The Penn's Grove record., 1885-02-21

ment o gave way to delight with
Gladys and she gave the old lady a
hug and kiss which disarTanged her
cap-ribbOns considerably.
How sweet Of you, aunt Lettyl The
very thing in all the world that | shO1ld
like to have happen Only think Of it,
Rex-we may open the brass-bound
chest at last ! l shall not sleep a wink
tonight for thinking of it What a
Jolly New YEARS. Eve this will be You
rive aunt Lefty a hug now, Rex, for
you are just as much interested IN the
box as am, though you will not confess
it for worlds"
Never mind another hug, dear, -
said Miss Letitla rather nervously, as a
pair of strong outstretched arms APP
preached her; Il will take your affec.
ton for granted. You are good chill
dren to be so pleased over the little an
old woman can do for your amuse-
ment."
New Years Eve came with a cover
let of snow outside and a roaring fire
and merry faces within, at Fendali
Court. Gladys, in spite of the sleepless
night she had predicted for herself,
looked a lovely picture Of youth, health
and happiness, a picture which Rex
studied with immense satisfaction APP
paTently.
The big drawing room still retained
its Christmas decorations of holly and
mistletoe; scarlet berries were massed
wherever they would cling, and the
freight cast a pleasant glow over the
shabby furniture.
"Do you notice how srikingly the
blaze illumines Lady Irmentrude's por-
trait tonight, Rex | could almost
declare that she smiled down on US just
then. How lovely she was ~
Very lovely-and astonishingly like
YOU"
"You foolish fattering boyI Do
you suppose | am going to believe that
nonsense ~
The sweet silly nothings which the
lovers addressed to each other during
the next ten minutes were interrupted
by a sound of gathering and banging in
the hall without.
1.-THE chest The chest They are
bringing the chestl" cried Gladys, flying
to the door and throwing it wi g open.
Miss Letitia entered, followed by two
stout peasant lads bearing the heavy
box between them.
"Here-before the fire |" said Gladys
eagerly.
Twitching imaginary ~forelocks, the
two young peasants departed after de-
posting their burden, each enr ched
with a half-crown for the New Years
Eve rejoicing.
'Gladys, you shall open the chest, as
your patience and curiosity have been
most sorely tried regarding It,"
Miss Fendall produced a quaint pol
brass key from her r%eticule; and Gladys.
trembling with excitement, undid, with
help from Rex. the various fastenlng5 of
the chest,
At last the supreme moment arrived
when she found herself slowly raising
the lid, and the mysterious contents of
the box lay revealed.
At the top were various articles of
lady's apparel of a cut and fashion quite
unknown to the present day. Slowly
and re~yerently Gladys laid Them aside,
for she knew lnstinctiVely that these
were the relics of some one long dead.
She next withdrew a heavy velvet dress
of a delicate shade of green, embrQi-
dered thickly with se~ed-pearls on the
bodice and down the front of the skirt;
rare old lace hung in wayy frills from
the short sleeves, and a curious fan of
carved mother-of pearl and painted
feathers lay with the costume. Gladys
glanced quickly from the dress TO the
portrait of Lady Irmentrude above her
eyes, dear; Lady Irmentrude was
painted in that green velvet dress. A
most becoming costume it | saw
her in 1t, for the last time, on that
dreadful night thirty years ago." said
Miss Fendall, whose tears were falling
like rain at the sad memories of the
past. II packed away her clothes when
she left us, half mad with grief, and in
that box | put the last dress | v saw
her wear, some letters, and a journal in
which the unhappy grrl confesses all her
love for poor lost Herbert. / could not
bear to think of these things being dis
turbed perhaps by irreverent strangers,
so l ordered that the box should never
be opened. Tonight / have relented
and L am not sorry. Poor Irmentrude
yours was a sad later
While the old woman was speaking,
half to herself, Gladys had gathered up
the velvet gown in her arms and had
vanished with it.
When Miss FendaIl raised her eyes
again, she started back with a suppressed
cry of establishment !; there, under the
portrait of Lady ~lrmentrude, stood
what seemed to be the living original.
1t was Gladys, who, in the dress of her
dead ancestress, resembled her so strlk-
ingly that her two companions were al
most speechless with surprise.
"You thought | was a ghost, didn't
you ?" said GLADYS, with a merry laugh.
''Child, what a wild idea You
really
But Miss Fendall's speech wa checked
by another apraIltion still more strange
IN the doorway. A white haired
woman, with wild restless eyes burning
feverishly in her thin pale face, came
forward with steps short and tottering,
like those of a young child, to where
the group stood looking wonderingly at
her. She wore a dark dress of coarse
woollen stuff, a warm red flannel jacket
trimmed with fur, and shabby artificial
flowers stuck at random III her hair.
'tWhy, Rachel, what made you think
of visiting us this evening ? You have
always avoided us BEFORE" said Miss
Fendall, in q kindly voice to her crazy
protegee.
Il saw my Lady Irmentrude through
the open door, and came In to ask If /
should st up for her tonight, answered
the strange figure, curtseying before
Gladys.
''Marvellousl This is, / believe, the
first time that the name Of her young
mistress has been uttered by Rachel
since she became insane The sight of
GLADYS in that dress has awakened 4
faint spark Of reason" Miss Feudall
said, half to herself, her eyes wide with
establishment.
Your ladyshIp will not walk on the
terrace with Sir Herbert this evening
ha, ha ~ cried the crazy woman, in a
quavering voice which she seemed una
bic to control, looking Gladys keenly in
the ewes