nan married a few months, and, as we
were sitting cozily chatting round the
hre before going to bed, my brother-ln-
law. Captain Hargraye, began teanng me
about the weakness OF my nerves with re-
gard to ghosts, robbers, etc. Now, al
Tays tried to appear particularly cour-
aoeous before Robert, but he saw
t6roueh the himsy disguise, and took q
brotherly delight in relating, for my spe-
c;al benefit. all the horrible tales he
could think Of. =,
. Really, Bob, you're too bad" said
Helen. ct last, taking compassion on me.
"Poor Alice won't sleep a bit in that
lonely room of hers, if you put such hor-
nd ideas in her head"
aOh Won know she can ring the alarm
ball If she's frightened. It's justoutside
our door, Alice" !" :, ,,,.
"Fancy Alice ringing that great bellP"
laughed Helen; "why, it would almost
lift such little mite IS she Is on her
feet"
aOome. nov, :" I Ireplied, Indignantly;
ssTm not 90 small as that, and I'm sure
vo-, needn't talk, for you re only an inch
Or two taller; and, I'll answer for it, I'd
ring the alarm bell as soon as any one II
there we're occasion for it.
"Well. I'm sure, I hope you'll have
no occasion: but well change the sub
iect, or I'm sure You won't sleep and
remember we have TO be up early to-
morrow to be in time for the Meet. Its
At Bicksly Common, you know, and 1t
will take rs some time to get there.
Nov. Bob. do stop. I shall have no
nerves left and it's really too bad to
brighten Alice So"
STm nota bit frightened, I said, feel
ing at the same time was telling hor-
rible untruth. Roberts stories are all
stuff and. If he thinks believe in all
those wonderful ghosts he has conjured
mn. he's very much mistaken"
Perhaps I did not believe in them; but,
all the same, my heart quaked within me
when 1 thought Of the gloomy old room
had to sleep in. 1t was at one end Of
q very long corridor, and Roberts and
Ellen's at the other. Mine was at the
end nearest the front staircase and the
servants all slept in quite another part
of the building. So, after all, / think I
may be spared the imputAtion Of cow
ardice; and, / dare say, / might find a
good many who would sympathize with
my feelings under the circumstances; es-
pecially after listening for an hour or
two to accounts of hair-breadth escapes,
murders, and the like.
"Well," said Helen, at last. 81 think
we had much better all go to bed it's
getting dreadfully late, and we shan't be
able to get up in the morning. Bob, get
out that friend of yours, and come. You
know you always take about half an hour
rubbing it up. Show Ally your secret
den"
"Nox, Alice" said Bob, mysterious
IL, "are you capable of keeping q Sc
cret-a real dead seeretr
"Of course / AMI should think you
and Helen ought to know that, for I've
kept yours many time"
Well, then, I'll show you a specimen
of my rare inventive genius. See here,
now, what can beat this2 1 originated
the idea myself, and think it does me
infinite credit"
And he touched q spring on either side
Of q bookcase, which moved slowly back
upon q vell-oiled groove, disclosing
nothing but tho k-paneled wal, which
he now pressed. This time one of the
panels moved from its place, showing a
: good-si1ed cupboard or recess, in the
wall, containing wills, law papers of ev-
cry description, heaps of bank-notes,