The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-01-09

either side of it. The enclosure was
fenced round with q rather high, wooden
paling, and in one corner Of 1t there stood
a summer house, with q quantity shaped
roof, that had something of pagoda
about it. Over the whole there was spread
soft, silvery light, as though bright,
full moon was shining down upon it. A
yellow CLEAN, as of lamp burning within,
stole through the open window, and min
gled with the white rays without.
laid my fingers on my pulse. Was l
going fast into raging fever? My pulses
were as steady as they were when rose
that morning after a nights sound sleep.
l tested my brain by going through, in
my mind, all the symptoms and features
in difficult and perplexing case which
had been lately under my care I; my mind
acted as coolly and calmly and regularly
as it had ever done. repeated to my
self several passages of poetry from diff
ferent authors in different languages
they came as quickly and easily to my
tongue as if | had been reading them
from printed book. l gazed around,
and fixed my eyes on various objects In
the room to see whether / should be sub
jected to other optical illusions; but in
all other points my eyes were as reasona-
BILE as they usually we're; they showed me
nothing but the familiar chairs and table,
and the wellknown pattern of the paper
on the wall. Then looked back at the
mirror. The house was still there.
Had been reading lately description
of such house, or had lately seen any
where picture like it n Either of these
things might possibly have left vivid
| impression on my mind which might have
accounted for the strange delusion. l was
not, however, able to recollect, search my
memory as 1 would, that a book or a
painting had brought such house and
garden before my thoughts. l was nat
urally neither excitable nor imaginative ;
indeed, was generally regarded by every
one who knew me, and by myself into the
bargain, as one of the most prosaic, ra-
tional beings in the world. My fancy had
never before played me the smallest trick
even as | rode home, worn out with
watching by sick.bed, on the darkest
night; even in the many painful scenes,
full of death and gloom, through which my
professional life had led me. In the dis
secting.room, in the severest operation,
my hand had always been as steady as if
1 were peeling an orange. All this made
the present incomprehensible vision yet
more utterly inexplicable. Besides, even
while l gazed at it, knew that 1 had
never felt more calm and collected and
more in an ordinary condition of body
and mind throughout my very common
place, very busy history.
Would another pair of eyes see the
house in the mirror l wondered. With
hurried hand rang the bell to test this
point, and summoned my house-keeper
who generally herself waited on me
This good lady's name was Mrs. Trickey
1t is common Devonshire name, let it be
at once understood by those who are not
aware of the fact, and is in no way meant
to hint at any unpleasant proclivities Oh
unwarrantable whims on the worthy
DANES part she was as honest and sim
ple-minded a woman as ever handled q
bunch of keys.
"Mrs. Trickey, have rung for you tc
ask you to do a very simple thing
said hesitatingly, now that she was pres
emit, scarcely knowing how to begin; fol-
felt, if 1 spoke out plainly, my house
keeper must infallibly think that l hat
suddenly taken leave of my senses.
: What will ZEE please to have, sir p
replied Mrs. Trickey, in true Devonshir'
, fashion.
, "Mrs. Trickey, will you please lool
in the glass over the chimney-piece p
blurted out rather abruptly, not know
ing how else to find out what wanted t,
, discover.
, "Get along with your nonsense, Maste
Fred" cried Mrs. Trickey, with toss o
/ her head, which was 80 energetic it al
| most discomposed the stiff frills of her cap
8 1t must be mentioned here that Mrs
5 Trickey had lived with my mother wheI
, l was boy, and that, with her, still
continued Master Fred, though all tn
, world besides knew me as Fredericl
: Heathcote, Esq, surgeon.
= al can assure you, Mrs. Trickey,
Y mean no insult nor even a joke" | re
;, piled humbly. al fancied something wa
/ wrong in the reflection of the glass pei
0 haps Susan has not busted it as sh
}, should. Will you please look into it witt
i your experienced eyes, Mrs. Trickey ?"
!. was in hopes that this last implies
f compliment would have propitiated tn
J, housekeeper; but apparently it had n
l such effect, for after short inspection o
Q the MIRROR she said tartly:
"The glass be right enough so far as
It do see: this be just one of your whiml
l. Master Fred"
y "But, Mrs. Trickey, do please tell m
Q what you see when you look into it,"
K exclaimed, seeing that ! must be NOR
q explicit if wanted to gain full certaint
on the matter.
:, "Why, what should see but my ow
d face, Master Fred 2" she retorted sna]
h pishly; sand it be as good.lookipg fac
!, as the faces of many women who be tie
K years younger than be, and can tell e
l. that it have been thought a good.lookin
IS face by scores of men in its time"
o And herewith she bridled considerably
n and drew herself up.
L "And do you see nothing there beside
4, your face, then, Mrs, Trickey2 ?"
p "Bless and save us, Master Fred, yo
8, must be turning mazed, think, or else
8, be that you be making regular fool (
me. l don't see why you should make u
3, such gammots about my face, when you,
9. aknowed it these last twenty years.
N calls it very disrespectful, that do"
% And with hounce and bounce MI
8, Trickey turned and disappeared from I'll
"a room, leaving me alone with the house
Q, the mirror, which most certainly she hs
lg not seen.
re | was musing uncomfortably on th