Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1884-03-13
A stately housekeeper met US in the

| lAloAL SdNiuCoo lOllC nv ucdI HIS
tress died three years ago. If you had
left Paris last night you would have been
in time. My lady had communication
she desired to make to yOu.'
What was it?" / asked in much dis
tress.
THAT no one will ever know in this
world" was the answer. And l felt
from that moment as though Mrs. Ste
vens was my enemy.
Sir Charles c. remained at Crowsnest
until after the funeral. Then. in vain.
he urged me to return with him to Paris.
l was bent on remaining a few weeks
longer in the quaint, Old-faShioned house,
which now to all intents and purposes
was mine. With the exception of one
bedroom in it, a description of CrowsneSt
is not necessary to the development of
my tale, but to describe that is imperative
This room had taken my fancy from
the first; it was long and large. and low;
the walls pannelled with cedar wood. On
the panels hung framed tapestry pictures,
the work of past generations of North
coteS. The ceiling of cedar wood, with
cuTiously carved rafters made the walls
look even lower tLan they were A time
mellOwed square of Indian carpet covered
the center of the cedar floor, on which
stood the bed-of the same wood and
richly carved-raiSed aS daiS. There
were two windows; the nearest the bed,
a bay window with diamond panes, the
hangings, similar to those of the bed. of
Old-fashiOned rich brOcade, with faded
pink satin Innings. On the side of the
hay window nearest the bed was fixed a
1 n1nHprn (raS hraalraf which cf frIInl
a strange anomaly, and the only incon-
gruity amid the antique surroundings.
1t was in this chamber my stepmother
died. but utterly devoid of all supersti
tiouS weakness, | decided to occupy it
myself. No sooner had my kind guardi-
an left Crowsnest than l told Mrs. Ste
vens of my intention; whereon she looked
troubled, urging various reasons why
should not do so; none OF which appeared
to me of any weight. At last she said
1T was Mrs. NorthcOte'S wish that that
room should not be used She died in il" :"
And do you suppose | am so foolish as
! to be afraid to sleep there on that ac-
count ?" asked.
1t is not my province to suppose any
thing, 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 tits"
'As it Is, Mrs. Stevens" l answered,
seeing that she paused irresolutely, Il am
now mistress here, and have set my heart
on that particular bedroom. Have it pre-
pared, please, for wish to occupy it at
once"
"As you WILL" she said indifferently'
But as she turned away caught pecu-
liar look on her face, Which perplexed as
much as it annoyed me.
My belongings were promptly removed
into the coveted room, my maid, Justine.
occupying small dressing-room adjoin-
ing, but to which there was no through
communication.
The first night of taking possession of
my new quarters was close and oppressive.
and | remember waking to find the scent
of the cedar wood slightly Overpowering.
Abont midnight l rose; threading my
way across the room with difficulty, for
the room was almost in total darkness, l
opened the nearest window. The next
night, before Justine left me, | desired
her not to turn the gas quite out.
Three nights later | again woke with a
sense of languor and oppression. did
not want to be at the trouble OF rising to
open the window, but looked up sleepi-
ly.
The gas beside the window gave out a
dim light; beyond it faint moOnbeam
slanting across the room in which lay
the shadow of pear tree that grew out
side close to the house. L could trace the
shadows of the branches and the leaves, |
and watched them as they fiickered, stir
red by the night wind.
Keeping my eyes open in half sleepy |
manner, as have said, at once | became |
conscious of seeing something else besides |
the gaslight and the moonlight, some |
thing that seemed to be 6et1CeeH the two. |
1t was faint and indistinct, certainly, but |
none the less it bore esemblance to fe
male form; the head appeared resting on
the hand; the hair, with ruddy CLEAN |
on it, floateed backward on the shoulders. |
The rest of the figure Was lost in dark |
ness.
| was sufficiently awake to know it was /
no freak of fancy, and yet the figure was |
altogether so family defined and vague in
detail, that before long tell asleep. and |
next morning remembered it as a dream |
only
The succeeding night hOweevr, again |
awake, and on opening my eyes beheld
the Self-same figure; but this time it was
IN re clearly visible, especially the face,
which, turned toward me, L saw to be
that of very beautiful woman. More
over, to my unSpeakable horror and dis
may, L discovered in it a resemblance to
my stepmother. whom | had seen once,
and only once, as she lay dead within her
coffin. The sight was the more distress
ing to ME inasmnch as the face wore an
expression of mournful sadness combined
with one of reproach. Had the spirit of
my fathers wife returned to earth to up
me for not obeying the summons to her
dying bed?
A strangely commingled feeling of
awe and incredulity possessed me- OF
awe, inspired by the apparent presence of
Il being from another world; of incredHli-
ty, that such visitation could he poSsi-
ble In vain closed my eyes, pressing
my hands upon them to wipe out. as it
were, the sight. | saw the beautiful, re-
proachful face. and it was not until the
early summer morning dawned that it
entirely disappeared, 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 they once more resumed.
But before | had been two months at
CrowsneSt all my vaunted courage fled;
my entire nature underwent a change.
Though IspOke of what | had seen to no
one, | was, nevertheless, senSitively con-
scious that Mrs. Stevens remarked some
thing amiss with me. l was -even NOR
bidly fearful that she had suspicion of
the cause. l was convinced of this one
when she said-nOt by any
means unklndly:
Justine tells me you have not been
sleeping well, Miss Northcote. Indeed,
| am concerned to see how i'll you look.
Do you not find the cedar chamber COM
fortable?"