Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1890-06-06
THE VAILED WOMAN.
A Mystery Which Was Solved in
an Unexpected Manner.

Who was she? l had heard Of the
strange doings Of mysterious woman
who fitted like shadow through the
city's streets at nightfall, entering the
dwellings of the sick, a voluntary
watcher by the shrouded forms of the
dead, a 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. Hodge 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
settin' up with a corpse An then that
long black vail she wears. They say it's
a sign that she belongs to some secret
society % sperrits that nobody knows
nuthin' about, and they don't low her to
show her face, though don't b'leve the
poor soul does any harm"
My curiosity was aroused, but
though l piled my landlady with ques-
.tions ] failed to elicit any more definite
information regarding this strange
woman than is contained in the fore
going paragraph.
But l inwardly resolved to know more
about her when became better ac-
quainted in the town. l was even bold
and curious enough to wish for meet
ing with her--a meeting that came
when least expected.
l 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 can
hardly say we were very we'll 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 enterthe room one morning, and
the gloom which seemed to possess him
the next plainly betrayed his char
acter
l remember that he knocked at the
door somewhat earlier than usual one
night ] had been reading and was just
preparing to retire. Without word he
drew chair near the fire, sat down, and,
looking steadfastly at the Goals in the
CRATE, seemed lost in meditation.
rudely broke his reverie with ques-
ton:
''Did you ever see this mysterious
woman about whom there is so much
A. IN. 10, ,,,,nr i
wears sad face the year round?"
asked se
He frowned and seemed annoyed al
the question. "Yes," he answered, SO
crazy bag that haunts the streets al
night, frightening little children and
furnishing old women a theme for Cos
sip over their teacups."
.tThen there is nothing remarkable
about her after all" said, in tone o.
inquiry.
~ don't care to discuss her." he re
piled II have other things to think
about just now. l lost five hundred dol
lars tonight"
''In the street,"
IL suppose So" was his reply. 81
amounts to the same thing. My cursed
luck was"
But the sentence was unfinished
There was knock at the door-a quick
excited rap might call it--and my com
panion arose and opened it-opened it
and the full, bright light from within
revealed to my astonished gaze thu
black-robed form of woman. Leaned
forward to get q glimpse of her face
but black vail hid it from view. Blu
] noticed the faco of the man who hat
opened the door on this dreary figure
1t was livid with rage. Great knotte,
lines deformed his brow and l though
heard a mufiled oath escape his lips
Then the woman, stepping back int
the shadow and whispering hoarsely
said. ~ thought you were alone. 70
wanted to see me. For Gods sake
come into the street,
He closed the door, and without ad
dressing word of explanation to me
seized his hat and went out into th
night 8
| could not have sat still in that ROOF
after that If my life had depended o
it, The mystery of that meeting con
pletely mastered me, and ! was d.
determined to fathom it.
Out into the dark / followed then
my slippered feet making no SCUM
upon the stony street. On they WENT
strange, dark figures, darker than th
night whose few feeble stars shone IL
distinctly in gloomy sky. On the
went, and still followed, with step {
noiseless DIS that of fate. ] could fain
ly hear their voices in the distance, bl
could distinguish no word that was SAT-
How far followed them know no
Once or twice saw the woman paus
bu. the man motioned her on, and 81
continued at his side until a grow
which served the city as a park, lyir
still and gloomy on the outskirts, W,
reached and they entered and stoC
under the shadow of the trees
crouched behind hedge and lis
ened.
~Once for ALL" said the man, ''wi
YOU leave this town and swear to folio
me no more?"
n ssIcans net" said tho woman, piteou
W.; .sbecause ] love you. Oh, John
she cried, as she fell on ner knees at b
feet, .'have mercy on mel Think of 4
1ha,e suffered for you and take I
into the shelter of your love againP
7sA curse on your love-" he cried,
hes been, curse 70 ne, foA are
hllfss 50 ny liis. Whist ara ecu kns'