Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1892-04-07
A WINTER DAYS JOURNEY.

ant da! to traYel IN, by any means out'
then, Lettice Mainwaring was one Of
the sort that makes the best Of every
thing.
It's long journey over the bills
Miss said the wife of the landlord Of
the little one story tavern that was
perched on the crest Of the highway
and the SHOWS powerful deep
4 think a winter landscape is the
prettles; thing IN the world, said Let
t,ce, cheerily. as she wound her fur boa
round and round her neck.
And old Stokes stage is awful un
comfortable added the landladY.
4 like stage riding, asserted Lefty
You'll not get there till dark
oh, that Is sooner than I expected.
And Lefty climbed up into the stags
coach, which stood creAking and groan
Ing at the door, having just rumbled
up from the next village, a m'e or sc
J down the hill.
One solitary passenger occupied tho
opposite corner-a tall, dark man, witt,
Spanish sort of complexion and clear
dark eyes, who wore an odd sort Of ol'
i've green cloak or mantle, heavily
trimmed with sable fur. He nodded
briefly in return to Letty's smiling rec.
ognition. Our little heroine would
have talked with polar bear, had a
polar bear CHANGED to be her travelling
companion.
Lefty arranged her furs and her bas.
ket and her bonnet strings, and Won
dered secretly how far the tall man was
gong.
Can ! be of any assistance to you?
courteously queried the gentleman, as
Lefty searched in the straw at her feet
for dropped glove.
'Thanks-no, said Lefty, coming up
again Will very red cheeks aLi curls a
little disheveled. Are you going all
the way through ?
AS far as the stage goes Yes.
o. said Miss Mainwarlng, so am /.
The gentleman nodded interroga'ive
ly, and went back to his paper.
Gross thing: thought Lefty, inyol-
UNFAIRLY, pouting her pretty lips. why
can he talk and make himself agree.
able? And he knows very we'll that
we are to be shut up here together for
eight long hours.
But the wild, mountainous landscape,
AS it fitted by, while cleaning with
snow and darkly f'inged with the wav-
ing Of hemlock boughs and solemn
crested pines, was. after all, nearly as
good Il study us the "human face di
vine, and Lefty soon forgot her tempo.
rary annoyance and chagrin in the
white skeleton like walls OF % deserted
old paper mill long since dlsused and
fallen to rum.
4 wonder if it is haunted ? said she,
aloud.
The stranger smiled ard laid down
his paper.
do you believe in such things lie
asked.
Lettlce Mainwaring laughed and col.
ored.
OF course not; and yet Are you
much acquainted in this region Of the
country
1 haye Iiyed hereabouts good deal.
Oh! Then perhaps you know Eas-
terham Hall 2
His face frightened.
o, yes. You are gong there?'
Yes. | am 10 be goyerness to the
little children, said Lefty, making
haste to enllghten hun as to ner true
position, in order that he should fully
comprehend that she WAS no elegant
young lady going to the hall to make a
visit, but humble little working bee,
who was obliged to toll stcadfastIy for
the daily bread she ate.
Indeed / he said.
And Lefty was ve1ed at herself for
noticing the the polite Indifference into
which his tone subslded.
i suppose it is very fine old place,
she went on.
'Very-for those who fancy zine old
places To my taste they are apt to
be overrun with rats, full Of draughts
and picturesquely lnconvenient."
And haunted. perhaps, misch;ev-
ously put in Lettice, the roeuish spark.
les coming back to her eyes.
SO far as l knew, Easterham Hall is
free from any supernatural occupants.
Il am sorry for that. said Lefty
lie arched his eyebrows.
You would like to share your room
with ghost or twoY
No, but | do like little tinye Of 70
nance about the place-somethlng to
set it little above and beyond the lev.
| IL al Tho onna NON nluca :,