The herald., 1894-05-01

Minimum Fortunatus,' tho only son OF
wealthy man, strong, we'll favored,
we'll educated and, above, all, beloved
The Mainwarings were old family
fric Is From childhood Eunice and
hsG acen comrades; from childhood ]
had loved her. At this time we were
afiaaced, and l was visiting at their
cozy, comfortable, old fashioned homo
ut Grafton. There were but three in ths
household besides the servants-the fa-
thor, the mother, the daughter Mr..
Mainwaring was bluff, hearty man,
arrogant from success and incredulous
Of ills which he had never personally
known. Mrs. Mainwaring was an in
valid, confined to her room by one OF
those chronic nervous diseases which
tho lacking in sympathy are apt to pooh
pooh Eunico was o devoted daughter
truly. AS for Mr.. Mainwaring, 1t was
generally; "You are looking much bet
ter today, my dear. Well, so long,"
with him. But Mrs. Mainwaring did
not oravefer company. She was strong
woman, fully as eccentric as she was
sick, fond Of her own society and of
polishing and arranging lot of trump
cry gems and coins and curios to which
rumor had given an inordinato value.
On this particular night, which / was
now perforce recalling, Mr.. Mainwaring
was away in town ON business Ibis
business perhaps that is pleasure Mrs
Mainwaring was, of course, in her room
and alone by express desire. Eunice and
had passed charming hours togethe,
in tho quaint, shadowy drawing room
at FIRST at the whccEy old piano and
then planning that impossible future
which seems so probable to all lovers
GOOD night. dear, )" she had said on
parting. 1.-The night is good, since it
smiles on our love-"
And indeed the night was glorious in
its lucent tranquility. stood at the
window for awhile and looked out on
the simmer and tho glitter of the
hsavens Glerieus. truly, but was it
sympathetic? Was there not something
derisive in Its smiles, as If human af
fairs, when considered at all, must BIO
contcinned? turned away with sigh
vaguely apprehensive. / stepped in the
library and took book by chance 1t
was Jane Eyre" Then went to the
win where my room was situated. Be-
neat il was the great dining hall;
abe, t, the suit devoted to Mrs. Main
WA ; adjacent to it, vacant guest
cha rs TWAS still early; so, lighting
a cil,.,, | sat before the glowing crate
and read, as tonight have sat and
smoked and read.
AS my rea0lng progressed and my IN
terest deepened, So too, did that vague
apprehension settle and solidify. I have
ever been susceptible to influences little
regarded by tho world in general. can
feel the gathering of a storm and the
break of cloud. l can catch the whim-
steal thought of a companion before it is
uttered. l am moved by the spirit that
has moved an author in writing certain
passages am happy in the provision of
prosperity and detected by the forebod-
ing Of evil Without realizing it, for
some time had been glancing uneasily
from my page about the room. My
hands, usually hot, gradually grew cold
and damp. / got up from my seat and
looked i'll the mirror. Ny face was livid
my lips were wan, and my eyes glowered
deep in their sockets. What malign
thing had como upon me? Something. l
could not tell Iwould not yieldl was
interested in the book. / would persist
in its reading did despite my fldgets.
read ON and on until / came TO that
scene where Jane was so terrified by that
weird, horrid scream Then, when had
grasped its details by fitful coniprehen-
sive glimpses, in an intlralling panic
sprang to my feet, hurried off my cloth
ing, blew out the light, and jumping into
bed pulled tho coverlids over my head.
Oh, how cold / wae, aad how frighten-
edl How anxious to speak to some one
and how ashamed of myself! How con-
scious Of my full al years Of manhood,
yet of my undenieble bahyish sensibil-
ityl / could have cried from rage to think
that I was like to cry from terror!
Well, trenbled in body and shivered
in spirit until at length grew warm
and drowsy from very exhaustion, and
at last slept. How long my slumbers
continued know not, but it nust have
been the BLACKLIST hour of the night when
I awakened as If from a touch OF at
call. was lying on my pillow, with
the clothes at their normal height, and
my first thought was how idiotic had
been to get so shaken, how comfortable !
really was. But in am instant that cud-
ding sensation disappeared, for out from
the inwrapping silence and obscurity
came cry, intense, fateful, awesome,
as weird, as horrid, at that shrek which
had SO terrified Jane Eyre. Once more
that fear seized and oyercame me.
could think Of naught except that was
alono in the dark with my poor timor-
GUS self Once more / plunged under the
bedclothing, and there remained,
though again and anon through the
folds that chilling cry penetrated. But
acute agony. especially of the mind, has
its reaction. Soon I lay in a stupor, half
awake, half asleep, until the morning
light, like mothers hand, strolzed my
brow and babe mo slumber.
1t was late when | arose. / was but
half dressed when there came repeated
raps on my door, and the houselreepers
voice crying: ''Oh, Master Harry Oh,
Mr.. Grandon! Open, open, openr'
flung my door open, and the old
woman fell into my arms. my mis-
tress," she gasped, "murdered-dead in
her bed Come, ola, comep'
went, but why need dwell on hor-
rible details? Poor Mrs Mainwaring