Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1892-02-20


to find the scent of ia. cedar wood over
,mwcring. About midnight r,,sr; tread
nw my wav across the floor With diIli
Guilty. for the room WAS IN total darkness
The next night. before Justin" left me
| desired her not to turn the gas out.
Three nights later | again awohe with
a sense of langour. The gas beside the
window gave out dim light; beyond
il a faint moonbeam slantcd across the
room in which lay the shadow of pear
tree. traced the shadows of the branches
and the leaves, and watch d them as they
hickcred. stirred by the night wind.
Keeping my eyes open in a half sleepy
manner, all at once l became conscious
of seeing something else besides tho
moonlight and the gasight-somctlng
that seemed to be between the two. il
was faint and indistinct, certainly. bu:
none the less it resembled female form.
tn" head appeared to rest on the hanf,
the hair, with a ruddy gleam on it tlnatea
back on the shoulders. The rest of the
figure was lost in darkness | was sutf-
ciently awake to know it was no freak %.
fancy. and yet the figure was altogether
so family defined and vague in detail
that before long | fell asleep and nexs
morning remembered it as q dream only.
The succeeding night, however, Iagain
awoke. and on opening my eyes beheid
the srlfsame figure. But this time il
was more clearly visible, especially the
face, which, turned toward me, saw
to be that of a very beautiful woman.
Moreover, to my unspeakable dismay, l
discovered in it a resemblance to my
stepmother, whom l had seen once only,
us she lay in her coffin
In vain | closed my eyes. Wheneverl
opened them saw the sweet, reproachful
face: and it was not until the summer
morning dawned that it entirely diSap.
peared and | arose from my bed sad
and tired after the nights vigil. Twice
more the visitation came; after that.
for two or three weeks the visits ceased
then We're once more resumed.
One morning Mrs. Stevens said:
"Justine tells me you have not slept
well, Miss Northcote. Do you not find
the cedar chamber comfortable?"
"Yes, perfectly. would not change
it for anything, replied.
Comfortable, with that haunting pres
ence! l hope shall be forgiven for the
subterfuge! AT length, Justine's persist
ency and my guardians beseeching let
ters prevailed, and returned to Paris
There renewed my acquaintance with
| Mr.. Weston. 1t was impossible to le
blind to his intentions, and the day came
when he asked me to be his wife. Tt
his sorrow, / refused to marry him.
Could join haunted life to that of the
man | loved with all my soul? True, l
had had no visitation from the reproach-
ful face since / left dear Crowsnest: but
might it not return? Oh, why had my
stepmother cast this blight upon my life
Suddenly l became possessed with a
strange longing to revisit Crownsnest, tc
see again the weird apparition that had
exercised so subtle an influence on my
life. With the waywardness of a spoiled
child, insisted on going home; | in
sisted also that no one but Justine shoulc
accompany me. My guardian yielded tc
my wishes. But not once during my
months visit did | see the haunting face
| believed that my persecution was over
VII MY IcJuIu " dllS, MI. w tStol.
renewed his offer. l accepted him, and
few months of married happiness et-
tectually dispersed the cloud.
My mind-warped and weakened as it
had been by giving way TO morbid fan.
cies-gained tone and vigor daily by as
socating with my husbands, which wa.
eminently matter of fact and practical.
1t was, therefore, without the slightest
foreboding of evil that we set out for Da
shire to spend the summer months at
Crowsnest. Guy was much pleased with
the old house; above all with the cedar
chamber, which found had been pre-
pared for us. 1t was late at night when
we arrived, and there was not time to
alter the arrangements besides, there
was no need, for l believed, as l have
stated, that had outlived my fears.
Both Guy and | were tired by oTr
journey, and on retiring we soon tel
asleep. Toward morning | awoke
A stream Of moonlight flooded the
chamber. AS of old the shadow of the
pear tree lay along the floor, flickering in
the night wind. watched it for a while
and then-this shadow being closely as
sociated in my mind with something else
i looked toward the bay window anG
could scarcely suppress cry There il
the old place, between the gaslight and
the moonlight, appeared-the face!
Guy" I whispered, trembling,
awake! I'm so frightened"
What was it, Nina? Have you seen i
ghost?" he asked lightly,
Hush! Look there!"
Raising himself upon his elbow he
glanced toward the window.
why. there is a woman in the room!'
he exclaimed in the greatest constcrna
ton. Then, after moments pause, hs
continued slowly and deliberately, a:
though reading by bad light from
book mol it is only An illusion-but
what an illusion, l seem 10 see most dis.
turned this way, supported by her hand,
II is a handsome face, but sad. "
Stay! What would you do?' l asked,
as he made a movement forward
"DIspel the illusion, dear"
Unheeding. he went to the window ana
shook the curtain.
May all ghostly vIsitants be as easily
dispersed" he said, laughing, as the
figure quivercd, swayed, became dis,
tolted. then in moment vanished.
What was it?"
Il will produce it and you shall see."
He let the curtain fall loose and it took its
old folds and creases. There, sure enough,
eb -. L., ,l,1 4