The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1884-06-07

As she spoke, she raised her eyes an,
looked directly into my face, whicl
she had Dot done before. Large, darl
eyes they were, but perfectly lustreles
'l-even the freight was reflected il
them dinly. There seemed to be
chill in the atmosphere about her, a
about one who comes in from wintr,
weather with the frost in his clothes.
"Yes, it was the Storm" replied
but she seemed already to have for
gotten what she had asked me, and wa
again deep in her musing.
Presently, as was about to max,
further question, she said, softly:
III You are not going, will you no
have chair? One tires so soon stand
ing. You will find the old chair by tn,
cabinet comfortable If anything car
be comfortable" she added, drearily
| l certainly had no thought of going
to bed and leaving the house and its in
mates to the caprices of mad woman
and l turned involuntarily to the cornel
she had ialicated. An old chair stood
there which, to my recollection, hat
not been out of its place since
first rented the house. She had moi
turned her head as she spoke, to look
for 1t, but referred to its position with
perfect confidence as if she herself
might have placed it there. brough,
it nearer to the fire and sat down, find
ing it as she had said. very comfortable.
As soon as I was seated she began in
q low monotone and with many pauses,
to talk. but not more to me apparently
than to herself and for her own relief.
The quality of dreariness in her voice
that had already noticed did not pre-
vent its having q sort of minor music
which was far from disagreeable.
Il cannot help feeling that this is my
house. 1t was once, not quite two years
ago before I-died."
l gave start which she must have
noticed, for she repeated: "Yes, before
! died. 1 am ghost. Does that
brighten your Do not let i'll never
harm any one-I am only unhappy"
She lifted her hand, and though it
was held between me and the fire, / saw
none of the rosy color which freight
makes as it shines through translucent
human flesh and blood. She twisted
the wedding ring slowly round and
round-everything that she did was
done slowly and lifelessly-and said
Sometimes wish to take my ring of,
it reminds me SO; but died with it on
and must wear it. 7"
While she had been speaking I had
called to mind the fact that the owner of
the house was in reality on his second
wedding-iourney, having lost his first
wife within six months after their mar.
rage. This must be the supplanted wife.
Having come to this conclusion, start
ing with the hypothesis that ghosts
exist. | was ready to understand when
she said:
'He Is very handsome, do you not
think sop
Iglanced at the portrait on the wall,
toward the original of which 1 began
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 / died; he Travelled eyery-
where; l was lonely, tool wanted to
see him, and used to CONC back some
times. He never saw me, but when I |
was near him he could not help think |
ing of me. One day found him in his
room in q little hunting-hotel in Swift |
erland. When went into the room he |
was reading, but soon he began to feel
my nearness. He threw down his book,
'rying. shall 1 never be able to forgetp'
Ind left the room. He wished, then, to
orget me- had never thought OF
hat. l had been happy before, in
Iuiet way at the times when was al
owed to 60 to him, but that was all
'ver. i never followed him again.
utter that it seemed as if should die
4 my Loneliness and my longing to see
lim."
looked up quickly as she spoke this
asst sentence, strange one for a per-
on already dead to utter, but she had
'ot noticed and went on.
'Since l could not be where he was.
came to the house where we had been
happy together. wandered through
ne rooms at night and looked out OF
ne windows where we had stood so
ften and watched the sea; but I never
isturbed anything. did not want the
ervants to know that came. /,
bought l had suffered all there was to
lffer. When we think that, there Is
ways some new trouble on the way to
5. One night found an open letter
q the table. It was in his hand. and !
kissed it. Then-I read it. 1t was
the housekeeper. directing her to
mt the house. He was to be married
nd to travel again." /,
There was a long silence. MY heart a
use in pity for the poor young thing '
no had believed in vows of eternal I
We and remembrance, and it grew il
srder toward the original of the Dor. Z
ait: could say nothing of nv own. 1
1t the words of Scripture fell involun. n
rily from my lips: Like the remcm. h
'anec OF guest that tarrieth but a fl
~" She paid no heed to this Jobs G
but rested her chin upon {
\ hand and, with her eyes still fixed b
non the fire which was now indeed c
'thing but embers, went on: D
II cannot blame him-he was lonely I