Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1884-01-25

blind to his feelings, his intentions.
Every word and look told me that he
loved me, and the dav came when he
asked me to be his wife. To his evident |
surprise, and to my own inexpressible sor,
row, l refused to marry him. Could |
join my life-a haunted life-to that OF !
the man | loved with all my soul2 True, |
| had had no visitation from this beauti. |
tul, reprOachful face since l left Crows.
nest; but might it not return at any time,
at any hour2 Oh, why had my fathers
wife cast this blight upon my life? Why
did she haunt me2 Was it such heinous
crime not TO have gone in time to see he'
die2
Suddenly l became possessed with a
strange longing to revisit Crowsnest, to
see again the weird apparition that had
exercised so subtle an influence on my
life. With the persistent waywardness Of
a spolt child / insisted on going TO
Crowsnest. ] insisted also thar no one
but Justine snould accompany me. My
indVlgent guardian yielded to my wishes,
and l went. But not once during my
months visit did see the haunting face.
believed then that my persecution was
ended.
On my return to Paris Mr.. Weston re-
newed his offer and / accepted HIM. A
few months of married happiness eff
fectually dispersed the cloud that had
overshadowed me.
My mnd--warped, weakened, as it
had been by giving way to morbid fan
cies-ganed tone and vigor daily by as
sociating with my husbands, which was
emineMly matter of fact and practical.
1t was, therefore, without the slightest
foreboding of evil that we set off for
Dashshire to spend the summer months at
Crowsnest. George was much pleased
with the old house; above all with the
cedar chamber, which I found-without
any orders to that effect-had been pre-
pared for US. It was late at night when
we arrived and there was not time to
altar the arrangement; beside, there
seemed no need, for believed, as l have
stated, that had outlived my fears.
Both George and I were tired by our
journey and on retiring to rest we soon
fell fast asleep. Toward morning l
awoke.
A stream of moonlight flooded the
chamber. As of old, the shadow of the
pear tree lay along the floor, fickering in
the night wind watched it for awhile,
then-this shadow being closely associ-
ated in my mind with something else--I
looked toward the bay window, and
could scarcely suppress cry. There, in
the old place, between the gaslight and
the moonlight, appeared-the face
George" l whispered, trembling,
"wakel l feel so frightened.
"What is it, Nina2 Have you seen a
/ ghost' he inquired, lightly.
"Hush! Look there
Raising himself upon his elbow he
obeyed.
"Why, there is woman in the roomP'
he exclaimed, in the greatest consterna-
tion. Then, after pausing few mo-
ments he continued slowly and deliber-
ately as though reading by bad light
from book. "No! it is only an illu-
sion-but what an illusion! l seem to
see most distinctly q beautiful woman,
her head turned this way, supported by
her hand. Her hair, bright auburn
hangs loose about her shoulders. 1t is 9
handsome face, but sorrowful-"
Stay what are you about to do2'
asked as, rising, he made quick move
ment forward.
"To dispel the illusion, darling"
So saying he shook the curtain VIC
lently.
''May all ghostly visItants be as easily
dispersed !" he continued, laughing, a
the figure quivered, swayed, became dis
torted, then, in moment, vanished.
81 wN reproduce it and you shal
see."
He loosed the curtain and it fell to tn
ground in the old folds and creases, as i
was before. There, sure enough, she wa
again.
l "And is this what scared you on you
l first visit here?" he inquired, turning t
me suddenly as though new light brok
on him.
I eyes. I thought it was the spirit Q
l my stepmother. imagined the likenes
of course" Then between laughter an
G tears I made fna confession of all my 81
perstitious folly.
Next morning we closely aterrogate
Mrs Stevens. She expressed her bellt
e that the cedar chamber was haunted, an
|, that the communication her mistress ha
I desired to make to me was to that eifec
: We read of strange results brougl
n about by the juxtaposition of certai
/ heavenly bodies. Here was an instanc
g unique in its way, in which a heaven
o body-the moon--aided by such cor
e monplace earthly materials as a model
gas jet and an old, faded silk curtai
e produced as perfecta a specimen of bea
2, tiful female ghost as ever visited o
a world. Fnley's Magazine.