Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1880-07-23
MISS MILDRED'S WARNING.
BY VICTORIA F. BENTON.

Elfrida Moore held aloft before us
dreadful image. "A house-made
ghost" she called it. laughing at the
terrific result of her halfhour of sed-
ulous occupation.
1t was horrible,
We had been reading, that afternoon,
about the Princesse Amelia, the i'll
fated sister of Frederick. King of Prus-
sia.
One thing brought up another. And
when an allusion was made to the
woman with the Broom, who was
said to have haunted the Prussian pal
ace, at that time, Elfrida sought car
pet-brush, with Il long handle, in the
closet at the head of the stairs, and
standing iii the outer chamber alone.
began to dress it artiStically III sheet,
by way Of showing lis 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 Mildred Fay.
the owner of the lovely farm, and the
comfortable old-fashioned farmhouse
i'll Western Pennsylvania, where, with
our parents, and other friends, we
were spending the early vacation
months of opening summer.
One other girl, Elfridia's first cousin,
Evelyn Moore, shared the wing cham
Der with us.
She had now gone to the village, two
miles distant for the evening mail
And Elfridia, who was somewhat en-
vious of Evelyn's superior scholarship,
social position, and good looks, declared
that she would leave her "woman with
the broom SO near the door of our
chamber, and in such u position, that it
would inevitably fall against Evelyn, rs
soon Us she entered with our letters.
''Shc says that she is not afraid of
nottingham she does not belierc in
ghosts and apparitions,' she said to us
Now let's try he courage. We will
hide in the unfinished room, outside
where we can see and hear all that pass
eS between her and my phantom. "
While we were eycing the image
from respectful distance, and feeling
half afraid of the hideous face and
the flaming ewes, which Elfrida had
drawn with few touches of her crayon
and little PHOSPHORUS on the white
surface of the sheet, rustling sound
and movement in the outer chamber
made us all huddle together and strain
our eyes fearfully toward the dusky en-
trance.
We all felt relieved, / think own
| did, for one,) when our hostess, Miss
Mildred, emerged from the gloom and
and entered our room without pausing
to to knock
(Which of you girls made this? Why
did you make it, she asked holding it
out ut arms length,
Elfrida told her
And please, Miss Mildred, don't tell
Evelyn" she said coaxingly I'VE only
wish to find out 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 the broom would not have fright
encd her in the the least-if she had
seen and heard her sweeping, | mean,
in the passage of the royal palace"
And did YOU believe herr asked
Miss Mildred bending her keen gray
NO | did not, confessed Elfrida.
''Did your
Miss Mildred addressed us.
| owned that ] had my doubts.
Marian Hurst, with halfavcrted,
timid look at the dreadful object, that
was still held By our hostess, declared
that she had no doubt whatever.
mo ono could heip feeling terrified
at such sight coming suddenly upon
them, she averred.
you are none Of You without Your
fair share Of common sense" said
Miss Mildred And you can deliber-
atcly plan and aid and abet a deed
like this
She tossed the image out into the
dark, open chamber,
With an angry exclamation, Elfrida
was springing after it; but she found
herself held back by strong hand.
mo, girls, That same thing has
been done in this very house once be-
fore Wait till tell YOU what come OF
it before you try again to carry it out.
At the thought Of hearing story,
Elfrida forgot her momentary anger.
anu crowded III DeHlDu US, near the
chair at the window. where Miss Mil
bred had seated herself
She looked Mt us very sadly. The
halflight may have deceived me, but |
thought then, and still think, that her
keen gray eyes were full Of tears as
she began g speak.
II did not always live here BY my
self girls, in the old homestead, she
said. "Five-and-twenty years ago. my
dear mother and father We're here; and
I had darling brother. one year older
than myself, named Oliver. and sister
younger than either of III, who was
called lsadore, after tic heroine IL q
story that my mother had read. and
liked very much, just before her birth.
III Wa always tall, and thin, and
gaunt. AZ YOU sec me nov girls, !
took after my father He looked well
enough. for man. mind you. But DE-
features and figure do not suit girl.
and / Wa always called homely from
4 child.
But Oliver wa, handsome like our
mother. He had great blue eyes and
curling brown hair. and the brightest