The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1894-06-23

She was tail ana slender, ana Wore u
long russell gown Of an old fashioned
cut, but her face was pale and sad, with
sharp, clear cut features, and mass Of
rough, reddish hair was carelessly
twisted into long knot at the nape Of
her neck.
She motioned inc to one Of the chairs,
taking the other herself, and she now
sat bending over the fire. apparently too
deep in her own bitter reflections to be
conscious Of my presence. The express
sion on her thin, worn face was very
sorrowful, and her hands were tightly
clinched in her lap. But, though thin
and worn, her face was still lovely. and
rs gazed thought how lovely it would
10 were the hollows filled out and the
deep lines smoothed away.
Suddenly. with u little resolute ges-
ture. she turned toward me and began
to speak in low. rapid tones
II brought you here because wanted
to tell you my story. and want your
help il you will give it,"
Then, with voice rising and falling
gray eyes fixed on my face. she told her
sad tale. The beginning was common
place enough-a beautiful. willful girl:
a stern. unyielding father; two lovers,
one brave and handsome, the other mo-
rose and unattractive; a proposed flight;
q sudden death: broken heart-ths last
three were the tragic elements.
And | saw them carry him by the
house-dead." she said. speaking in a
strange. dull way, "and for long time
! think ! must have lost my senses
When my father still insisted on NV
marriage with the wretch he had chosen
for my husband ! raised no protest. |
viewed the preparations for the we'd
ding with indifference. seemed turned
to stone. But week before the mar
rage my reason returned, and | realized
the horror OF the coil which was slowly
Tightening around me. Then it was
that determined on what was virtually
= living burial. Twas born in this dear
old house. and | knew every nook and
Granny OF it. My foster mother had
shown me the sliding panel in the room
above that which | then occupied, and
she and were the only living persons
who knew the secret. She was devoted
to me. and ! at length won her over to
my plan.
ION the night before my bridal day |
fed down here. and here have remained
ever since. For eight years have been
dead to the world. had valuable
)ewelry which had been my dead moth.
ers' that has been gradually sold. and
on the proceeds have subsisted. Nv
FOSTER mother comes daily and brings
me- food-not through the house Of
course. There Is a secret path and door
Of communication in the garden"
And the ghostT queried.
"Oh." she said. with a queer httIs
smile. Il am the ghost. You see, |
wanted to keep the house empty, SO that
might wander about the rooms and
grounds; bit now am tired Of this un.
natural existence. Life will ALWAYS b.
'ad for me! have had dreadful grief
and all my dear ones are dead: bat. in
'plte OF all. my youth reasserts itself and
solitude has at last lost its charm. So
wish to return To the world, and YOU can
lelp me to do SO. VIII your
vi course helped her, and within a
week from that time the Thorpe manor
'ghost"-uow laid forever-was SAT,
,nder the kind wing Of John Ridyway'.
iomely little wife. and by the time tho
'oses were blooming in my sweet
cented old fashioned garden the
ghost" too. had bloomed into beauty.
md |. sober old bachelor, had fallen in
ove-quits hopelessly. told myself.
or her heart was with her dead, and
let 1t happened that one June afternoon.
3 we stood alone by the sundiaI on III.
Looping shady lawn, something gave IN.
outrage. Perhaps it was tina. an.
ooked so sweet in her fresh muslin
own. with the flowers in her belt or
erhaps because | caught strange.
Letting look in her shy gray eyes; any.
way | know she murInured that abe
owed the dear old home with its MANY
ables and pretty garden. Then
whispered:
Need you ever leave it," And look.
ng under che broad brirnmed garden
at into her flushed happy face added,
Come, sweet ghost. and haunt the old
lace forever"
And she consented. Munyon's Maya