Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1886-05-21
MRS. CROWLE'S GHOST.

pioau POI itlcoeS ene muse, stanu-
Ing back from the'stleetin the midst OF
square of garden and fruit trees. And
so when, in driving past one day, we
saw the notice "To Lett posted upon
the front gate, we alighted and walked
up to the graVeled pathway to make in
quiries
An old negro woman opened the door
and showed us into the parlor, where the
lady of the house soon appeared. She
was tall, slender and rather handsome
woman, with bright, iet-black eyes aud
hair and perfectly clear aud colorle:s
complexion. She explained that she was
the owner of the house, and had lived
here alone with one servant since h II
husbands death, about two years pre-
vious. The house was too large for her
use, and she desired to let the main por-
ton of it, retaining the wing of three
rooms for her own use. The arrange
ment and terms suiting US, we soon came
to an agreement, and in less than two
weeks thereafter, Deborah and | wer1
quietly established in our new abode, a
contCnted old maid and bachelor.
Deborah was ten years older than my
self, and had ever since my motherless
infancy acted toward me maternal
part. We were in what is called indie
pendent circumstances. had a good
business in the city, and, finding my COM
fort we'll cared for at home, had been
very we'll contented, and reached my
fortcth year without having thought
much upon the subject of changing my
bachelor condition. Nor did such a
thought seriously present itself until
may as well confess it-until [ had
known our landlady, Mrs. Arabella
Crowle, long enough to come under the
influence of her fascinations.
Under other circumstances, perhaps, it
might have been different, but being
thrown so frequently into her presence
seeing her at first nearly every day,
In connection with certain proposed
arrangements and Improvements of the
place, and afterwards so often meeting
her about twilight accidentally in the
grounds, which by mutual agreement re-
NAMED open to both families-it was rot
strange l thought, that we should have
been unconsciously drawn into closer
mutual interest than might have been
the case under ordinary circumstances.
She was not over Thirty at most, was
clever and agreeable, and had many little
bewitching ways and expressions, some
times lively and sarcastic, sometimes
pathetic and tender, which exercised over
me peculiar fascination, almost in
despite Of my own will And so it came
to pass that one evening in the twilight,
after supper with some embarrassment
ventured to brOach TO my sister the sub.
iect of my marrying the Widow Crowle.
Deborah had never particularly fancied
her, and she now swept her pet tortoise
shell tabby cat out of her lap, and looked
at me aghast.
Gracious goodness, Oliver! You
don't mean to say that you really--that
she-that You are engaged to marry that
womanl"
'Not exactly engaged; that is, I have
never directly asked her to marry me
but she knows --ahem there Is what may
be called an understanding b tween u.s.
understanding" !" exclaimed Deborah
Indignantly. In my opinion you've nc
understanding in the matter. You dom
understand that she's an artful, design.
ing woman, who has probably from the
very first been planning and man9uvrinl
to get you in her power. You don't un
derstand what her temper or disposition
or history may be- Now have hearj
things from the neighbors concerning al
this which scarcely cared to repeat tx
you, but which, under present circum
stances, it is of course my bounden duty
to inform you Of.
"What thingsl' l inquired family.
''First about her temper. She's
termagant Look at her eyes! and i
you could hear her some days scoldin.
that old black woman, you'd know he
better. A nice htnpecked husband you'C
make! Why, the neighbors say it 3
more than suspected that her HUSBAND
committed suicide by voluntarily takin!
the dose of ofmorphine of which he died -
driven to it by the life she led him. AnC
she qulmeled with all her relations
which is the reason she happens to b
living so solitary and alone
pondered Detorahs words. cam
to the conclusion that | had been hast,
and imprudent, and had made a marrow
escape. And thenceforth / avoide,
Arabella Crowle.
But she didn't avoid me. Oh, no
On the contrary she sought me assidu
ously. She met me around street
corners; she waylaid me in the garden
alleys and finally she went to my office
and directing the clerk to say that lad
wished to see me on business, followe,
him into my inner office-room, and ther
majestically demanded to know tn
meaning of my late conduct.
What could say-or do! Only deli
cately suggest that she had misundel
stood my Intentions. Only hint tina
though it would delight me to renal
her good and devoted friend. yet that
closer or more intimate tie would scarcel
contribute to the happiness of either
and that But here she intcrrupte
me.
''Do I understand, " she said, loollin
straight at me with her dark and glitter
ing eyes, ''that, i'll SO many words, j
short, after all that has been sad, aftt
all our plans and arrangements in regar
to the future, you now decline to kee
pour promise to marry me?n
"Pardon me; but there was no promise
no positive proposal, on my part A Ii
tie Irritation such as OUR
And then she interrupted me agar