Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1890-07-10

IN. out tnere Wis no one, tne door |
had swung open of itself. For a
moment sat on. with only the vague
thought passing through my mind, i
must shut it before begin to write
"But suddenly l found my eyes
| fixing themselves on the carpet; some
thing had come within their range OF
vision, compelling their attention in
a mechanical sort OF way. What
was it?
"Smoke, was my first idea. Can
there be anything on fire" But !
! dismissed the notion almost as soon
as it suggested itself. The something,
faint and shadowy, that came slowly
ripping itself in, as it We're, beyond
the dark wood of the open door. was
yet too material for smoke. My |
next idea was curious one: 1T !
Looks like soapy water i said to my |
sell; can one OF the housemaids have
been scrubbinc, and upset n pail on
he stairs?' For the stair to the 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 II more substantial appear
ance. 1t was-yes, l suddenly be-
came convinced OF it, it was ripples of
soft sllken stuff, creeping in as II in
some mysterious way unfolded or I'M
rolled, not jerkingly or irregularly,
but glidingly and smoothly, like
little wavelets on the seashore.
"And sat there and gazed. Why
did you not jump up and look behind
the door to see what it was?' you
may reasonably ask. That question
, | cannot answer. Why l sat still, as
| ifbewtched, or under some irresistible
influence, ! cannot tell, but so it was.
| "And it-came always ripping in,
, till at last it began to rise as it still
came on, and / saw u figure. tall
graceful woman's figure, was slowly
+. advancing, backwards of course, into
the room, and that the waves of pale
: silk--a very delicate shade of pearly
gray l think it must have b.en-were
| in fact the lower portion OF long
court train, the upper part OF which
hung in deep folds from the ladys
> waist. She moved in-I cannot de-
T scribe the motion; it was not like or.
4, binary walking or stepping back.
= wards-till the whole Of her figure
:. and the clear profile OF her face and
! head were distinctly visible, and
:, when at last she stopped and stood
), there full in my view, just, but only
,. just. beyond the door, saw-it came
= upon me like f1ash-that she was no
= stranger to me, this mysterious vsi-
y tant. recognized. Interchangeable SEEM
ed to me, since the day ten years ago,
:. when had last seen her, the beautiful
;, features OF Maud Rertram."
e Mr.. Marischal stopped moment.
\ Nobody spoke. Then he went on
- again:-
d II should not have said unchanged.
70 There was one great change IN the
d sweet face. You remember my telling
v you that one OF my girl-friend's
"a greatest charms was her bright, sunny
d happiness-she never seemed gloomy
N or depressed or dissatisfied, seldom
u even pensive. But IN this respect tine
n. face sat there gazing at was utterly
. unlike Maud Bertram's. Its ex
ID preston, as sheer it'-stooc
q there looking, not toward me, but
er out beyond. as if at some one o.
Of something outside the doorway wa.
Of of the profoundest sadness. Anything
20 so sad have never seen in a human
| face, and trust never may. But
re- sat on, as motionless almost as she
re gazing at her fxedly. with no desire
I no power perhaps to move or az
ke proach more nearly to the phantom
I'd was not in the least frightened.
ed knew it was a phantom. but l fel
10 paralyzed, aud as il | myself ha
as somehow got outside OF ordinary con
u. ditions. And there sat staring a
ee Maud, and there she stood, gain
TO before her with that terrible. unspeaA
IL = -, g.. s<,1
ut though felt no fear, seemed to freez
ut ME with kind OF unutterable pity.
yn II don't know how long / had sa
er thus, or how long l might have col
N. tinued to sit there, almost as If in
nv iront-door bell ring. 1t seemed t
n round. half expecting that 1 shoul
en- find the vision dispelled. But no; 81
re. was still there, and sank back int
v. my seat just as heard my broth,
nd coming quickly up stairs. He can
IS. towards the library, and, seeing tt
in doc: wide open, walked in; and !, st
elk gazing, saw his figure pass throu.
-. that OF the woman in the doorway
pr. you may walk through q wreath
,er mist or smoke, only-don't misunde
m stand me-the figure of Maud till tn,
oil. moment had had nothing unsubsta
oc- tial about it. She had looked to nj
to as she stood there, literally and e
nk. actly lie a living woman; the sha'
I OF her dress, the color OF her hair. Il
inc few ornaments she wore, all were
er. defined and clear as yours, Nina.
raj the present moment. and !
WIN manned SO, or perhaps becar
ril. SO again as soon as my broth
alf. was we'll within the rom. He cal
I 4 forward. addressing me by name. b
ery ! answered him in q whisper, besgi
adj him to be silent and to sit down
INV the seat opposite to me for nome
me or two. He did so, though he "
in. taken aback by my strange mann'
ten for l still kept my eyes fixed Oh t