New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-08-25

tme foT four shiilings and sixpence hesitated
four shillings and siXpence was cOnsderaDe sum
TO me- and migh5 mott ardently hoped might
not-want the room for so long; but then, on the
other hand, if | did not get situation soon
Very we'll, agreed, would pay for a fortnight.
So The bargain was concluded and the next day
I took nv box and went into that terri bic house.
I did not mind my new lodgings at first,
though the room bare, desolate place, with
hardly scrap of furniture in it, and though the
woman was very disagreeable and refused to do
ANYTHING for me,-attendance, she said, could not
be expected with such low rent. but was out
all day looking for situation, and was used 20
people being disagreeable and for those first few
days was not frightened of her. IL was not I'll
after Oh, grow faint and sick as think OIL
it, and feel as if L could not go on and tell OF all
that dreadful time And yet | have sort of
feeling that if l can once write 1t all down, II
will in way, be less on my mind, ana Will
cease TO haunt me. So | will try, and Will do
il thoroughly and slowly; and will not hurry
over it, nor miss anything out; Wall tell II all,
bit by bit, just as IL happened.
Well, as l said, for the first few days L was
not frightened. | was out early and home late,
and in the evenings | wrote to Katchen. l wrote
as hopefully as | could, but il was hard TO write
brightly when | felt So lonely and respondent; and
one evening, when | found it very difficult 10
think of anything cheerful TO say, finished oil
my letter quickly and went out and posted il,
distress hatcher. When | came III again | did
not know what TO do | used
to my constant letter writing that L missed
il, and could not settle down 10 read or TO sew;
and at last thought | would look at my money,
and how much remained TO me,-although |
knew pretty well how much 1t would be, for !
never spent penny without saying to myself.
" So much less to live on and to keep for Kat
chen" However, unlocked my trunk, and took
out the little box in which kept my money, and
the few tIinkets that had belonged TO my mother
articles of but little value gold lOcket with
a curl of my fathers hair in it, ring, a silver
pencil-case and little memorandum book with
a silver clasp. | was looking at these things and
at the little pile of sovereigns (twentyeght there
were), absorbed in dreaming of the past and
planning for the future, when | suddenly
ght back to the present 10 the wretched httle
room and my lonely life, by slight noise behind
me. | was sitting by the freSide, facing the
window, and with my back TO some folding-doors
that shut off another room. They Were locked,
these doors, my landlady had told me, and the
key was lost, and had tried them once and found
| could not open them | don't know why, but
l did not move when heard the noise; | was not
frightened; l was only curious; and | sat per-
fectly still and listened to see if | should hear
il again. Yes : | heard il again--a slight rustling
and then a sound like somebody breathing not
far behind me. For a minute more ! went
turning over my mothers trinkets. holding them
up, carelessly playing with them and then. quite
suddenly, | turned sharp round. No, had not
been deceived; the foding-doors were open. as
bad thought they would be. The opening between
them was not a wide one IT was small only
Just big enough to admit head and head was
There, looking at me-my landladys head. For
instant our eyes met and III that instant
a strange terror seized me. | did not know why.
and later on in the evening | could not account
for it, bnt was frightened as | met that wOmans
Gaze-tewibly, sickeningly frightened. She hest
tated a moment and then came into the room
Z" / was just coming TO ask if you wanted any
thing she said. | knew she told lie. Never
since had been in the house had she offered 20
do me the smallest service, never had she paid me
the slightest attention, or concerned herself in
any way about my comfort; and why if she had
anything to say to me, should she come stealing
i'm behind my back through door which she had
told me could not be opened? But l affected TO
believe her; / did not want her to know that
was frightened, and | did my utmost, to keep
my voice from trem bling as spoke to her
/ want nothing" / said; and-that door
So it was she answered coolly; but I have
just found the key And then she stood still,
and looked at me- and at my open box.
Well want nothing" repeated; and TO that
she replied that | need not be proud; She
meant no harm. And then she left me.
Gradually, when | was left alone my great
terror vanished, and | was able 10 think. Ny
first idea was TO leave the house that very night
then and there; TO take with me only my precious
little box, and TO come back for my trunk in the
morning, in broad daylight. That was what in
sinct told me TO do Al why did not do il d?
But reason came and argued that | was weak
and fanciful and foolish; that the woman ~
worst, only rude and prying. and that as
had pad in advance for another ten days lodging,
il would be both wrong and ridiculous TO give up
my rooms merely because the state OF my health
disposed me 10 be frightened by tIifles and |
listened no reason Reason is very good. and is.
in most cases nc doubt true and right guidc
but oh! my friends, when instinct speaks, and
speaks strongly, listen; the voice yOu hear IS
the voice of Providence! One prccaution took
after that evening ! never went out without
taking my money with me; and every night |
locked The door Of my room. and TO the handles
Of the foldng-dOOrS | hung bits of crOclSery my
scissors and anything | thought would jingle, SO
that nobody could come in quite noiselesslv.
Two days went by, and gradually | became
more tranquil, and ceased TO start at every sound
and to listen anXiousy when the house WIS still
On the afternoon Of the second day | returned
home earlier than usual. The front door was
left on the latch during the day, and had only
TO turn the handle 30 let myself in. was lighter
OF heart that afternoon than | had been for some
time, for | had heard Of possible situation at
vive in nv heart. | was thinking Of
my Frightening prospects as | entered the house A;
had forgotten, for the time my landlady ana my
fears had no thought no warning, no falntest |
gmmering OF suspicion that when shut the 'front.' !
door behind me 4 was shutting myself IN 10 my !
fate. II had but suspected, but ever so dlmy |
all possessed, all hoped for, before | would have
crossed that threshold and when hearing voices |
IN my room, paused upon the stairs, could nave |
bat vague shadow OF my coming
loss OF time, have abandoned without thought |
me rev possessions IN my wretched room, ana 1ed !
away out OF the house into the street, away ana
away Tor dear life. But had no warning, and 40 |
hrst feit no misgivings. Instead OF trying 10 es-
cape, stood still and listened surprised and curl
GUS me voices were talking Of me. / soon gathered
as mIc1 as STOOD halfway up the flight OF stars
but l could not catch much that was said am
presently stole cautiously and softly up 10 the
haii-Opeh door OF my room and through the hinges
looked ard listened / knew then ri once, that
was in danger, in serious and imminent danger,
and the sudden fear that beset me robbed me for
'lnace Oh Ihe power to move, and held me spell
aIklng OF me. OF me and OF my hardly earned