Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-05-14

inclilS oHFei.
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 tarnished
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 a dreamy,
sleepy sort of chirp, when Aunt Re-
becca emerged from her door, treading
on tiptoe, and carrying dim light in
her hand.
Now, Aunt Rebecca, in moulding
false curls, lace coitfure, and eighteen
year-old style Of dress, was a very
different sort Of parsonage from Aunt
Rebecca, with her head tied up in a
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 spinsters brain,
for she shunlel with accelerated rap
idity past the solemn eyes of the grave
old family portraits on the wall.
81 am sure l dropped them some
where here" she murmured, pausin
in front of the bay-window. "llow
provoking! There goes my candle
out! But l believe | can find them
however, the starlight is so bright.
Mercy upon u.s. what Is that? The
ghost!-the ghost"
And Aunt Rebecca fled shrieking
down the corridor, her hands clapped
over her eyes, before which was inn
printed the vision Of tall figure
sweeping past, all in white with a
crimson stain at its pallid throat!
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.
at glided past Inc like a gust o
windm she shricked, replying at hazart
to the questions rainei upon her" "al
in white, with that dreadful mark o
blood upon its throat It's warning
i know it's a warning that haven
long to livel Oh, what shall do
what shall do?'
"But l don't understand what yo'
were doing out in the Ghost
Corridor at this time of night" inter
rupted Col. Orme, staring at his siste
as if not quite certain whether thi
were an actual occurrence in real lif
. or merely u fragmentary part of hi
/ last dream.
, "Well, if you must know said Mis-
Rebecca, with little ny stcric sob, "
dropped my false teeth there, just a
dusk, and l didn't like to look fO
them there with Violet and Capt
Lakewood standing by, and so--an
{ So
s "Oho. that'sit, eh?" said Col. Ormt
s laughing. upon my word, Siste
5 Becky, you are rather oyer-particulo
!, for a woman fifty years old"
= "Only forty-nine, james," interrupt
! ed Miss Rebecca, with shrill acccr
of Indignation.
$ "But the ghost?" inquired youn
). IIazlewood, who had just arrived o
f the scene Of action, with rather
flushed brow and embarrassed air.
: Upon which Aunt Itebecca gay
l way to the confined influences of hi
lrother's unkind remark and II
IS fright of ghost-seeing, and fair
tainted without further notice. A
: cording to the usual custom ofwomar
II kind on such occasions, Col. Ormc al
y all the other gentlemen were hustle
IL out into the hall. while the victim
: the female officials was deluged wit
eau de cologne, stiled with burr
/ feathers, and vigorously treated wi
20 hot flannel.
81 'She's coming to, poor de
t creature.." was the final verdict hurll
at Col. Orme through crack in Il
IL door.
< "Wcll, I'm glad of it, I'm sure, sa
lc the colonel dolorously, rubbing i
of hands, "for it's cold out here in t
"a hall. Why, halloa! is this you, n
ly little Violet? What's the matte
Yon haven't seen q ghost, hope?"
ed "No, papa" faltcred Violet, "b
Id Suppose We three adjourn into t
/ library, Col. Orme, and | will undt
y take the task of explaining" interpt
5h ed Charles Lakewood, while Niole
cheeks grew like flame.
as "Wcll, may venture to inqui
TO what all this means?" interrogated t
IS bewildered colonel when tho libra
door was safely closed.
~ at means sir" said Charles, laug
c. ing, yet little puzzled how to p,
lis ceed, that Violet, your daughter, a
l were just looking out at the stars,
the embrasure of the great hall w
81 dow, when we saw some one approa
II ing with light. Violet went to s