Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1881-04-07
what wonder it was 1t wasn't broken,

and how pretty it is.
"She made me no answer, but put 1t into
her pocket in hurry, and poured the Cruel
into bowl and carried 1t up stairs.
"'oh, Miss, said cook, as she passed
her, how glad am missus Is getting on
so well i
"But Miss Read just looked at her in a
strange way and said in sort of whisper /;
"'She's far from well-sar from we'll.
| think her very Ill myself.
"Does the doctor say so q asked cook.
''But Miss Read had gone; and whether
he had said SO or not, he said 1t the next
day.
"Ah, she was very, very i'll, and Miss
Read was very kind; she watched her,
and cared for her, and cooked all her food.
But day by day the Door lady grew worse,
and the baby pined; and at last on the
same night both died.
'After she was dead the minister lay
upon the sofa all day lo1g, moaning and
weeping. Once heard HIM say that fate
was cruel. Miss Read heard him.
"'And it cannot be retrlbutive justice,
she said, in a strange tone, for you have
never been cruel to any one, you know
"Even In his grief he looked at her then;
but that was all they said.
"The night Of the funeral she was there
IT'LL. The minister was shut in his room,
and she in hers, as we supposed, and we
servants dreaded to go to bed, for the house
seemed full of ghosts. The very common
est noises frightened US; and fspping
wlndow-shutter made us all start. Ii was
one belonging to pantry window, and
cook bade me go and fasten it, at last, and
| went, shaking and trembling, and found
| must go outside to do it,
Must is must, and made up MY mind
to brave it; but, as put my hand to the
bolt TO draw ii, found it was not fastened,
and the lock was not shot either. So |
opened the door softly and stepped out,
and there, in the moolight, l saw what |
thought to be ghost kneeling and digging
grave. AT first was too frightened to
scream; but before | got my breath again
| saw that the figure was living one. 1t
was Miss Nellie Read. She was kneeling
and digging little hole with trowel MIS-
tress had used for her gardening. And
when she had dug it she dropped into it
something white and shining, patted down
the earth, and came in.
''She did not see me where stood, and
she fastened the door and crept up stairs
in the dark. A little while after / went
out and fastened the tapping shutter, and
| told nobody of what had seen.
"Nobody; but that night dresmt q
dream. thought my dead mistress came
to me, and took me from my bed, and led
me to the spot where had seen Miss Nell
lie Read kneeling.
"'When my husband tells you he is go.
ing to marry that woman, dig here, and
show him what you find, SAID she.
81 awoke wet with perspiration, and
shaking with fright; but l said nothing
yet.
Il said nothing, until a year from that
day l drcamt the dream again; only this
time my mistress said:
"'My husband is going to marry my
murderess; dig here, and show him what
you find
"rhen | went to the old doctor, and
made my courtesy, and told him my Dreams
and what had seen. And is master GO
ing to marry any oneF' said l.
"'He is going to marry Miss Read,
said the doctor.
'Then he bade me say nothing, and
promised to come to the house that night
and help me prove to myself that there was
nothing under the tree.
"Late that night, with the moon high
in the sky, as it had been when l saw Miss
Read digging there, we knelt down to-
gether under the old tree, and dug where
she had, and in little while / struck
something hard and lifted 1t from the
earth.
ut was only a little china jar, with a
tight fitting cover, but when looked at it
| knew it for the jar Miss Read had drop
ped upon the hearth while she was stirring
Mrs. Burlington's gruel
'' 1T is half full OF white powder, said l.
''But the doctor snatched it from me.
"'If Miss Read chooses to make grave
for her tooth powder jar, she has right
to do it, he SAID. tAnd don't make fool
of yourself and talk to your fellow-servants,
and there is five dollars to get you a
dress"
| l did not like to take such large
present, but told HIM should not talk,
and never did
'But master never married Miss Read.
Instead he sold the house and went away
to Europe, and people knew something
strange had happened. As tor Miss Read
she went mad after awhile; and those who
saw her then said her talk made them turn
cold. 1t was all about something she was
afraid of that followed her with an awful
white face, and about burying things by
moonlight.
sAnd l had strange fancies In my
mind, ma'am, but / never said q word.
There are Soma thinoa IL "a h at not In ta liz