The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-08-22
SELECT STORY.
THE OROWsNEsT GHOST.


1t would be almost impossible to
discover any entirely devoid of super
stition than myself Nevertheless,
when II years old an event happened
which caused me to believe mine a
haunted life. was staying in Paris
at the house of my guardian, Sir
Charles g., and dressing for my
first ball-a ball at the English embas-
sy. My dress, triumph of Partisan
taste, had been fastened, and stood
before the glass while my maid ar
ranged the flowers in my hair. A
splendid boquet lay beside my gloves
and fan upon the toilet table.
"Ab, now mademoiselle is beautiful"
exclaimed my maid Justine in French
as she stepped back to survey her work
admiringly.
/ blushed with pleasure. 1t was the
first compliment that had been paid
me, and my glass told me it was true.
81 wonder who sent me these flow
ers9 l said, taking up the boquet pre-
paratory to leaving the room.
"Mademoiselle will doubtless dis
cover her admirer among her partners
tonight" was the girls reply.
AT this moment there was knock
at the door. A telegram was handed
to me.
"Mrs. Northcote is dangerously ill
and wishes to see her stepdaughter be-
fore she dies
Startled, dismayed, but beyond all
measure vexed at receiving such an un
timely message. dropped the paper
upon the floor. ''Bring me railway
guide-quick !" said to Justine.
Mrs. Northcote was my stepmother,
but we had never met. My father had
made a mesalliance out in India by
taking half caste for his second wife,
and when he died he left to his widow,
for her life, the family estate of "Crows
nest" to which he had only just sue
ceeded l found by the railway guide
that if changed my dress with speed
there was time to catch the last train
that night for Paris. BY noon next
day should reach Dashire, in which
county Crowsnest is situated.
justine l cried, excitedly, "bring
me my travelling dress. You must go
with me tonight to England
"Mon Dieu, mademoiselle Would
you take off that ravishing dress that
suits you to such marvel? Would you
give up the ball.
Once more looked at my reflection
in the glass. Once more l took up the
railway time table to study its con-
tents. At o'clock next morning
there was another train.
Meditatlvely l raised the boquet to
my face Who was it said, "The wo.
man who hesitates is lost g The
sweet perfume of the flowers permea
ted my senses. Who had sent them
Curiosity prevailed. would wait till
the morrow, 60 to the ball and solve
the mystery. Sir Charles and Lady
C were waiting for me when | de-
scended the stairs. | did not say any.
thing about the telegram we entered
the carriage and were driven to the
Embassy.
The hall was brilliant in the ex.
treme, and / was completely intoxica.
ted with the adulation l received. ''La
iolie Anglaise !" THE new debu.
tante y was on everybody's lips. The
night was half over before 1 even re
membered the avowed object of my de-
ferred departure for England--namely
to discover the sender of the flowers.
"Of what are you thinking so pro
foundly, Miss Northcote ?" asked q
gentleman in way that made me
start. The speaker was Mr.. Weston
He had been introduced to me a few
days before at my guardians house.
81 was thinking of the sender of the
lovely bouquet and wondering who he
is, See, my name, Nina is spelled
out in white violets,' / answered,
holding the flowers toward him.
81 hope you were thinking kindly Of
the donor
"Indeed l was.
"Thank you Will you always SC
think OF him-of met"
My surprise was too great to frame
an immediate reply. Besides, his man.
ner embarrassed me. 1t inferred so
much more than the mere words. |
danced with him more frequently than
with any one else, land found new and
strange attraction in his presence. On
returning from the ball, l told my kind
host and hostess of the telegram and
of my determination to start for Eng
land on the morrow.
Lady c. looked grave when she
read the message.
"You might have saved few hours,
dear she said
"Only very few. And then |
should have missed the most delight
full experience of all my life!" an
swered fervently.
"But it was a case of life and death,
my child she added gently. And !
felt she had given me reproof.
My trunks were soon packed by
Justine, who accompanied me to Eng,
land. Sir Charles c., as my legal
guardian, also insisted on going with
me, and late on the following night we
were driving through the moonless
darkness of country roads to Crows
nest. A stately housekeeper met us in
the hall.
"Miss Northcote, you come too late, VI
she said, and there was more austerity
than sadness in her tone. my dear
mistress died three hours ago. If you
had left Paris last night you would
have been in time. My lady had a
communication she desired to make 10
you"
"What was it!" | asked, in much
distress.
''That no one will ever know in this
world" was the answer. And | felt
from that moment as though Mrs.
Stevens 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. / was bent on re.
naming a few weeks longer in the
quaint, old fashioned house, which now
to all intents and purposes was mine