Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-01-11


self alone when be enter the great draw
ing-room. He walked about. looking at
the pictures upon the walls, and 20 passed
into q second smaller drawing-room,
whittier he was attracted bv the sonud of
the cracking Of a wood fire. There a
staggering blow awaited him. Standing
before q tall, ancient mantel. with one
foot set upon the heavy brass fender. in
the light Of a great wood fire which spar
killed. and famed in the deep chimney place
stood his fellow-traveller of the morn
ing. She nodded to him politely, and
with perfect unconcern. He approached
and spoke with her, expressing his sur
prise at finding her under the same roof
with himself.
".How did you Gomez he said. Il
thought mine was the only train which
could reach here today
81 came BY way Of my own she re-
piled, and went on in light. ordinary
conversation until the host and hostess ap-
peared from the larger drawing-room.
''Mr. Heaphey, of course. at once ad-
vanced to greet them and fell into cenver-
sation with the hostess. He was little
surprised, though not particularly, to find
that neither of them made any offer to
present him to the lady. who still stood.
in no way recognizing their presence,
by the fireside. Dinner was almost i'm
mediately announced. The host invited
Mr. Heaphev to give his arm to the host
ess and they passed into the dining-r room.
".You see.' said the hostess. a. they
took their seats at the table, we have no
one here and it is very kind of you to
come and give us your company and to
do us this favor when we have really no
return to make you in the way of enter
tainment.'
"As the lady of the fireside had entered
the room with them and was at that mo-
ment sitting directly opposite to Mr..
Heaphey, all these remarks seemed to
him most extraordinary. He affected.
however, not to perceive anything strange
in this conversation and dinner went on,
the mysterious lady taking no part what
ever in the talking and, 50 far as Mr..
Heapbey could see, being in no way rec
ognized by the host, the hostess, or the
servants who waited at the table.
"As may be imagined, all this did moi
tend to enhance Mr.. Heaphey's comfort
at dinner. 1t was impossible for him to
allude to a person who seemed to exis,
only in his own perceptions. and yet who
manifested in the expression of her coun-
tenance no sort of consciousness of this
extraordinary neglect. When they re-
tired to the drawing room after dinner,
one or two persons coming in from the
neighborhood, conversation became gen
eral. The mysterious lady moved about
from point to point, once or twice speak
ing with Mr. Heaphey. but never, so far
as he could see. exchanging word with
any other person present. By the time
that he retired to his room Mr.. Heaphey
was profoundly upset by this most unac-
countable of all the experiences through
which he had yet passed in connection
with his mysterious visitant of the sum-
mer. Determined, if he could, to satisfy
himself whether he was or was not the
victim of hallucination, he made some
excuse for speaking to the footman, who
was arranging his clothes before leaving
him for the night, about the lady who had
dined there. The footman looked ut him
unintelligently at first. and then. with a
curious. almost quizzical expression, as
sured Mr.. Heaphey that he had not the
least idea what he was speaking of. as he
didn't know any lady was staying in the
house. and as the one or two ladies who
had called during the evening had driven
home to their residences. Seeing that he
was to get no light from this quarter Mr..
Heaphey was silent. remained in the house
two or three days. finished the portrait
which he had undertaken to paint in
water-colors and left.