Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1889-10-24

on the stairway, who had neither moved nor
spoken since the watchers fed.
by all the howly saints, how'd yer ques
tons to yerself, whispered Ancil. mot
wan av US knows
Presently a low moan Of deepest anguish
came from the drawing room, followed by a
deep, sobbing sound.
"Ohi howly Mary an il is Miriam" and
Peggy Clarkson started quickly TO her feet
and took step toward the door.
But the silent, mysterious figure in black
anticipated her movements and came swift
| ly out in the hall and glided out through the
great doorway, disappearing in the dark
ness Instantly
At this strange Visitant's manner each one
present was SO astonlshed and helplessly
thunderstruck that for fully five minutes
not soul starred nor uttered word. After
the shock to their nerves had worn of
enough to admit of speech, James said: II
know that 1t was Miriam in such posi-
tive tone t'r. his words carried conviction
70 the J. att
i, "a ;i.u,p - .i'rvHnts
was simply indescribable and startling in
the utmost sense They rushed hither and
ththcr with lights, calling the beloved mis-
tress in pleading tones TO come back, and
grew almost frantic in their vain endeav-
ors to find Miriam. Not trace of her could
be found.
After their long and fruitless search 70
find their beloved mistress or unravel the
mystery of the midnight visitor, they gave
it up, lamenting their failure in heart
breaking ordinations of genuine sorrow.
The dead master was wholly forgotten by
the excited household for the time, such
was their love for the daughter, whom they
were positive had walked like spirit into
their midst with face mysteriously vailed,
and had disappeared in some unaccountable
manner.
Why did she come; and if she did, why
come in that manneri why not come and
stay now that there were none to dispute
her presences
These questions were asked thousand
times, but not one was found wise enough
to answer
Doubtless it was really Miriam, who,
hearing of her fathers death, had come to
take a last look and farewell He who in
life she dared not approach aud from whose
heart the strange decree had weaned her,
even in her babyhood.
What her thoughts must have been we can
only conjecture; coming back to the child
hood haunts and slipping in like thief in
the midnight watches beneath the old roof
tree from which she had been banished
coming back TO shed bitter tears, perhaps,
on the rigid form OF him who had forbidden
her TO call HIM father; and then vanishing
away into the midnight darkness, like q
thing of evil, was something only those who
possessed wealth OF daring could do. She
must have had nerve and complete control
of her will-power, also a passionate love for
the dead, to undertake this strange method
of visiting him thus
After a complete search of the whole
countryside, and no trace of the absent
one could be obtained, the more supersti-
tiOus set that midnight visitor down as q
frst-class spirit Some went 50 far as to
presume that Miriam might have died and
that her spirit came 10 take last look a. Sir
Rupert, and mayhap feel throb of tri-
umph over his demise
But Peggy Clarkson, superstitious as she
was by nature and education, hooted the
idea as simply preposterous, declaring that
1t "was the young MISTRESS, in puir fish
and blud. for" said she with agreat show OF
contempt for the theory advanced, ''who
liver hearn tell o. spirits mournin' out loud
over corpses!h
Be this as it may, Miriam could not be
found, and Sir Rupert was borne to the
tomb of his ancestors in Oaklawn, with
neither kith nor kin TO follow him. The old
gray-hared clergyman pronounced with
much feeling: "Behold his house was left
unto him desolate, and the day Of his death
was certainly better than the day of his
birth Peace to his ashesr
In due time the will Of Sir Rupert was
unearshed and made known. Heatherleigh
IN nod
Fairfax and her heirs forever" In codi-
CT! attached he pronounced an earnest wish
that Miriam Percival Fairfax must be found
and reinstated at the Hail. But where was
shel In smoky London, gone TO America,
gone somewhere else; this place, that place
and the other, gossip had it, but it was but
gossip, and the stately daughter never
came.
The servants were remembered hand
somely in the viii of the gruff cid master
and each after having received his or her
portion went their ways. All left the gloon
and silence of Heatherleigh excepting the
| Clarksons. They remained under its desc
| lated roof in accordance with the wish OF
| Sir Rupert, as set forth in clause of the
| last will and testament made known. He
desired them TO wait and welcome Miriam
on her return. AMI when would that BET
And Ciarksou, having finished the story
Of Sir Rupert's life and death, looked al
me with great, questioning eyes, from
which the tears of sad, earnest waiting
| trickled down.
"Ah, me Leddy, Ofse about dhrappin
| into me grave waitin' for the childer, an
/ Dime afeard she' niver COON
An inspiration seized me. Peggy, If
give away q secret to you, VIII you grant
me any thing aski'
She looked at me for fun 1--WE minutes il
| speechless amazemeut, doubling my sanity,
| for all | know, for she murmured Lord
1 an has the terrible story ov the master