Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1879-06-14
Arson Grey.

Arson Grey was a still, stern maj
at thirty, shut up within himself ant
by himself, in his great stone mansion
on the hill, and people knew NJ
more about him than they knew
about the dead. His early years hat
been passed abroad, where or how
nobody knew and most had ceased
to care for that matter; the last two
years had been passed in Burlingame
A brilliant light at night shining
from the great east windows and oc.
casional gallops through the town by
day were the only tokens of his pres
ence. However, change was COM
ing, and that without warning. An
son Grey fell sick, suddenly and dan
gerously SO. The doctor was sum.
noned, who in turn telegraphed for
another from the neighboring city in
hot haste, and together they aaid in
whispers that their patient would
probably die. There was no woman
IN the great house to act as nurse and
the head servant, obeying doubtless
his masters orders, refused to allow
one there as yet.
How it came about was a mystery,
but ono morning when the master had
lain a week half-senseless, an unusual
cloud Of dust Was observed wtirling
up the hill, and emerging therefrom
was q carriage, splashed and weather
stained, headed By two straining
painting horses, who came up to the en-
trance SIS if driven by the evil one.
A lady, tall and fair as sunlight, push
ed open the carriage door impatient
ly and sprang out. With a hasty
glance around she hurried up the
steps, entered the drawing-room, and
stood before the two astonished gen.
tlemen who were seated there.
"Is Arson Grey alive?"
eyes, but he grows worse"
Before they OWNED her intention,
che had passed them, and was in the
next room, bending over the sick
man.
1.-The devil will be to pay if she ex-
citea him row,' the elder one said.
"If some good nurse had come it might
hsvo been Of some use, but this dainty
thing-bah !"
She came out in a moment, her
face white but determined.
"WiIl you be kind enough to send
for minister and remain until he
comes p she asked, as she began to
remove her things.
There was something in her man
ner that forbade questioning, and
they obeyed her like SO many dumb
men, as they said afterward
The minister did come; William
Skinner the head-seryant, was called,
and after the three held a private
conference, which seemed satisfacto-
ry, they came out, and, to the amaze
mcnt of all, the lady stood beside
Anson Grey and the marriage vows
were taken.
The wise doctors were mistaken in
their estimate Of their unknown. She
was something besides fair young
lady, as her actions soon proved. A
new order Of things Was instituted in
the sick mans room, and his wife in
stalled herself as nurse, a change
which told for the better. In a month
he was riding through the village,
with his wife by his side, all eyes, of
course, agog to catch glimpse of her
handsome face.
All agreed that she was just an
angel, and whsn they came to church
the next Sunday, and sat down in
one Of the pews like other people,
they were more than ever confirmed
in their opinion. What they never
knew was this;
Three years before Arson Grey,
naughty and INDECENT, was killing
time at one of the fashionable water
ing-places where Edith Willoughby
also fingered, though aorely against
her will.
A sweet and wondrously fair face,
much admired and sought after, An
son Grey had half mind to enter
the lists with the others, but somo-
thing kept him back, and he only ex-
changed few words with her now
and then.
There happened to come a heavy,
two days flood, and the first night of