The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1880-12-09
MISS MlLDRED'S WARNING.
BY VICTORIA F. BENTON.

''There, girlsv
Elfrida Moore held aloft before Us dreadful
image. "a hOuse-made ghost" she called it,
laughing at the terrific result of her half-hOur of
sedulous occupation.
It was horrible
We had been reading, that afternoon, about the
Princess Amelia the ill-fated sister of Frederick,
King Of Prussia.
One thing brought up another And when an
allusion was made TO the "WOman with the
Broom who was said to have haunted the Prus-
sian palace at that time, Elfrida sought carpet
brush, with long handle, in the closet at the
head of the stairs, and standing in the outer
chamber alone began to dress it artisticaly in a
sheet, by way of showing us her own idea Of the
phantom that troubled the rest of Prussia's kings
We girls were alone in the wing chamber, which
had been allotted for our occupancy by Miss Mil
dred Fay, the owner of the lovely farm and the
comfortable Old-fashiOned farmhouse in Western
Pennsylvania, where, with our parents and other
friends, were spending the early vacation
months of the opening Summer.
One other girl, Elfrida's first cousin, Evelyn
Moore, shared the wing chamber with us.
She had now gone to the village two miles dis
tant, for the evening mail.
And Elfrida who was somewhat envious of
Eveyns superior scholarship, social position and
good looks declared that she would leave her
Fwoman with the broom so near the door of our
chamber and in such position that it would in
10 bring our letters.
"She says that she is afraid of nothing-that
she does not believe in ghosts and apparitOns," I"
she said to US. ''Now let's try her courage. We
will hide in the unfinished chamber, outside,
where we can see and hear all that passes between
her and my phantom"
While we were eyeing the image from a respect
full distance and feeling half afraid of the hdeous
face and the flaming eyes, which Elfrida had
drawn with a few touches of her crayOn and a
little phosphorus the white surface of the
nnf in fba
outer chamber made all huddle together and
strain our eyes fearfully toward its dusky en-
trance.
We all felt relieved, I think II own that did
for one, when our hostess Miss Mildred, emerged
from the gloom and entered our room without
pausing to knock.
Elfrida tried to thrust the homemade ghost
into corner, quite out of sight But it was use
less to try to conceal from Miss N1ildreds search
ingly comprehensive glance the hapless appa
(which of you girls made this? Why did vol
make ?" she asked holding it out at arm.
length.
Elfrida told her
"And please, Miss Mildred don't tell Evelyn
she said cOaxingly. 1--WE only wish to find Ou
whether she is really Drawer about such things
than we are. She says she is; and she declared
the other evening that the real woman with tn,
broom would not have frightened her in tn,
least-if she had seen and heard her sweeping,
mean, in the passages of the royal palace"
"And did you believe her?" asked Miss Mil
dred, bending her keen gray eyes on Elfridai
aNo, l did not" confessed Elfrida
'fDid yOu?'
Miss Mildred addressed us.
I owned that had my doubts.
Marian Hurst, with a half-averted, timd lOOl
at the dreadful object that was still held by on
hostess, declared that she had no doubt whatever
f'NO one could help feeling terrified at such
sight coming suddenly upon them," she averred
"YOu are none of you without your fair share o
common sense" said Miss Mildred. "And yol
can deliberately plan and aid and abet dee'
like thisW ~
She tossed the image out into the dark opeI
chamber.
With an angry exclamation, Elfrida was spring
ing after it; but she found herself held back by
strong hand
mo, girls That same thing has been done il
this very house once before. Wait till / tell yol
what came of it before you try again to carry
out" l311
At the thought of hearing story, Elfrda fOrgO
her mOmentary anger, and crowded in beside US
near the chair at the window, where Miss Mildre
had seated herself.
She looked at us sadly. The half-light ma
have deceived me- but thought then, and sti
think, that her keen gray eyes were full Of tears
as she began to speak.
sI did not always live here by myself girls i
The old homestead" she said "Five-and-twent
wears ago, my dear mother and father were here
and I had darling brother, one year older tina
myself, named Oliver and sister, younger tina
either of US, who was called IsadOre, after tn
heroine of a story that my mother read, and like
very much, just before her BIRTH
81 was always tall and thin and gaunt, as yO
see me now, girls. l took after my father. h
looked well enough, for man, mind you. BJ
his features and figure did not suit a girl, and
was always called 'homely' from child.
"But oliver was handsome, like our mOthe
He had great blue eyes, and curling brown hal