The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-05-10


moonlight falling in checkered patches
through vine-leaves down upon the tioor.
l often fancied that if did but lift my
voice and call "Fenella," l should see
the trim form, in its pretty peasant bo-
dice, trip across the sill. Often even
imagined the outline of a figure sitting
beside the great box, bent forward tow
ard it. was only shadow, only nut
ter OF the leaves; only something in my
own ewes, or nv own brain; but 1t
proved how much | thought of Fenella.
Here she had lived, here sorrowed; and
there are some who believe that the
lives of those who have dwelt In any
house leave an impress upon it ever
after, affecting the after-dwelIefs very
mvsteriously. And we all know that
there are rooms in which we can not be
comfortable, and Others where sense OF
peace possesses U.S. without any such
tangible reasons, as good or bad ventlla-
tion, pleasant outlook, or gloomy sur
roundings =
Once across the sill of Fenella's room,
I felt instantly oppressed with sadness,
even to the point of tears
AT last ! awakened one night with a
strange chill upon me- Itwas not the chill
that precedes an illness-we all know 1t
very well. A thought given to those
mysteries. which all sensible people pro-
fess to doubt, will send it creeping
through the blood of almost any one ex-
isting. had been thinking of nothing.
dreaming OF nothing; but | awakened
with this chill upon me, and looking
through the door of the little room
l have spoken of, which l naturally did
whenever l opened my eyes, l saw Fe-
nella.
Yes, my maid Fenella, just as she had
looked when she lived with me. Her
black petticoat, her red bodice, the white
sleeves of her chemisette were asplain as
though they had been tangible garments.
Her black braids fell to her knees.
Around her neck hung the black velvet
ribbon on which I knew she wore her
wedding-ring. She was weaping bitter.
ly, and bending as she wept over the box
in which grew the vines and flowers
which flung their shadow on the moon
lit floor, so that she seemed to watel
them with her tears.
NY first thought was that the ole
woman was mistaken-that Fenella livec
and had returned to the villa in tht
night without thinking that it was in
habited. Dnr
"Fenella," I called-"Fenella, it il
Miss Pansy; don't be afraid"
But, as spoke, she was gone withou
moving from the spot--gope as bubble
bursts and vanishes. l uttered scream
that aroused my husband from bis slum
bers. ...... .......
! was advised to believe the whol'
scene a dream, and tried my best t.
think it so; but before three days hae
passed, saw Fenella again.
This time was not sleeping. ] was ii
l the garden and looked through the win
dow; and what saw this time was Fe
nella, kneeling beside the Aower-growt
eaox, making the sign Of Gloss above it
Her face was like the face Of death; he
hands waxen white like those of "a corpse
y The sight was SO terrible that | los
nv senses, and was found by Carlo
! lying in a death-like swoon upon tn
grass, ten minutes after.
This time it could not lie dream; bu
: still nothing could make my HUSBAND
believe that had seen spirit, not tina
, l was believer ia ghosts. "Optical il
lusion" is a good suggestion-we used il
Carlos explained why it should hav
= taken the form of Fenella and thre.
y tened the doctor, r-I-
! Weeks had passed. l had accepted m
l husbands version. I looked upon m.
self as the victim of optical illusion.
g saw Fenella no more. | laughed at m,
y self for having fancied it. And the tin
y had almost come for our return hom
o when, one night, we entertained one
~ two English friends in our villa; betwee
1t the pauses Of song and chatter, some Gu
y iosity that we had picked up in our tr
el yels was spoken Of, and ran to n
10 room to get it.
e It was dark night. No moon fur
its radiance through the windows. On
Nv little swinging lamp Illuminated n
apartment; but that inner room, on
" my maid FeneIla's, was bright with
SC strange, silvery light that seemed
7, grow as / looked upon it. And as sto'
u II motionless, gazing towards it, | saw N
m 'u vision once more.
e Fenella, paler than ever-but this til
TIC strangely occupied. She was digging
the earth about the roots OF the vim
no no aud heaping the mold into the form Of
~. ~ new made grave. =.
We "Fenella," 1 said. She did not vani
ay "Fenellaw screamed.
'"l She turned toward me. l saw thai
newborn babe lay upon her breast. (
'eo made the sign of a cross above it and
gone. l crept back to my guests wlth'
having screamed or tainted. l had
'io termined not to be scofed at as ght
ere seer. even kept my secret from n
u husband; but that night strange th
'n que happened. A tempest swept across
vas country and took our villa in its way
n.y. II damolished a. chimney and the d