Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1880-12-01

cd herself 10 any room for fear OF sud
den illness, but IL ! should lock tn
door on the outside, and call for he
az | came from the bank, she woul
be much happier to know she wa
secure from interruption After som
hesitation, l consented TO do this, an
with the key in my pocket went I
business,
1t was ju,t closing time, and ! va
locking up the strong room, when 'h
manager drew my attention to a mat
ter which involved protracted searcl
OF papers-a ISearcb, however, wficl
happily proved successful. All othe
thoughts having been driven from IN.
head by this unwonted piece Of bust
mesa, | reached home, and as ! me
chanically took out my latch key ant
went into tie house, still in a revere
! was met by my wife, who aske'
why ! was 80 late for dinner, an,
where Mary was.
"Mary !" exclaimed /; 81 forgo
all about her = and catching my ha
Off the peg again, I rushed out, speed
ing an fast as | could TO liberato her
and bitterly lamentiug my folly fol
locking her 10.
1t was quite dark when | got there
and had no light ; hut felt ont The
keyhole, unlocked the door, aul
tramped loudly up the stairs. called
her, but received no reply. Gong
into the room in which | lad left her
I gazed into the recesses, and found
her huddled up in one corner.
"Mary, my poor dear child ex'
claimed, twill you ever forgive me =
"Hush, hush for pity sake, hush
she said in II whisper.
"Why did you not answer mo when
I called you T. I replied.
81 did not hear you until now. Oh
I have seen such fearful sights
I fell her whole frame quiver, and
when, l was assisting her to rise, she
fell on me in a faintlng fit. I had nc
light, not even fusee in my pocket
and no one was within call. Al
length thought of the water she bad
for her work it might revive he'
ifI could find it. I laid her dowr
gently, and cropping about for the wa
ter, sprinkled her face, which had the
effect OF bringing her round.
Hurriedly rising she exclaimed -
"Oh, come away. Take me out o.
this horrid place p.
I Ibegan to rally her about the alb
surdity of her fears, and her telling
me in the morning sho was not super
stitlous.
But she interrupted me by saying
81 have seen no ghosts. We are in 4
den Of horrid thieves and imurderers
I saw two bodies dragged up stairs,
stripped Of everything, with just a
sheet round them. Oh, come out o.
the place, or we shall be the next
Even now they may have heard us
and they will murder u.s."
I asked her if she had not 60,
drowsy whilst waiting for me in the
gloom of the afternoon-for it was
November, and dreamed it.
"Oh, no !" she replied; 81 did not
dream and horror struck as I was,
when the ruffians descended the stairs
again, crept silently up to see If
could find out anything and, oh hor-
rors, shall never forget the sight J.
Do let us CO.
l must confess I felt little creepy
and nervous, but was myself again in
a moment. Feeling her trembling,
and fearing another swoon, l began
descending the stairs with her, when
a light from below shot up to u.s.
She clutched me convulsively, but was
by hearing my wite's voice
calling out: Frank, Mary, where
are you I" ,.
Here" l said "all right"
"Indeed,' she replied, Il think 1t all
wrong to give me such a fright"
We had reached her by this time,
and by the light OF the lantern she
had brought, she caught sight o.
Marys bIancbed face. .
To my wife's interrogatories re-
speotiug her illness, the poor girl as
sured her that she was not i'll but ter
rified. II will tell you all, she added,
"when get home"
1 was thankful for the light and LETT
them walking on. whilst I ran up fol
Mary's painting materials, and lock
ing the door Iput the key in my
pocket, meaning to return again after
dinner, and try TO elucidate mystery