The Magnolia gazette., 1882-02-24
The INVISIBLE GIRL,

Having decided 70 finish the year ii
Italy, ! looked around me for q dwelling
10 bc had on reasonable terms ! found
what | wanted IN the ancient city of
Luccn, one OF the lovclost spots ID the
peninsula. The houso VA. quite new.
and in every way desirable, while the
rent asked for il WINS absurdly low. |
questioned the agent in regard to this
circumstance. Having my money safe,
hc could afford to be truthful.
There is nothing against the house
itself, but the grounds have the repu-
totlon Of hoing haunted. Strange sounds
arc sald 20 be heard near that ledge Of
rock n the park yondcr. We Italians
arc superstitious, signor," he added,
with bow, "but / presume to an
American ghost is no objection.
$50 little, Ireplicd, laughing, "thnt
am obliged to you for the opportunity
ui making the acquaintance OF this ono"
Such snperstitions are common in
Italy, aud the agents story made very
little impression upon me,
During q tour of inspection around
the premises | came upon She rock in
question. II consisted of two walls OF
granite, perhaps twenty feet III height,
meeting at an oblique angle, covered
over thcir greater extent with wildvines
~ struck me as an exceedingly bcauh-
~ nook, and appropriate for my hours
Of outdoor lomging
On the following morning. provided
with n book and cigar, / went thither,
aud disposed myself comfortably in the
shade Of mn olive / hQd become all
sOrbed N the volume, when ! was startled
by the sound OF avoice near me. II was
evidently that Of woman, wonderfully
soft and sweet, and was singing one Of
the ballads Of the country. could dis
tnguish the words as perfectly rs if
spoken ut arms length from me.
started up in ama2ement ] lad no
visitors, and my only servant was an old
man. Nevertheless, ] made a thorough
exploration 81 the neighborhood, and
satisfied myself that there was no one in
the grounds. The only public road was
half q mile distant. The nearest dwell.
ing was directly opposite, across level
PLAIN sight, but far out of ear-shot.
In word could make nothing out oft
observed that when left my orig
inal position under the olive the voice
became instantly silent. 1t was only
within the circumference of a circle Of
about two yards in diameter that it was
audible at all.
1t appeared to proceed FROM the angle
between the two walls of rock. The
minutest examination failed to reveal
anything but the bare rock. Yet il was
out of this bare rock that the voice
issued.
/ returned to my former station In
downright bewilderment. The agents
story occurred to me, but even now l
attached no weight to it. / am a prac-
tical man, and was firmly convinced that
there must be some rational explanation
Of the mystery, if l could but discover
II. The voice was certainly that of a
young girl. But where was she? Was
the old fable of the wood-nymph truth
sitter ali2 Had discovereda dryad en-
tea5med in the rock? l smiled scorn-
ialiy sven as these fancies ran through
n9y bead.
Foi more than half an hour the sing
aeg continued. Then it ceased, and.
sA2agh waited patiently for its re-
aewsl. 1 heard no more of it that day.
Waogi fstsrned 70 the house / made no
fseuiiSa u ths MISTER, resolving to keep
81 % myself until had solved the
ai9seerFs
1as aeas morning At an early hour 1
faewasyl n sfss SPOT. After a tedious
isafeFeal kf,s singing began again. II
esae soetlg aHa aseafsiiy through one
pceas % sosE. tl.en eSese1. Presently