Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1884-05-30

Violet gave him an arch glance as
she tripped after Aunt Rebecca int,
the hall which led to Col 0rme's
brilliantly lighted library.
Il Gish Capt. Lakewood wouldn'i
remaiz out there" said Aunt Rebec-
ca, anxiously. "He viii catch his
death of cold; and, besides
Besides what Aunt Rebeccag"
"Violet" said the maiden lady, ii
wish you would go down and see if
the housekeeper has prepared that
posset for my sore throat. that's
good girl. think Ilshall go to bed"
Violet went to execute her aunts
behests. 81 H.
How peacefullylthe distant hills and
valleys slept in their snowy mantles
that glorious December night. 1t re-
minded one of lovely painting ex-
ecuted with brushes dipped in liquid
pearl, and shaded with pencils of glim-
mering silver.
At least, so they seemed to Charles
Lakewood as he stood in the deep re-
cess of the gigantic bay-win-
dow, nearly hidden by the curtains,
the faded splendor of whose furnished
embroidery carried the mind uncon-
sciously acentury backward on the
stream of time.
The tall, old-fashioned clock in the
hall was striking twelve, and the colo
ny of crickets under the warm hearth
stone were falling into dreamy,
sleepy sort of chirp. when Aunt Re
becca emerged from her door, t. eading
tiptoe, and carrying dim Ii ght in
her hand.
Now, Aunt Rebecca, in nodding
false curls, lace couture, and eighteen
year-old style of dress, was a very
different sort of parsonage from Aunt
Rebecca, with her head tied up in
silk handkerchief, her false curls laid
aside, and long white dressing-robe
enveloping her lank figure; and the
latter was by no means the more pre-
possessing of the two.
Probably some such consciousness
swept across the good spinster's brain,
for she shuffied with accelerated rap
idity past the solemn eyes Of the grave
old family portraits on the wall.a
81 am sure 1 dropped them some
where here" she murmured, pausing
in front Of the bay-window. "How
provoking! There goes my candle
outl But L believe 1 can find them
however, the starlight is so bright
Mercy upon usl what Is thatp The
ghostl-the ghostr'
And Aunt Rebecca fed shrieking
down the corridor, her hands clapped
over her eyes, before which was inn
printed the vision of a tall figure
sweeping past, all in white with
crimson stain at its pallid throatI
The house was aroused into instan-
taneous commotion, lights flashed into
brightness at the various doors, and
an eager circle of inquirers surround
ed Aunt Rebecca, who evinced strong
symptoms of an intention to go into
Mysteries.
cit glided past me like gust of
windp' she shrieked, replying at hazard
to the questions rained upon her ''all
in white, with that dreadful mark of
blood upon its throatl It's warning
4 know it's warning that haven't
long to livel Oh, what shall do
what shall / do?"
"But don't understand what you
were doing out in the Ghosts
Corridor at this time of night" inter
rupted Col. Orme, staring at his sister
as if not quite certain whether this
were an actual occurrence in real life
or merely fragmentary part of his
last dream.
"WelI if you must know" said Miss
Rebecca, with little by steric sob. 81
dropped my false teeth there, just at
dusk, and l didn't like to look for
them there with Violet and Capt.