Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1890-08-09


moment | sat on, with only the vague
thought passing through my mind, Il
must smut u before begin to write
But suddenly ! found my eyes
hxing themselves on the carpet; some
thing had come within their range OF
vision, compelling their attention in
a mechanical sort OF way. What
was il?
Smoke. was my first idea. Can
there be anything on fire. But / |
dismissed the notion almost as soon |
as II suggested itself. The something,
faint and shadowy, that came slowly
ripping itself in, rs il were, beyond |
the dark wood Of the open door, was
yet too material for smoke Ny
next idea was a curious one: 1t
looks like soapy water, said to my
self; can one OF the housemaids have
been scrubbing. and upset a pail on
the stairs For the stair TO lie next
floor almost faced the library door.
But-no, ] rubbed my eyes and look
ed again-the soapy water theory
gave way. The wavy something that
kept gliding, ripping in gradually as
sumed more substantial appear.
ancey IL was-yes, / suddenly be-
came convinced OF it. il was ripples OF
sol; silken stun, creeping in as if in
some mysterious way unfolded or IN.
rolled, net jerkingly or irregularly,
but elidingly and smoothly, like
little Wavelets on the seashore.
And ! sat there and gazed. why
did you not jung up and look behind
the door to see what il was?' yon
may reasonably ask. That question
cannot answer Why sat still, as
iIbewitched. or under some irresistible
influence. cannot tell, but so 1t was.
And it-came always ripping in,
till at last il began TO rise as il still
came on, and / saw figure. tall
graceful womans figure. was slowly
advancing. backwards OF course, into
. the room. and that the waves OF pale
silk-a very delicate shade of peRrly
gray think il mus; have bsen-were
IN fact the lower portion OF long
court train, the upper part OF which
hung III deep folds from the lady s
waist. She moved in-I cannot de-
scribe tile motion; il WAS not like or
i, binary walking or stepping back
and the clear profile Of ner face aud
head were distinctly visible, and
when Al last she stopped and stood
there full IN my view, Just, but only
just. beyond the door, saw--it came
upon me like a iiash-that she WAS nc
stranger 10 me, this mysterious visi
tant' recognized. unchanged, i: seem
ed TO me. since the day ten years ago
when had last seen her, the beautiiu
features OF Maud lleitrnm."
Mr.. Marischal stopped a moment
Nobody spoke. Then lie went o.
again
II should rot have said unchanged.
There was one great change IN N
sweet face. You remember my tellln
YOU that oub Of my glrl.iriend'
greatest charms was her bweht.suun
happiness-she never seemed gloom
or depressed OF dissatisfied, seldor
even tiensive. But ~ this respect IN
face sat there gazing NJ was utter!
unlike Maud Bertram's. lis e.
preston. as she.-or 'it'-stoo
thcre looking, not toward me, bu
! out beyond. as II at some one Q
I something outside the doorway wa
I of the uroioundest sadness. Anythir
/, 80 sad have never seen in a hnma
face. and ] trust ] never may. But
I sat on, as motionless almost as sh
, gazing al her iiNedly, with no desir
I no power perhaps to move or a.
! proach more nearly TO the phantom
i ] was not in the least frightened.
! knew IL was a phantom, but ie
, pnralvzel, aud as il I myself LA
! somehow got outside OF ordinary col
/. ditions. And there | sat staring {
a Maud. and there she stood, gaziI
, before her with that terrible, unspeaI
: able sadness in her face, which, ev'
+, though felt no fear, seemed to free
! me with kind OF unutterable pity.
!, 81 don't know how long ! had 50
/. thus. or how long might have co
!. tinued 10 sit there. almost as II IN
. trance, whom suddenly ! heard {
;, iront-door bell ring Il seemed
( waken me. started up and glanc
n round. half expecting that | shou
!, find the vision dispelled. But no; :
!. was still there, and sank back IN
/. my seat Just as heard my broth
i coming quickly up stairs. He cal
!. towards the library, and, seeing {
=, door wide open, walked in; and !, ST
l gazing, saw his figure pass throu
that OF the woman in the doorway
: YOU may walk through wreath
:. INST or smoke, only-dont misund
= stand me-tho figure of Maud till II
II moment had had nothing unsubsti
" tial about it. She had looked to y
: as she stood there, literally and
! actly like living woman; the sha
= OF her dress, the color OF her hair,
=, few ornaments she wore, all were
- defined and clear as yours, Nina,
y the present moment, and
- NAMED so, or perhaps heca
u so again rs soon as my brot
~ was well within the room. He ca
a forward, addressing me by name,
!. answered him in a whisper, hegg
Z him to be silent and to sit down
=. the seat opposite to me for a NOM
~ or two. lie did so, though he
- taken aback by my strange mann
~ ~ for still kept my eyes fixed on
- door. had queer ccnsclonsn
ne that il looked away IL would Ia
= and wanted to keep cool and
~ what would happen. | asked Herb
~ l.. . i.,,. ,.,,rn II hp SAW not HING