The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1893-06-15

'Ots0 Waxtanel1eB har~ %y1eESWent out
leaving only the light of the full moon
through ~~the-sleosasaps .4RiaAlo,xs,
minRling with tho flickering freight
in strange, spectral glare, which was
focused upon tho square of velvet car
pet in front of the portrait they had
been examining that very evening.
But what was this? Had the picture
come to lite and stepped out of its
frame? The Startled group at the fire.
side could see only q shadow there that
paled and flickered, but stepped bodily i
and audaciously into the light. Was it
the semblance Of the portrait, or was it
sreally thes beautf form and face of
that %1ohan Of : century past, wear
ing the same clothes which fiuttered
noisolessly, diffusing cold sweet per-
fume that affected the senses like the
incense of death? Her eyes were fixed
IS il the picture, but the red was on
her lips and cheeks, and her little feet,
peeping from the dounces and laces of
her wide skirts, wore the clicked stock
rings and ribbon-crossed slippers of long
ago. There she stood before them all, 4
yet never noticing them, and then she
Fbs4aar to dance in stately measure al
minuet, as if some unseen cavalier
were treading the meature with her,
and oil the time that cold wind was
blowing and q strange, quaint melody
was being played by invisible hands,,
aside from which there was lot as much
NOISE "as if hummingbird had hut.
tered its wings. !
Then somebody sore amedkor tainted
.andainsa moment the music feased; the
dancer was gone. Somebody lighted
|fsll the gaS burners, and there was the.
~pQrtrait Just as it had air lady been,
and when the four young people, hear.
ing the hnbbub in the library, came
rushing in they were overwhelmed by
what they missed, nor dared they cast
discredit on the evidence of their elders.
But youth throws off Impressions
easily, and Helen and Walter and their,
friends made such charming jest and
gayety out of it that with the help of a
warm supper the elders were finally in
ducedS to throw of the mystery and
solemnity of the astral dance, and
looked upon it as mirage, something
quite explainable by certain Jaws of hui
man occult development. Helen even
declared, saucily, that her great-grand-
mother must have been q giddy girl to
come back for q brief visit to earth just
to dance that tiresome old ninuet, and
then she looked at Walter and blushed
.yiyidly -..v,.....,.u.-u-..s.,...
| "You SEE, you dear old stupids, you
had talked ghosts until you were quite
ready to see one in every corner. If
Observation-Disclosures did appear, then.
it was to signify that she was quite
willing that I should step into Her
shoes" y J.
II assure you that no power on earth
would persuade me to ever allow her
clothes to be disturbed in my life-time.''
said Mrs. King with emphasis
Helen looked at Walter, and her pref
ty mouth made q distinct shaping Of
the letters 'P-h-e-w!" = Il
| Walter looked at Helen and tele.
graphed the word back again. But
| none Of those worldty wise people ever
came near suspeeting what might have
been the real truth, noteven when they
saw Walters auto-harp, the most dreary
musical instrument that was eyer con
ceiyed, lying on the hall sofa the next
day, or when they alluded, as they Oft
en- did, to Helen's wonderful. resem-
blance to her great-grandmother's por-
trait.-=Detroit Free Press.~. II