The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1884-04-11

Mona, it's time for you to go to bed. Dirty
little girl, look at your pinafore"
She took the child from me, thankful to
have been spared the trouble Of hunting
and catching tho little wild thing, and car
ried her of, leaving me wondering whether
my pupil would be as eerie a creature as
her sister. As there was nothing to invite
me to stay indoors, went out again, this
time to explore tho side of the house which
faced the marsh Here the grass grew un-
trimmed and rank up to the very walls;
and, as ! made my way through, my feet
sank from time to time into little unseen
pools and swamps, which wetted them up
to the ankles after a few steps. However,
| went on as carefully as l could, past a.
tangle Of shrubs, yew trees, and struggling
briers, until, pushing aside the low-hang-
ing branches Of a barberry-tree, l found
myself within few feet of a window SO
heavily shaded by gnarled and lnotty ivy
/ that for few moments l did not notice a
womans face staring at me intently
through the glass As soon as ! caught
sight of the sunken face and largo luster-
less eyes, I knew, by her likeness to tho
child at the pond that this was Mrs. Ray
ner. l retreated in as lcisurely a manner
as l could, trying to look as If had not
seen her; for there was something in the
eager, hopeless stare of her eyes as mine
met them which made me feel like spy.
crept back into the house and up to my
room, unpacked my boxes, and sat down to
write to my mother ar account of my
journey and arrival | did not tell her
quite all that had seen, or all the strange
impressions this first evening had made
upon me. felt very anxious to commun-
cate them to somebody's but my mother
was gentle nervous woman, whom had
already, young as was, learned to lead
rather than be led by; l knew that the
least suggestion Of mystery would cause her
an agony of doubt and anxiety about her
child which could not allay by letter; so
/ contented myself with description of
the picturesque beauty of the place and Of
Mr.. Rayner's kindness. l had to finish this
by candle-light, and when | had ended,
rose and went to the window to give one
more look at the scene under new aspect.
My window, | afterward found, was over
the one at which had seen Mrs. Rayner's
face; it was high enough from the ground
for me to have, through the gaps between
the trees, a. good view of the marsh and
the hills beyond.
A low cry of admiration burst from me
us L lOOkcu OUu. oScI tuc Wiuo cAPdilSc
of marsh, which seemed to stretch for miles
on either hand, lay white mist, rising
only few feet from the ground, but so
thick as to look like silver lake in the
moonlight; range of hills two OF three
miles off seemed to mark the opposite shore.
The mist was dense under my window, too,
on the very grass that waded through
couple of hours before. AS l looked
out and tried to imagine little fairy boats
in the elders which rose here and there out
of the mist-hidden marsh, q SILVER passed
over me; and l drew in my head with a
sudden change Of thought.
How cold it is! Mr.. and Mrs. Rayner |
must be devoted admirers Of the pictur- |
esque to live in q house that must be SO |
very damp'