Daily Kennebec journal., 1884-03-18
m1sfellane0ns.
A STRANGE EXPERIENCE.
The CoxpAN1oN's STORY.

experience stands out in very sharp relief
AGAINST the dull background of my other
recollections, which, to tell the truth, are
exceedingly prosaic; an experience so
terrible that at the time it almost threw
me off nv mental balance. and even now
often fills me with unrest and disquiet by
| its mere memory.
When was in my twenty fifth year,
was suddenly left to face life alone: l
| looked about for employment. and before
many days my attention was attracted By
the following advertisement:
Wanted Immediately, q lady. as COM
panion to young lady who is slightly de-
ranged. The patient is quite harmless
and gentle. A comfortable home offered.
! was not by any means weak-minded
or nervous young woman, and 1t seemed
to me that the slight prejudice which made
me shrink from such companiOnship might
easily be overcome. The salary named
suited my requirements, and. as my Gre
dentials were satisfactory, my application
was met by an acceptance. and all the
preliminaries being arranged. it was
agreed that should journey down to E.
without further delay.
On the morning of the day on which
had arranged to begin my new life it oc-
Cured to me that the train had fixed on
would not get me to E. before seven
| O'Clock, and that it would be far from
pleasant to arrive in the damp darkness
of an autumn evening at a station with
which was unfamiliar. and which might
be miles from the manor House."
therefore decided to 60 by an earlier
train, thinking that it could not possibly
make much difference to my employers
whether reached my destination at eight
or at four knew nothing of the people
to whom l was going. beyond the facts
that they were the elder sisters of 1.-The
patient" and that their references had
been all that could be desired. On the
way down | amused myself with guesses
as to the kind of household was about
to join. and by the time reached E had
formed pretty little fancy picture of two
cheerful, comfortable, middle-aged ladies.
and had begun to think that the ''de-
ranged" young lady might after all be
only little peculiar and eccentric. not
enough so Il. make any serious drawback
to quiet and happy life
got fly at the station, and with my
smaller belongings was packed into it.
After what seemed an interminable drive,
the conveyance iolted and shook itself
down into quietness in front of closed
door. which formed the only feature in
long red brick wall, high enough to be in
itself very sufficient protection, and
further secured by formidable cheUdur
de trise. My tly-man rang the bell and
alighted. A long interval elapsed without
any sign of life from the other side of the
door. but when at last he somewhat i'm
patiently rang again. there came sound
of footsteps on the tagged path within,
and the door was opened about three in
ches. while voice said:
who's there?"
my name is Graham" answered. Il
have come to be Miss Tharpe's compan-
ion.''
"Oh ~ said the voice suspiclously ;"but
Miss Graham was not to come till seven"
Nevertheless am Miss Graham, and
vOu see | have come at four. am COM
ing in, so please open the door"
"Well, suppose you may come in,"
was the ungracious reply. and the door
opened. passed through it, and up the
tagged pathway, on either side of which
stretched garden. laid out in brown des-
olate flower-beds. Some large cedars
grew near the house and cast heavy
shade over its long red facade. The whole
scene was dreary in the extreme. and, to
add to the weird appearance, though no
lights were visible in the windows ,all the
blinds were down, and over the front door
the family hatchment was displayed. In
reply to my hasty question whether there
had been a recent death in the family, the
woman who had let me in answered stolid-
ly:
mo. the place is always like this
The hall in which my boxes were set
down were large and dark furnished with
oaken settles and seats black with age.
paid the f1y-man. and when he was
gone looked with anxiety tor some sort of
welcome. for the tone of the letters had
received led me to hope that this would
be home in fact no less than in name.
| '.Are the ladies out ?'' asked
Yes" said the old servant. They
will not be back till six. You had better
take your things off, and sit in the library
till they return"
did as she directed In the library, which
was at the back of the house. were a good
| fire and two wax candles in ponderous
silver candle sticks. The walls were oak
panelled, and the curtains heavy. dark and
handome. The whole atmosphere was
one of decayed magnificence. leaned
back in my chair and put my feet on the
fender with a feeling of contentment
not even the mystery showed forth by the
outward signs of mourning on the house
could dispel The changes from the chill
damp world outside to this warmth and
comfort. the absolute stiffness of the place
after the hurry and hustle OF railw av
travelling, these were very soothing, and
all conduced to seuce of drowsiness
which gently stole over me. yielded to
it. don't know how long dozed, but
when slight noise-a cinder dropping
from the fire. fancy reused me again to
consciousness, l found that | was no
longer in the room. Seated on a low
ottoman on the other side of the fire, her
great gray eyes fixed on my face, was a
girl; her hands were clasped round her
knees, and her whole body bent forward
in all attitude of profound attention Over
her plain white dress fell the splendid
waves and ripples of her Auburn hair :;
her complexion was of that clear she'll
like tint by which that colored hair is SO
often accompanied. She was equisitely
lovely-But her face? What was there in it