The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1884-04-12


talkin' about. 'Clar to goodness, you's unde
the curse -
Spencer was guilty of experiencing pecu
liar sensation down his spine-it angered him
"What the deuce are you talking about, OLE
woman ?' he cried, angrily, Ito tell me tina
this is not the picture of Elinor Tempest
when it is her very self-her every look anC
feature"
"Marse, tain her. interrupted Venus, des
perately, with bleached but solemn visage
''God knows it nigh kills me to have to say it
but 'tain't Miss Elinor, marse. 4ou's nevel
yet seed the one that picture was painted
from"
Spencer slowly turned his gaze upon the
portrait; he stared fxedy almost stupidity
so great was his bewildermcnt. Not Elinol
| Tempest-that face at which he looked with
the soft eyes, broad brow, and tender, curving
| lips that he had seen but half hour ago al
the dinner table. For the moment his glance
held the same shrinking dread that was il
| Venus's as he looked about him and asked O
himself what the mystery was.
SECOND EASTER.
| Two years passed, yet SAKE Spencer in his
Northern home and busy with his pursuits
thought frequently of the strange family he
had stumbled upon in the Carolina wilds, and
it may not be impossible that the memory o.
beautiful Elinor Tempest had hardened his
heart to the attractions of the young womer
of the metropolis in which he lived. One day
he returned from business earlier than usual
Mother he said to the dear old lady,
whose one pride in life was her handsome boy
sons are ''boys'' to mothers hearts, even
after the gray has vanished the sunny locks OF
childhood-''I have received letter from
En- Tempest-she is sister to Elinor, you
remember. She says she is in great Distress
and begs of me, as the only one on earth to
whom she can appeal, to come on and visit
them, when she hints | can be of service to
them, mother. | am half inclined to go.
Mrs. Spencer looked aghast but in hall
an hour her son had vanished all opposition,
and decided upon his course.
As upon the former occasion, 1t was night
and Easter-eve when Spencer arrived at the
end of his journey.
The isolated spot looked even more solitary,
the buildings were crumbling into surer de-
struction, and the dank mist rising from the
stream seemed to hold the very seeds of fell
disease.
A feeling of oppression was upon him as he
took his way to the front entrance and knock
ed.
Venus admitted him, and seized his hand
in transport of joy, evidently aroused by his
presence.
Then from the shadowy distance came grace
fully forward u slender form, and sweet sad
face that had fioated through his soul since last
he parted with 1.-THE face and form OF Elinol
Tempest He took her outstretched hands in
his hot clasp-his eager eyes rested upon heI
beautiful countenance.
"Elinor-Miss Tempest he exclaimed,
joyfully.
The girl smiled mournfully-her hands
tiphtened SLIGHTLY upon his
mot Elinor," she said, lowly, "but En-.
Involuntariy he dropped her hands and
stared at her in stupor of amazement ano
bewilderment.
At that moment a faint, husky voice reused
him from his stupor.
81 am Elinor,'' it said.
He turned. In front of him stood the
ghastly phantom-like being he remembered Sc
well-the living death s-head that had exer.
cised such strange influence over that tlrs
night two years ago. THIS the charming
Madonna-like creature he had parted IRON
with regret and even deeper pain-thiS the
beautiful Memory he had cherished in hi:
soul through the days they had been separ-
ated, that had excluded from it every though
of any other woman. He flung out his hanc
he rOuld not allow his dream to be thus
rudely shattered.
'No, MOI" he cried. ''Not Elinor; 1t is
| it must De-Rachel!i
The pale, worn ghost at his side raised al
attenuated arm and pointed out of the widow
he looked, and saw a long grass-coverec
mound out in the grounds.
.'Rachel is there she whispered, and, nod
ding to Venus, who quickly came to her as
sistance, she dragged herself out ofthe room
Spencer started from En- to the picture tina
he had first mistaken for Elinor-now hi
could have sworn it had been painted for the
girl by his side. Was he dreaming-living
| What meant this mystery-this ever-changinl
| tide of health and beauty? He felt like one
in horrid nightmare.
'Will you explain?' he said, hoarsely.
| ~ WILL replied his companion, motionin!
him to chair, and occupying another herself
''But first let me thank you for your compli
ance with my request. 1t is an inestimablt
! blessing to the last hours of dying woman
and one which pray God to reward in the
! future, as l am powerless to afford even thu
smallest return. At the same time l mus
apologize for the liberty | have taken in send
| ing for you, and be assured if had possessed
one other friend upon earth | would not hav'
troubled you. But time is short, as | mus
transact my business before my father arrives
VIII you pardon me if inhict upon you por
ton of our unfortunate history?''
| Spencer bowed; he was trembling with ;
strange agitation.
Il Shall be only too happy to hear it, h
said, lowly.
"You must have been aware" she pro
ceeded, in that strangely pathetic voice whicl
was so vastly dissimilar to the gay tones o
two years ago, ''that our family embraced {
mystery; the mystery is simply this: we ar.
cursed! But to fully explain. must go bacl
/ l. cd cfNyfa
ago, was of an extremely nervous disposition
and owing to my fathers habits of intemper
ance, they never lived happily together. We
nus says my father was very unkind to her
and upon one occasion struck her a blow tina
knocked her to the floor; that was few
months before the birth of my elder sister
Martha, who died two years before you cam'
among US, and whose picture hangs there upo
the wall My mother remained unconsciou
for day-she was in trance. When she re
vived she related terrible dream that she ha
had In that dream it had been revealed t
her that all her future children were to b
born under curse for their fathers sins
that they were to fade away before his eye
ON the very threshold. She lived to be tn
mother of five daughters, and at the birth G
the last, died. But, oh, my God what
curse she laid upon her children!'
Elm hau risen, ana DeSal paclLS Iue Aoo
in violent agitation. After a pause she re
sumed:
'Being the oldest, Martha was naturally tn
first to fall under the curse. You have see
Rachel and Elinor? In them you behol
Martha-between us there has always been
striking similarity Though Rachel nurse
her with the utmost devotion, before she wa
twenty Martha sckened, faded to a skeleton
and died, the first victim of the curse. A yea
afterward Rachel began to droop and fad
until she sank to be the horrible phantom
duplicate of our elder sister-you beheld tw
years ago. Nobody could have been more de
voted to her than poor Elinor was, yet sh
died-no power on earth could save hel
About year afterward Elinor began to shoy
signs of decay-until then would not behev
that the doom was intended for all of us
would not resign myself to such cruel fate
But when she dropped, and, care for and nurs
her as l would, saw her fading away befor
my very eyes. l knew we were none of us t
be exempted-that her time had come an
mine was soon to follow. l am as sure of
as though / already stood on the brink of tn
grave Of late n strange languor has begu