The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-12-11

So 1 said, and hoped that they were quiet
ed for time. But late that. evening, the
ayah came to me with CONSERVATION in her
face. All the three English servants had
left me
By that time the children were in bed,
and everything was still. Ibade the ayah
90 to her room with the younger children,
and after locking my bedroom door, sat
alone, thinking. 1 had passed through an
exciting day. The night was chilly; was
tired, and not my well. That the warmth of
the fire and the comfort of my fayorite
lounging-chair should presently cause de-
lightful sense of indifference to all and
every annoyance, need not be considered
wonderful As sat there, l gave way to
the pleasant compulsion, and was soon, L
imagine, fast asleep. say imagine, be-
cause there was no witness present; and OF
what we do, or what we don't do, in the
strange indefinite border-land of sensation
which separates waking time from sleeping
time, we can never be perfectly certain.
So far as I know, slept for some con-
siderable time. 1t was the sensation, be-
lieve, of my feet waxing cold that first
loosened the bonds of slumber. While 1
was in that semi conscious state, which has
a peculiar discomfort, 1 became dimly alive
to the fact that there was in the room some
presence other than my own. There was
movements stirring in the air, as ifsome
creature had come in The events of the
day returned to my memory, which was
still only half alive started up, rubbing
nv eyes, for l could not be at all sure that
1 was awake and in my right mind.
When 1 went to sleep, 1 was alone. Yes,
certainly: But even if it were not so, what
strange pale face was this now gazing at me
across the dimly-lighted space ofthe shadowy
room. was but half awake. My nerves were
in an excited state The ghostin the house
had been my last conscious idea. And
now this strange face, which seemed to be
advancing on me out of the gloom, was it
creation of my own fancy? Or was it
some one playing trick upon me? In
any case, now was my own time to fathom
the mystery. Trying to be courageous and
gather my wits together, I advanced. The
face receded, and passed into the deeper
shadow, till it appeared to be suddenly
up in the draperies of the heavily curtained
window. I rushed forward, but was not
swift enough. Before 1 touched the cur
tains, the face had disappeared. | was GER
tain, however, perfectly certain that as |
drew the curtains open, l felt resistance to
my hand, and at the same time gust of
colder air rushed againt my face, as if from
an open window. At first, felt as if
about to faint; but my will. fortunately, was
strong, and I threw the curtain aside, and
put my hand on the window. Itwas closed.
1 tried the bar, which could only be fixed
from the inside, and It was as l had left it
early in the evening.
At this discovery my agitation over
powered me, my head swan, and tainted.
When l recovered consciousness, was ly-
ing in the broad recess of the curtained
window, and felt trickling sensation on
, my forehead, and suspected what l after
wards found to be the case, that l had
struck my head on some article of furni-
ture, and was bleeding. This involuntary
blood-letting helped to revive me, and I
) sat up.
For few minutes 1 remained partially
stunned and bewildered. felt creeping
sensation, as if had been struck by frost
wind. After awhile, my heart began to
beat less audibly, and rose to my feet.
At that moment the embers of the fire
suddenly sank into the bottom of the crate,
sending up faint Pickering light, which
was absolutely cheerfulness as contrasted
with the horrible darkness that had
: hitherto prevailed. I felt my courage re-
turning, and managed to ring the bell.
The ayah came, alarmed that | should have
summoned her at an hour when she sup.
posed | had retired to rest. I did not tell
her what had witnessed, only asked her
to light candle. She did SO, and as the
light fell upon my face, she gave slight
scream. l had forgot at the moment that
blood was trickling from the wound had
received, or should not have asked her to
light the candle. AS it was, l had tc
make the best excuse l could in answer tc
her inquiries. I said 1 must have slept
7 long by the fire, and in moving about the
darkened room had fallen and hurt myself
The wound, however, was found to be &
t mere scratch; and in few minutes the
ayah had succeeded in removing from my
face all marks of the disaster.
1 asked her to leave the candle with me
and allow me to retire to rest, She did SO
and after the door was closed upon her,
proceeded with the candle to examine the
window more minutely. The mystery wal
/ as much mystery as ever. The window
| had certainly not been opened by any one
! and no trace was visible on the walls of any
possible means of egress or ingress. fell
more nervous than ever, and was about to
turn and quit the room altogether, SO much
did my fears oppress me, when something
: lying on the floor within the recess attract
} ed my attention. stopped and picked il
up. 1t was small piece of white cloth
i. few inches square frail in th'
r texture, as if half rotted with damp or age
, and adorned with peculiar kind of EN-
broidery such as thought had seen be
e fore, but could not recall where. On the
Ii Al IL.