The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1881-06-28

had no idea you were ILL.,"
& l did not want to frighten you, and
so tried to get up and dress, and then
this horrible faintness came over me,
and could not get to the bell. Oh,
mamma, l have had such terrible
night"
"My darling Then it was you Jem
heard scream ?"
He must have heard me, but he
didn't come, no one come; and oh, it
was so terrible L shall never, never
forget it," and she trembled like an
aspen leaf,
lone thing is clear" said Mrs. Per-
ceval, "we cannot go to the Hots to-
day"
"No, no. said Ef1ie, '' can go on no
visits but L must get away from here,
from this room, from this bed,' she
added with a shudder.
We will go anywhere you like, dar-
ling" said her mother, soothingly.
Only try to be calm now, and tell me
what has upset you so dreadfully."
1t was some time before the girl was
sufficiently collected to satisfy her moth
er's anxiety and curiosity, but at length
with many breaks and halting sentences
she spoke much as follows:
81 went to bed, as you know, per-
fectly well aud looking forward to our
visit to the Holts, and L soon fell asleep.
About one o'clock, fancy it must have
been, l awoke with feeling of the most
frightful depression, just as if 1 were
doomed to death. L tried to cali out,
and to sit up in bed, but heavy weight
seemed on me, and L could only lie still
and gasp. Then L felt myself sinking
into sort of stupor. knew 1 was not
awake, and yet was not asleep. Fear
full shapes and forms fitted before my
eyes, until at length they seemed to
merge into the form of man, with
huge, prominent eyes, who stopped over
me, and slowly waved large knife in
front of my face. tried to scream, but
felt that it was only inwardly, and that
no sound escaped my lips. Again this
terrible form bent over me, gradually
fading away, only to return third
time with still fiercer look in his eyes.
Making superhuman effort, my voice
at last broke its bounds, and with a
ringing scream l woke, and sprang out
of bed. There was no one to be seen,
my door was still locked; no one could
In N fha,, hoxyn hna,, n
dream, thought, and at last, shivering
and shaking, crept into bed again, but
could not go to sleep. Oh, l did so long
for you, mother, and yet L was too
frightened to come to you"
My poor child" cried Mrs. Perce-
val soothingly. g 1t was indeed dread
full dream"
But, was it only dream2" sighed
Effie; ''it seemed SO much more-and
that face, shall ever forget 7"
"Only dream, darling. Something
had upset your nerves. Now, try and
shake off the remembrance of it. Come
down stairs, and, after breakfast, we
will settle where we will go. L think
the Lakeside will be best, but you shall
decide"
Mrs. Perceval treated the matter light
ly. Effie always had been highly
nervous, and this was only bed attack
of nightmare. 1t was, however, some
time before the girl took the same view
as her mother and, although the change
to the seaside braced her nerves, and did
her very much good, it was far
from being complete cure. AT times,
the remembrance of the face she had
seen would return and cause her hours
of torture. Mrs. Perceval, like wise
woman, had kept her own counsel con-
cerning the dream, or vision, whichever
it was, so that it had not become an
eight-day wonder in the household. She
rarely allowed Eilie to dwell upon it to
her, and when, year later, new
interest sprang up in the girls life, she
rejoiced, feeling sure the ghost would
now be laid forever. For Effie was
engaged to be married, and two honest
brown eyes now haunted her waking as
well as sleeping moments, and a sense
of peace and security hedged her round.
TO Launce Spencer she had, of course,
told the tale, and Launce had petted and
soothed her, and made nothing of it,;
and with her hand in his, and her head
on her shoulder, she could feel no fear.
1t was once more the beginning of
August, when, one bright morning,
Launce unexpectedly received sum-