Telegram-herald., 1891-03-22

there, in pain and misery. while still .
young woman Her troubles had their
source in a certain member of our own
family with whom she had been init
mately acquainted. She was not hap
Ply even yet, and Mr.. Hawthorne's SYM
patty she must and would have.
But how shall indicate the weird,
curious and yet pathetic impression that
was produced, not more by the matter
than by the manner OF her communica-
tions? Mary Rondel was bitterly in
earnest; she would be heard; she upset
the propriety OF all our other spiritual
friends; 10 was in vain that they at
tempted To assure US that she was a
bad. improper, untruthful, ill-con-
ditioned creature. In the midst of their
pious homilies she would swoop down.
snatch the pencil and send it staggering
In violent evolutions along the page;
her language was anything but con-
ventional; nay, 1t sometimes became
indiscreet, il not scandalous- Oc-
casionally our refined little medium
would protest, and remove her hand
from the table. But no sooner did she
resume, then Mary was At It again. She
would not be denied She was a tenn
permanent, a will, person OF all our
long procession of communicates, she
alone showed an unmistakable and
vivid Individuality. We would have
known her had we met her on the street.
She had been waiting in the dark void
of the unseen world. for the better part
of q century, for an opportunity to
speak and declare herself, and she was
not going TO let il go unimproved. And
yet the poor creature knew not what OF
say-only that she admired Mr.. Haw-
thorne's sympathy. But what good 1t
manded IL, we were not informed. He
assured her that he would not and did
not sympathize with her, hoping, there
by, 10 pacify her and so get rid of her.
Now. the sequel was strange: we re-
turned TO America two or three years
later, and four years after that my
father died. Some venerable maiden
cousins of ours sent us, some months
subsequently, box Of old books and
papers that had belonged to our family
in the last century. Among the books
was dilapidated copy of Sir Phillip
Sydney's Arcadia" bearing date 1886.
On the fly-leavcs were the autographs
Of number of our ancestors, from the
first emigrant down to Daniel Haw-
thorne, who, history says, commanded
privatecr during the revolution. And
ON the broad margin at the bottom of
the tenth page was inscribed. in faced
brown ink, a woman's name: MARY
Rondel-" It is before me as l write, an
Informed name, but showing character.
After some reelection, l remembered
the circumstances under which had seen
that name before. Searching further
into the book came upon the love SON.
nets and stanzas in the latter part OF
the volume; but several Of these had
been marked round with q pen: and
Pray, rnistris, read this" or Read
this as II I myself spake it," Some OF
these writings were In the chirography
of Daniel Hawthorne; others. in an
other hand. surmised that the book
had once been read, jointly, by two
lovers, who had taken this indirect
means Of intimsting their scntimcnts-
The longer I ineditatcd upon the mat
ter. the moro interested became. At
last I wrote letter to those old maiden
cousins, and. without saying anything
about the spiritual experience In the
italian villa, I inquired whether they
wer. s,gnizsnt Of any family traditions
connected with a person called Mary
Rondcl- Hero il their reply:
''DFAs COUSIN Miss Mary
ftoniel II Boston. knew one % your great
uncses Daniel Hawthorne. about IT'S. The
story viii not interest you. = ia rot cret;i.sele
10 either party n ended unfortunately; there
hal been some talk - marriage. but their re-
tations were broken CT. and an unable 20 say
what became 81 the young woman. Your uncle
Afterwards fitted out \ privateer," etc, etc
No: don't pretend 10 explain IL
simply give yon the facts Take on tho
,had,s from the lamp. That is enough,
'or o,se evening
JULIAN HAWTHORNE