The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-08-30
THE YELLED WOMAN.

Who was she? had heard Of tho
strange doings of mysterious woman
who fitted like a shadow through tho
city's streets ut nightfall. entering the
dwellings of the sick. voluntary
watcher by the shrouded forms OF the
dead dark-robed follower OF funerals
had heard OF her. and confess that
the tales that were told me by my gar
rulous landlady were not greatly In her
favor.
There's lots Of mystery about that
! woman" said Mrs. Hodges as she
poured my coffee one morning. "for
they do say that she sees sperrits. an Is
never SO much enjoyin' OF herself as
when she is sittin' up with a corpse.
An then that long black veil she wears!
They say it's sign that she belongs to
some secret society o sperrits that no.
body knows nuthin' about. aud they
don't low her to show her face. though
don't 'bleye the poor soul does any
harm"
My curiosity was aroused. but
though piled my landlady with
questions. failed to elicit any more
definite information regarding this
strange woman than Is contained in the
foregoing paragraph.
But l inwardly resolved to know
more about her when l became better
acquainted In the town. / was even
bold and curious enough to wish for
meeting with her--a meeting that came
when Ileast expected.
had but recently arrived in the
town; l knew no one save my landlady
and the man who roomed with me. and
saw the latter SO seldom that l can
hardly say we were very well acquaint-
ed. The little saw of him, however,
convinced me that he was gambler.
He never confided his affairs to me, but
his habit of spending his nights away
from home. his buoyant spirits when
he would enter the room one morning.
and the gloom which seemed to possess
him the next, plainly betrayed his
character.
remember that he knocked at the
door somewhat earlier than usual one
night. had been reading and was
Just preparing to retire. Without a
word he drew chair near the fire, sat
down, and looking steadfastly at the
Goals In the CRATE. seemed lost In medi-
tation. rudely broke his reverie with
question,
did you ever see this mysterious
woman about whom there Is so much
talk. who goes about in mourning and
wears sad face the year roundp"
asked.
He frowned and seemed annoyed at
the question. Yes he answered. IA
crazy bag that haunts the streets mt
night, frightning little children and
furnishing old women a theme for
gossip over their teacups.
"Then there Is nothing remarkable
about her after all, /" said In tone OF
inquiry.
II don't care to discuss her. he re-
piled. II have other things TO think
about just now. lost $500 tonight"
''In the streetpn
81 suppose So" was the reply. 1T
amounts to the same thing thing. My
cursed luck was
The sentence was unfinished. There
was knock at the door-a quick, ex-
cited rap, might call it-and my COM
panion arose aud opened it, and the
full. bright light from within revealed
to my astonished gaze the black-robcd
form OF woman leaned forward 20
get glimpse OF her face. but q black
veil hid 1t from view. But l noticed
the face of the man who had opened the
door on this dreary figure. II was
livid with rage. Great knotted lines
dcformed his brow. and thought /
heard q mufiicd oath escape his lips.
Then the woman stepping back into
the shadow and whispering hoarsely.
said: Il thought you were alone. You
wanted TO see me. For Gods sake
come into the streetr
He closed the door, and without adj
dressing word OF explanation to me,
seized his hat and went out into the
night
could not have sat still in that
room after that. II my life had depend
ed on IL. The mystery OF that meeting
completely mastered me. and / was de-
termiued to fathom IL.
Out Into the dark / followed them,
my slippered feet making no sound up
on the stony street. On they went
strange. dark figures. darker than the
night whose few feeble stars shone in
distinctly in gloomy sky. On they
went. and still followed. with step as
noiseless as that OF fate. / could faint
ly hear their voices In the distance. but
could distinguish no word that was
said.
How far followed them know not.
Once or twice l saw the woman pause
but the man motioned her on. and she
continued at his side until grove.
which served the city as park, lying
still and gloomy on tho outskirts. was
reached, and they entered and stood
under the shadow Of the trees.
crouched bohind n hedVo and liza