The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 18??-1882, 1882-02-10


me.
At Oban l found letters that called
me home; one from India telling mt
that my niece had sailed for England
and was coming to the Hall-tht
trouble consequent on the death of hel
child, some two or three years old, had
so preyed upon her health that her hus.
band had. packed her off by the first
steamer; the other from my brother
saying that she had arrived, and offer.
ing to come and finish the cruise with
his son. / set off at once-arrangine
that my brother should join the yacht
at Oban, and that Hansen should then
come and pay visit to Stonnor Hail.
1 found that the young wife had
picked up her health and spirits during
the voyage, but that she might have a
cheerful companion, asked Mrs. Ran
dali Rawson and her husband to spend
a few days with US.
Mrs. Rawson was a brisk, busy lady,
who would manage everything and
everybody in the county If she could.
She had formidable array of domestic
virtues; had the reputation of being
very strong but withal was a
most nervous woman, hiding it well,
however, under loud sort of buster.
Another popularity was her absurd
jealousy of her husband. Poor Rawson
himself was one of the meekest and
mildest of men. He was known at
school as Pink Rawson, and now he
was married and the father of large
young family, hewas pinker and milder
than ever. His life was made bur-
den to him from this ridiculous jeal-
Ousy.
A remarkable occurrence took place
at the Hall shortly after they arrived.
We had all met in the drawing-room
after dinner. My brother was DOING
in an arm chair. Mrs. Rawson was
reading a novel, my niece was at the
piano, and Rawson would have been
turning over the leaves had his wife's
eye not been on him.
Suddenly the door opened, and my
butler, Thomas Ia most exemplary per-
son. came up to my chair with start
led sort of look and desired to speak to
me. When we got outside he told me
that one of the hOusemaids was in hys-
terics, having seen ghost on the lawn.
1t was bright moonlight, and while the
girl was closing some shutters her at
tentiOn was attracted by moaning.
On looking out she saw the figure of a
young lady gazing up at one of the
windows and wringing her hands.
Thomas, who ran to her assistance
when she screamed, said also that he
distinctly saw the figure disappearing
in the shrubs.
where is this grip whispered a
voice close to us, and there was Mrs.
Rawson, looking very white. She had
followed out Of feminine curiosity.
Take me to this girl she said loudly.
Tll soon take the nonsense out of
her.
However, notwithstanding cold wa
ter, salvolatile, and abundant scolding,
the girl stick to her statement. She
gave the most circumstantial account
of it.
The figure was dressed in white, had
black hair, looked very sad, would stare
up at particular window, then wiring
her hands and moan.
The window she described was that
which belonged to the haunted cham
Der. My brother secured the shrubber-
les without avail.
Nothing occurred the following night,
but on the next, Thomas knocked at my
dressing room door as 1 was going to
bed. For heavens sake, come here,
SIR he cried, 1 hurried after him.
There, sure enough, on the lawn, in the
bright moonlight, was the figure the
girl had described. 1 could see it with
painful distinctness. 1t was like in
face, figure and dress to Scheffer's pic
ture of 'MignOn regrettant sa patrie,
that hung in my nephew's room. 1t
would look up at the haunted room,
then clasp its hands and moan. When
1 turned to speak to Thomas, l was
confronted by another white figure. 1t
was that of Mrs. Randall Rawson, who,
having heard the disturbance, had fol-
lowed us in dishabille. What is all
this aboutT she said in sepulchral
tones For answer 1 pointed to the
figure. 'Ahr she cried clutching me
violently, Il am not frightened! no;this
is some trick. I'll have the creature
punished. tell you both, these things
do not frighten mel
Here she elasped me so violently that
L nearly fell. Open the window,
Thomas she continued loudly, III
speak to the creature ~
At the sound of the opening case
ment the figure turned slowly toward
us, and with desparing cry disappear
ed amid the trees. Mrs. Rawson fell
back in Mysteries, and being rather
stout, it was as much as Thomas and I
could do to support her. 'Ah, ahl' she
laughed; Il tell you 1 am not frighten-
ed, tell you q
When my brother, who had slept
soundly all night, began deriding it,
and saying it was dodge of the SER
wants, 1 pulled him up at once. Per.
haps, said, Il know more about il
than you think
what are you driving at p he said.
Il mean that it may portend some
thing more serious than you hint at
'Ahl Peter how often have 1 told
you not to keep all the jewels and plate
at the Hall. Why don't you send then
to your bankersT
You mistake me- l said; the trink
cts and plate are safe enough; but die
it never occur to you that spirits may
actually visit the earthg
If l did not know you better, Peter
l should think you had adopted whis
ky in Scotland, or had softening Of th'
brain comingo on. Whence did you picl