Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1890-06-26

Ii Voluntary watcher
oy the shrouded forms of the dead, a
dark-robed follower OF funerals.
had heard of her, and confess that
the tales told me by my garrulous
landlady were not greatly in her ia
Vor.
"There's lots of mystery about that
Toman," said Mrs. Hodges, as she
poured my coffee one morning, "for
they do say that she sees sperrits,
an il never SO much enjoyin' of her.
self as when she is sittin' up with a
corpse. An then that long black
veil she wears! They say it's sign
she belongs to some secret society o,
sperrits that nobody knows nothin
about, and they don't low her to
show her face, though l don't 'b'leve
the poor soul does any HARM"
My curiosity was aroused, but
though l piled my landlady with
questions, failed to elicit any more
definite information regarding this
strange woman than is contained in
the foregoing paragraph.
But inwardly resolved to know
more about her when l became
better acquainted in the town. l
was never bold and curious enough
to wish for meeting that came when
least expected.
had but recently arrived in the
town; KNEW no one save my land
lady md the man who roomed with
me, and / saw the hitter SO seldom
that | can hardly say we were well
acquainted. The little ! saw of him.
however, convinced me that he was
q gambler. He never confided his
affairs to me, but his habit ofspend-
ing his nights away from home, his
bouyant spirits when he would enter
the room one morning, and the
gloom which seemed to possess him
tie next, plainly betrayed his char
acter.
remember that he knocked at the
door somewhat earlier than usual one
night. / was reading and was just
prepared to retire. Without word
he drew a chair near the fire, sat
down, and looking steadfast at the
Goals in the crate, seemed lost in med
itation. Irudely broke his reverie
with question:
"Did you ever see this mysterious
woman about whom there is so much
talk, who goes in mourning and wears
q sad face the earround?" Iasked.
He frowned and seemed annoyed Mt
the question. Yes, he answered., "a
crazy hag that haunts the streets
nights, frightening little children and
furnishing old women with q theme
for gossip over their teacups."
t'Then there is nothing remarka BILE
about her after all," l said in a tone
ofinquiry.
81 don't care to discuss her." he
replied. shave other things to think
about just now. l lost $500 to-
night"
lin the street,"
81 suppose So" was the reply. II
amounts to the same thing. My
cursed luck was"
The sentence was unfinished. There
was Il knock at the door-a quick
excited rap, might call it-and my
companion arose and opened it, ant
the full, bright light from within re
vealed to my astonished gaze thu
black-robed form of a woman.
leaned forward to get a glimpse o
her face. but a black veil hid it from
view. But noticed the face of tn,
man who opened the door on THU
dreary figure. 1t was livid with rage
Great knotted lines deiormed hi
brow, and thought heard a mufflet
oath escape his lips. Then the WON
an. stepping back into the shadow
and whispering hoarsely said: {"
thought you were alone. wante,
to see me. For Gods sake come in
to the street,"
He closed the door, and withou
addressing word of explanation t.
me seized his hat and went out int,
the night.
could not have sat still in tina
room after that, ifmy life had d.
pended on it. The mystery OF tina
meeting compile ely mastered me. an
j was determined to tathom it.
Out into the dark | followed then
my slippered feet making no SCUM
upon the stony street. On they Wen
strange dark figures, darker tina
the night whose few. feeble stars show
indistinctly in gloomy sky. 0
they went. and still followed, wit
step ~ noiseless as that of fate.
could family hear their voices in til
distance, but could distinguish n
word that was said.
How far / followed them l kno'
not. Once or twice saw tho woma