Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1884-01-16

s. 1t is.nOt my province to suppose
anything, Miss Northcote. My late
mistress entertained the fancy, and if
you had seen. her before she died, it is
my belief she would have given you her
reasons herself. As it is - .
"As it is, Mrs. Stevens" answered,
seeing that she paused irresolutely, "
am now mistress here, and have set my
heart on that particular bedroom. Have
it prepared. please, for wish to occupy
it at once"
"As you will" she said indiferently.
But as she turned away caught pc
culiar look on her face which perplexed
rs much as it annoyed me. My belong
ings were promptly removed into the
coveted room, my maid, Justine, occu.
plying small dressing room adjoining,
but to which there was no through
communication. The first night of my
taking possession of my new quarters
| was close and oppressive, and I remem.
Der waking to find the scent of the &C.
dar.wood slightly overpowering. About
midnight rose; threading my way
across the floor with difficulty, for the
room was almost in total darkness. I
| opened the nearest window. The next
night, before Justine left me, I desired
her not to turn the gas quite out. Three
nights later I again woke with sense
Of languor and oppression. did not
want to be at the trouble of rising to
open the widow, but I looked up
sleepily. The gas beside the window
gave out a dim light; beyond it a faint
moonbeam slanting across the room in
! which lay the shadow OF pear-tree that
grew outside close to the house.
could trace the shadows of the branches
and the leaves, and watched them as
they f1ickered, stirred by the night wind.
Keeping my eyes open in a half-sleepy
manner, rs [ have said, all at once be-
came conscious of seeing something else
beside the gaslight and the moonlight,
something that seemed to be between
| the two. It was faint and indistinct,
| certainly, but none the less it bore re-
semblance to a female form. The head
appeared resting on the hand, the hair
with ruddy CLEAN on it Hoated back
ward on the shoulders. The rest of the
figure was lost in darkness. was sui.
fciently awake to know it was no freak
of fancy, and yet the figure was alto
gether SO family defined and vague
in detail that before long fell asleep
and the next morning remembered it as
dream only. ...-
The succeeding night, however,
again awoke and on opening my eyes
beheld the self-same figure. But this
time it was more clearly visible, es-
pecially the face, which, turned toward
me, saw to be that of very beautiful
woman. Moreover, to my unspeakable
horror and dismay, discovered in it a
resemblance to my stepmother, whom I
had seen once, and once only, as she lay
dead within her coffin. The sight was
the more distressing to me inasmuch rs
the face wore an expression of mournful
sadness combined with one of reproacb.
Had the spirit of my fathers wife re-.
turned to earth to upbraid me for not
obeying the summons to her dying bed =?
A strangely combined feeling of awe
and incredulity possessed me-of awe,
inspired by the apparent presence of q
being from another world; of incredu-
lily, that such a visitation could be pos
sible. In vain closed my eyes, press
ing my hands upon them to wipe out. as
it were, the sight. Whenever 1 opened
them 1 saw the sweet, reproachful face.
and it was not until the early summer
morning dawned that it entirely disap-
peared and rose from my bed sad at
heart and worn in body with the weary
vigil of the night. Twice more the
visitation came: after that for two or
three weeks the visits ceased; then were
once more resumed. Before had been
two months at Orowsnest all my vaunted
courage fed; my entire nature under
went Q change. Though I spoke of
what I had seen to no one, I was,
nevertheless, sensitively conscious that
Mrs. Stevens remarked something amiss
with me. was even morbidly fearful
that she had suspicion of the cause. I
was convinced of this one morning when
she said by any means unkindly:
'Justine tells me you have not been
sleeping well, Miss Northcote. Indeed.
I am concerned to see how i'll you look.
Do you not find the cedar chamber COM
Portable 2" Il
Perfectly comfortable, delightful! I
would not change it for the world" Ire
Piled, evasively. s.@
Comfortable" and with that haunt
ing presence2 Heaven forgive me for
the subterfuge! As to Justine, she was
continually urging me to quit what she
termed "ce villain pays" attributing my
depression to the climate, to the dull life
I led, to anything rather than to the
true cause. But atlength her persist
ency, added, to beseechingi letters from
my guardian, prevailed, and I returned to
Paris. =
There renewed my acquaintance
with Mr.. Weston. It was impossible to
be blind to his feelings. his Intentions.
Every word and look told me that he
loved me, and the day came when he
asked me to be his wife. To his evident
surprise, and to my own inexpressible
sorrow, l refused to marry him. Gould
| join my life haunted life-to that of
the man [ loved with all my soul True,
I had had no visitation from the beauti-
full reproachful face since I left Crows
nest; but might it not return at any
time,,at any hour? oh, why had nv
fathers wife cast this blight upon my
life Why did she haunt me-? Was it
such heinous crime not to have gone
in time to see her die2
Suddenly E became possessed with q
strange longing to revisit Crowsnest, to
see again the weird apparition that had
exercised so subtle an Influence on my.
life. With the persistent waywardness
of . spoiled child Insisted on going to
Crowsnest. insisted also that no one
but Justine should accompany me. Ny
indulgent guardian yielded to my wish
es, and I went. But not once during my
months visit did see the haunting
face. / believed then that my persecu-
ton was ended. 5f.sss#s.
On my return to Paris Mr.. Weston
renewed his offer md I accepted him.
"a few months Of married happiness ct. 3
fectually dispersed the cloud that had
overshadowed me. 4
My mind warped, weakened as it had
been by giving way to morbid fancies
gained. tone and vigor daily by assooiat-
ing with my husbands, which was emf
nenNy matter Of fact and practical, IT,