The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-03-31
TRI-WEEKLY EDITION.

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 l.
''But Miss Read just looked ut her in q
strange way and said in sort of whisper: {:
"'She's far from well-far from we'll.
l think her very Ill myself
"'Does the doctor say so2' asked cook.
"But bliss Read had gone and whether
he had said 80 or not. he said 1t the next
day.
"Ah, she was very, very i'll, and Miss
Head was very kind; sho watched her,
and cared for her, and cooked all her food
But day by day tho Door lady grow worse,
and the baby pined; and at last on the
same night both died.
after she was dead the minister Law
upon the sofa all day long, moan,,ig and
weeping. Once heard HIM say that fate
was cruel. Miss Read heard him.
"'And it cannot be retrIbutive Justice, )
She said, in strange tone, for you have
never been cruel to any one, you Know
"Even III his grief he looked at her then:
but that was all they said.
"Fhc night of the funeral she was there
till. 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 Hopping
window shutter made us all start. 1t was
one belonging to pantry window, and
co Ok bade me go and fastcn it, ut last, and
l went, shaking and trembling, and found
l must 20 outside to do it.
'Must is must, and made up my mind
10 brave it; but, as put my hand to the
bolt to draw it, found it was not fastened,
and the lock was not shot either So I
opened the door softly and stepped out
and there, in the moolight, I saw what |
thought to be ghost kneeling and diepine
grave. at first was too frightened to
scream; but befor, got my breath again
saw that the figure was living one. 1t
was Miss Nellie Read. She was knceling
and digging little hole with trowel mis-.
trcss had used for her gardening. And
Wien she had dug it she dropped into it
something white and shining, pattcd down
the earth, and came in.
She did not see me where stood, and
She fastened the door and crcpt up stairs
III the dark. A little while after I went
out and fastened the happing shutter. and
told nobody Of what had seen.
Nopouy, Dut LnaI night drcamt n
dream. i thought my dead mietrooe ,omo
to me, and took me from my bed, and led
me to the spot where had seen Miss Mel
lie Read kneeling.
"'When my husband tells you he is 20.
ing to marry that woman, dig here, and
show him what you 1ind,' SAID she.
81 awokc wet with perspiration, and
shaking with fright; but l said nothing
yet.
II said nothing, until year from that
day l drcamt the dream again; only this
time my mistress said:
"'My husband is going to marry my
murdercss; dig here, and show him what
you find
"Then 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 one9' said /.
" He is going to marry Miss Read
said the doctor.
''Ihen he bade Inc 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 saw Miss
Read digging there, we knct down to-
gether under the old trce and dug where
she had, and in n little while I struck
something hard and lifted 1t from the
earth.
ut was only little china jar, with
tight fitting cover, but when looked at it
| knew 1t for the jar Miss Read had drop
ped upon the hearth while she was stirring
Mrs. Burlington's cruel.
" 1T is half full Of white powder, said |.
'But the doctor snatchcd it from me.
eff Miss Read chooses to make grave
for her tooth powder jar, she has right
to do it, he SAID. tAnd don't make a fool
Of yourself and talk to your fellow servants,
and there is five dollars to get you
dress"
Il did not like to take such large
present, but tcld 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.