Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-06-13

out OF its place since | first rented the
house. She had not turned her head as
she spoke to look for it, but referred tc
its position with perfect confidence as il
she herself might have placed it there
brought it nearer to the fire and sat down
regarding it, as she had said, very com
fo1tabie
As soon as was seated she began in O
low monotone and with many pauses tc
talk, but not more to me apparently thar
to herself and for her own relief. The
quality of dreariness in her voice that
had already noticed did not prevent iti
having sort of minor music which was
far from disagreeable.
81 cannot help feeling that this is my
mouse. 1t was once, not quite two years
ago, before died"
L gave a start which she must have no.
ticed, for she repeated. eyes, before ]
died. | am a ghost. Does that frighten
you? Do not let it--I never harm any
one-I am only unhappy"
She lifted her hand and though it was
he'd between me and the fire | saw none
of the rosy color which freight makes
MS it shines through translucent human
flesh and blood. She twisted the we'd
ding ring slowly round and round.
Everything that she did was done slowly
and Iifelessly, and said Sometimes I
wish to take my ring off, it reminds me
so; but I died with it on and 1 must
wear it.
While she had been speaking had
called to mind the fact that the owner of
the house was in reality on his second
wedding journey, having lost his first
wife within six months after their mar
riage. This must be the supplanted wife.
Having come to this conclusion, starting
with the hypothesis that ghosts exist, l
was ready to understand what she said.
''He is very handsome do you not
think so?'
1 glanced at the portrait on the wall,
toward the original Of which | begin to
have distinct sentiment Of dislike, but
said, every handsome to satisfy her.
"He had dark gray eyes," she went ON
of all eyes in the world, the dark gray
can say the most "He was very lonely
when l died. he travelled everywhere 1
was lonely tool wanted to see him, and
1 used to come back sometimes. He
never saw me- but when | was near him
he could not help thinking of me. One
day | found him in his room in little
hunting hotel in Switzerland. When /
went into the room he was reading, but
soon he began to feel my nearness. He
threw down his book, crying, Shall |
never be able to forget 2 and left the
room. He wished, then, to forget me.
had never thought of that. / had been
happy before, i'll a quiet way, at the times
when | was allowed to 60 to him, but
that was all over. Inever followed hlm
again. After that it seemed as if l should
die of loneliness and nay longing to see
him.
looked up quickly as she spoke this
last sentence, n strange one for n person
already dead to utter but she had not
noticed, and went on:
"Since | could not be where | was, |
came to the house where we had been sc
happy together. [ wandered through the
rooms at night, and looked out of the
windows where we had stood SO often and
watched the sea but I never disturbed
anything. did not want the servants to
know that / came. | thought | had suf-
fered all there was to suffer When We
think that there is always some new
trouble ON the way to us. One night
found an open letter on the table. 1t was
in his hand, and [ kissed it. Then
read it. 1t was to the housekeeper, di
recting her to rent the house. He was tC
be married and to travel again"
There was long silence. My hear
rose in pity for the poor young thing who
had believed in VOWS of eternal love ant
remembrance, and it grew harder towart
the original Of the portrait. l could sa,
nothing Of my own, but the wolds 0
Scripture fell, involuntarily, from m,
lips Like the remembrance of CUES
that tarrycth but day." She paid II,
heed to this jobs comforting, but resteC
her chin upon her hand, and, with lie
eyes still fixed upon the fire, which wa
now, indeed, nothing but embers, wen
on:
81 cannot blame him he was lonely
and that was the only way to help it. Blu
they will come back, and | cannot bear il
and l shall be driven from here. | won
der if she looks as | used to. If she did
ever SO little, and ] could know that tina
was what drew him, how it would CON
fort me
81 have met many wives since | dice
wives that lived with their husbands neal
ly lifetime, and yet within year the
places were filled. They tell me that
is to be expected, and that shall gro
used to it
sit cannot last forever, / know bu
oh, L want to see him sol"
[ bent my head to hide the tears thu
gathered as the monotonous voice ende
in this plaintive cry. When [ raised m
eyes | sat alone, the armchair was empt
and there was nothin" to remind me
my guest except a cn.li in the air as
the wind had swept through the room.
sat still, thinking, thinking, until ] fe
asleep. In the gray of the morning
awoke.
Was it a dream ? | asked myself, b
the two chairs stood there together
convince me that it was not