The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-01-23


sign vi auy mysterious vlsltant. L
had such feur oftne darkness, how
ever, that l left The candle burning.
The fury Of the storm had now
abated, aud | lay awake sometime
lIstenIng 10 The ~Iud At last, how
ever, / fell into su uneasy slumber
How long had slept | know not,
when was awakened by an icy
touch upon my forehead.
! started up with thrill Of appre-
heusiuu. Tne light emitied faint,
sepulcnral CLEAN. On, horror |. what
was that 1 saw A hsu,e roood III
hlte came gliding ,uwards me from
the TOO. Of The oea. The face was
nlddeI fEon my view, bus knew
from the iorm that il was The ghost
of Ana,tasla.
"Wuliam Raymond" came In a
boaree voice irom The figure Il am
here tu aseoge your iutldel,ty, and
drag y,u down 10 The grave 70 my
embrace"
enrieked Win terror as | felt
her ciu,cn upon .py throat, and cried,
faIusly. "AvIey nercy !"
You would marry Kate Nelson,
WOULD you! whispered The goost,
III ckipgl, III you do not Wish 10
die, AND here .ne ICY dugers press
I'd So ugbI tna. l gasped for brea,n
pr MISE NE thai you Will not take
second wife"
.Oh,l prom,se /. l promise ~ said,
bait dead ai,h ierror
Woe be unto you II You deceive
D,. y answered tne ghvsl, soiemnly
And | heard no mere
IL Mas soInetime, however, before
ventured " east limid glance
arouud tue room. The gnust had
disappeared. The storm. 100. was
beginnIDg u sub-lde but | could uog
90 to sleep again, for found it I'M
possibl- Iu foFgeI that phantom aud
its deadly clutch upon my throat
resolved u say uotnlug about it. vi
course ! e,pie would ridicule the idea
of gbos. Nevertheless, did no,
aare To wed kate Nelson yet, how
could explain this sudden change
of purpose! | fervently hoped tha.
she would not die of broken heart,
the poor child What should | say so
her
After considerable reflection, 1 re-
solved 10, trust tais delicate affair to
the tact of Charlie. Tne proposed
marriage was 50 odious in bis eyes
that knew be would justify nv ap
parent treachery TO her, ifpossiole.
Morning came, aud arose in a
feverish state of mind How | dread
ed to meet Kate al the breakfast Ia
Bile, but for una ely she did LOT LAX,
her appearance. Charlie looked 81
troubled that | fancied he, TOO, had
seen the ghost
After breakfast | said to him, with
an embarrassment that sIrove u
hide My dear boy. do you remem
Der " hat We were talking about last
evening? have been thIuKing ovel
The mater seriously, and ] am afraid
that marriage between Kate and
myself will result in uDhsppiness
but have not the courage to brave
her reproaches. Now, Charlie. will
you act as mediator, and make
known 10 her the change of my
views"
why, uncle" he answered, end
was almost sure that saw o CLEAN
Of mischief in bis eyes, something
estrao rdinary must have happened
You are not usually SO tickle"
"We won't discuss the matter, =
said !, In an irritated tone "Wil
you, or will you not, grant my re
quest :"
"Of course, ! WILL" be replied
"but il is difficult task The poet
child will be so disappointed"
| detected Joyous ring in BIZ
voice, snd looked al him rather sus
pieiously.
His diplomatic mission was sue
cessful, however. Late in the al
terDooD Katie came down into To,
library where | was sitiipf bat
never seen ber look prettier
oh, Mr. Raymond ~ she salt
eagerly, 81 am So glad that yol
changed your mind . 1t was all ST
Unexpected yesterday. | neve
dreamed before that you loved ne il
any other way than ss 9 daughter
Wss this asting2 Was she try
ing to deceive me 10 her sweet un
sel6shness 2
Then 700 sever loved me :"
asked
Dear Mr.. Raymond. you know
better" she answered "only it wa
not exscily the kind of love on
ought to feel towards q husband
| tu arc 40 urdi W uc as III WI
were my own father bg, you are s,
nuch older than I, taat-ihat-"
| She hesitsted and did not inisl
her sentence ] remembered N,
gray hairs with paBg Of morti6e,
vanity. Wss rot the ghostIy visi
enough? Must be tortured 10 thi
msuner sfterasrds?
The veil was torn away frsp ih
delusiop had cherished. Alas
bad nlisintsrpreted her childish a
lection. 1t might be that che love
another. / looked down into th
face where q vivid scarle. gIowet
and read her secret.
"My dear child y | exchanged, .
tempting to control nv agitation
] "tell me everything"