The Colfax chronicle., 1888-12-08

back steadily and slowly. until all was
once more utter silence. But / had
seen no shadow shape, no phantom
presence-nothing but the moonlight
beaming brightly across the space be-
tween the door and my bed.
On the first night of this extraordi-
nary experience l was SO vividly inn
pressed with the belief of some person
having really entered the room that /
arose and inspected the fastenings of
doors and windows. But discovered
every thing precisely as had left it on
retiring. On several successive nights
1 did the same, but always with the
same result. And still the viewless
ghost-that visitant sound-came and
went; mystery which vexed my phil
osophy, and one which the most per-
sistent investigation failed to pene-
trate.
''Must / believe that it is my lost
ones spirit coming to me nightly, tell
ing me that / am forgiven?" asked
myself, as sat there pondering in my
deep velvet chair, on that particular
night when the poets suggestive lines
recurred to me.
My room was rather less than the
ordinarily sized parlor and directly
opposite my chair was a long French
glass window opening upon narrow
porch with high ornamental iron rail-
ing. From the porch, short fight Of
iron-railed steps descended to a walk
hedged with GALL rose-bushes. The
heavy blue plush hangings of the door
window were drawn widely apart on
either side, and around and brilliantly
white moon, just swinging clear of the
budding tree-tops. lighted the whole
apartment with a radiance almost like
day,
AS murmured that last question,
suddenly, without sound Of warning,
form and face flashed against the
clear crystal of the window. The form
was. clothed from throat to feet III a
clinging white garment; loosened
abundance of hair fell like a cloud of
gold about the graceful shoulders and
pallid face. And that ghostly-white
face was the face of my Ethel; those
great blue eyes, wild and staring, were
hers; and she was gazing straight upon
me with look which stopped my
heart-beats. and seemed turning the
blood in my veins to ice.
With cry, sprang to my feet, and
with one stride reached the door. But
the apparition was gone-gone as
swiftly and entirely as If 1t had been a
pencil picture on slate brushed away
by q schoolboy's sponge! In that Sec
ond I did not think; consciousness was
a blank. Perhaps it was instinct; but
whatever it might be, / dashed the
easements apart and sprang down the
steps with single bound. into the
narrow walk between the roses. 4
Not q form In human shape was
visible; there was no sound of any
human thing moving. On either side
of me stretched the smooth level
lawn, green and distinct in the clear
moonlight. There was no breeze STIR
ring; the budding leaves above my
head and the budding roses around me,
were all motionless. went the length
Of the path to the little iron gate open
ing upon the highway. As I turned
to retrace my steps, woman ran hur-
riedly into the grounds and without
noticing me. Even in my excitement
l recognized her as Mrs. Hastings-a
lady who had settled in the neighbor-
hood about the time l purchased the
cottage. She directed her course to-
ward the iron-railed porch, and as i
rapidly followed her to the entrance,
she disappeared through the open door
of my room.
As stepped quickly after the lady, I
beheld my Ethel, or her apparition, sit
ting in my own chair, with her white
face and wild eyes, and with scarlet
fever flame burning on each cheek.
Her hands were stretched piteously to
Mrs. Hastings, who was bending over
her, and as she spoke, heard my
darling's living voice, weak with ILL
ness and sharp with agony.
What does it mean, Auntyp" she
was saying. Every night, for nights
and nights, l have been here and whis-
pered to him that he was forgiven.
Why did he not stay when l came to
him just now? Why did he 60 away
angryp"
1t was easy to understand that the
poor child was delirious. And ! knew
at once she must have been frightened
by my wan. startled look as l sprang
from my chair at her appearance, that
she had hidden among the roses, and