Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-06-13
A GHOSTS STORY.
An Interesting Yarn, Spun b. 4 West
ern Authorizes.

An Interesting Yarn, spun h. 4 West
ern AuthOrcss.
MAY W. Plummer in the Chicago Current
1 had always been something of a
dreamer, and when the fancy took me to
rent for the summer an old mansion by
the sea, whose owner was abroad, and to
occupy it alcne with the exception of
two servants, my friends said it was just
like me, and expressed no surprise. 1t
was June when 1 took up my quarters by
the sea, and | spent nearly all that month
in becoming acquainted with the house
and its history and in exploring the sur
rounding country.
In July the heat was extreme, and |
passed my days ly ing in some sheltered
nook on the shol', where | could hear
the lazy murmurs of the waves, and with
halfshut eyes give myself up to reverie.
The evenings, and, indeed, the nights, if
it were very warm, [ spent in hammock
on the long piazza, where the moonlight
filtered through the vines and fell upon
my face as 7 swung gently to and fro or
lay asleep.
One day storm arose that lasted far
into the night After struggling sally
to the beach l came back with a broken
umbrella and drenched clothes, and hay
ing no mind to battle further with powers
so evidently superior, l dressed in dry
clothes and gave myself up to meditation
and reading by a bright fire of driftwood.
The day wore on and night fell. SO that
could no longer see from the parlor win
dows the white caps as they tossed like
signals of distress far out at sea. | could
still, however, hear the swirl of the wind
as it flung itself around the corners of
the house, and the cracking of the old
trees as their stiff, aged limbs tried to
bend before it.
These sounds, with the occasional dash
of rain upon the panes of the side win
dows, gave q feeling of additional COM
fort to my safe and comfortable retreat
The leaping flames in the fireplace shone
on the polished andirons and lighted spec
trail fires in the dark wainscoting. The
candles in their brass sconcee remained
uulighted and only the fitful blaze of the
driftwood gave me occasional glimpses of
tie tall, straightforward chairs and ma
hogany table and cabinet. On the walls
hung two or three portraits, one Of the
young owner Of the house, who was now
in Europe on his wedding journey. had
often examined the face, and thought it
handsome-to-night in the dim light
seemed to see traits that were hidden by
tav. The lips looked self-indulgent, the
eyes languid, the whole face appeared
that of one that could not bear pain, who
shrank weakly from suffering of any
kind.
fell into train of thought SO absorb.
ing that I sat for hours motionless in my
armchair. only aroused by the old clock
in the hallway, which struck twelve.
Iarose with start and went to the
window. The rain and wind continued
though in a somewhat subdued fashion
like the sobbing of a child after burs
of tears.
As | stood there strange feeling came
over me that caused me to look back ovel
my shoulder rs if | expected to see some
one behind me. did see some one. Tht
chair which 1 had just left, pushing i
back as | did so, was again drawn up t.
the fire. and in it sat woman. Wonder
ing if by any possibility this could be al
insane person confined in the house an,
waited on by stealth. / stood still look
ing mt her aud waiting to see what sh
would do. Her dress was apparently O
some thin, white material, and withou
decided lines of any kind, seeming simpl
to envelope her person and then to ceas
in some vague way, like the tleecy edge
of cloud. Her fnce-I could see it il
profile only-was pale, painfully pale
and her dark hair looked as if it wer
heavily streaked with gray. Afterward
when / came to look at it more closely
I.saw that it was covered with til
same thin mist that dulled the lines G
her gown. | could scarcely see he
eyes, for she was looking straight at tn
fire ; but / knew romt ne expression c
her mouth that they must show the deer
= est detection. She put out her thin hand
TO the fire with a slow shiver, saying:
at is so cold-so cold ~
On her left hand, noticed, cleaned
heavy wedding ring, almost too much
weight for the fragile finger to bea
COMM" 70 tho co""'' 0 {, whoevt
f.. ,s. t De, she was celtu.liy subie,
for hospitality on such night | az
preached her slowly and quietly, not
startle her, and said
She did not start though she shove
by her look that she had not before know
of my presence.
'No-no, have not been in the storm
she said, "but it would not hurt me if
had"
'Mad as Hamlet, " thought I, as lea
ed against the high mantel shelf al
looked down at her. She continued
gaze into the fire for while, then sa
Slhply, pJ way Vi CApluuullOu, uOt ape
ogy:
II always come at u, because thu
every one is asleep and the house is st
suppose the storm kept you awake p
AS she spoke she raised her eyes al
looked directly in my face, Which she hi
not done before Large, dark eyes tn
but perfectly lustreless-even the fiji
light was reelected in them dimly. The
seemed to be chill in the atmosphe
about her, as about one who comes
from wintry weather with the frost in |
clothes.
"Yes, it was the storm, i replied b
she Sc med already to have forgot
what she had asked me, and was aga
deep in her musing.
Presently, rs | was about to make fl
ther questions, she said, softly:
"If you are not going, will you L
have a chair? One tires so soon stan
ing. You will find the old chair by I
cabinet comfortable--if anything can
comfortable" she added, drearily.
[ certainly had no thought of going
bed and leaving the house and its inmat
to the caprices of mad woman, ant
turned involuntarily to the corner she
indicated. An old chair stood the