The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-09-05
THE WHITE LADY.
Her Vaccinations Against the
Young Heir of Beroldstein.

My father had been clergyman in the
quiet little English parish where was
born, and l, his only child, had reaped the
benefit of careful education, which he
had given me during his spare hours.
When, little after my twentieth birth
day, my father died, leaving his unfair
nished name as sole inheritance for nv
mother and myself, began to realize the
value of his teaching, for it-aided by nv
vigorous health and fair spirit of deter
minatiOn-must now keep the wolf from
the door.
My father had rich influential relatives,
but they were too much occupied with the
responsibilities which wealth brings to
take to heart the troubles of their poorer
klndred-though perhaps | am ungrateful
to say this, for it was through the inter-
vention of my uncle that gained the po-
sltion which assured to me at last the hap
piness of my life.
In Southern Prussia, in the Duchy of Be-
roldsteln, the position of nursery. govern
ess to two children was vacant-a most
desirable place, the children being the in
FAINT son and daughter of the late Duke of
Beroldstein, who had died only six months
before. Thanks to my uncle, | was the
chosen applicant for this position. | felt
fairly confident with respect to my prof.
cheney, for at first my task would be only
to have the supervision of the noble chill
dren and to teach them to speak my En-
gllsh tongue correctly; but confess that
felt very down-hearted as | went on board
the boat that was to take me to an unknown
country.
"Eour brother need not be uneasy about
you've shall land safe enough on the other
side" said the CHEEKY Captain, standing
near me.
smiled through my tears, for the tall,
frank-eyed young fellow who watched me
from the shore with such a look of anxious
regret on his face was not my brother
As Charlie kissed me-he had never
kissed mo on the lips beforehand whis-
pered, keep a good heart, Alice, my dar-
llng-we shall meet again when prospects
are brighter" | felt more hopeful than I
had for months BEFORE for his words
seemed to contain in them certainty of
fultilment.
Charlie Kent and l had been lovers al
most from babyhood; and, now that child
hood had long since passed, | can not say
that our feelings for each other had
changed, save to intensity. We were both
very poor, but were content enough to
wait for better times.
SchloSs BerOldsten proved to be very
stately old mansion, trife repellant in it's
air of antiquity and isolation from the rest
of the world. A park extending many
illitS lay btlOIt Uu6 CdSUle, ana from my
windows at the back | had a beautiful view
of the Eifel mountains. The grounds at
one time must have been laid out and
tended with royal care; but now the
statues We're broken, the fountain out of re-
pair, and an air of neglect pervaded the
avenues and shrubbery.
The Duchess lived in the strictest seclu-
sion on account of her recent bereavement,
her only concern being the welfare of her
children My little charges We're charm
ing-a twin brother and sister, and the
only surviving children of the family.
Roderic, the young heir to the dukedom,
was a truly beautiful child, rosy and
cherub-lille, with a promise of intelligence
in his face which well befitted the high
rank TO which he was born. Amalie, the
little girl, was a quieter, softer copy of her
brother, and already the pair were devo-
teddy attached TO each other.
The children were rather more than a
year old when | arrived at Beroldstein-
certainly too young to derive much benefit
from my presence, thought; but, as it
was customary in high families to have
the children learn foreign tongues from
the cradle, my conscience quieted itself
Very little time elapsed before ! found
myself the friend and confidant Of Frau
Bremen, hOusekeeper at the Castle.
Among other bits OF information she told
me what | rather expected to hear, that
Schloss Beroldstein was haunted.
"lt IS quite the spot for ghost to choose
for midnight wanderings," l remarked,
and though secretly amused at the old
woman's credulity, l encouraged her by
my air of deep interest to tell me more of
this spectral visitant.
1t was the well known story Of a lady in
white appearing as the silent herald of n
death in the family. Three years before,
one dark, stormy night, the sentinel at the
gates had seen the White Lady gliding
among the trees towards the Castle, and
before morning the uncle of the late Duke
was stricken dead with paralysis. Three
times the white apparition was seen during
the week before his Highness Duke AL
brecht died; and, according to Frau Bren-
ner no member Of the Won Berodstein
family had ever been gathered to his
fathers without the assistance of the White
Lady. The mere mention of her name
made every servant in the place shudder,