The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-25

| was but 16 years old at the time, yet it
is as clear to me now as though it had oc-
Cured but yesterday.
1t was during my last year at Miss
BIS seminary, and my chum and room
mate had asked me to spend the Christ
mas holidays at her home. I had studied
hard and was glad to get away and among
unfamiliar scenes for a few days. We
reached her home few days before Christ
mas and found them still finishing the
winter housekeeping. That is how it
came about that we slept on the floor that
night. All had been done except to put
up the bed that Nellie and 1 should have
slept in. But the servants had been tardy
and we had arrived a couple of days before
they expected us.
So the mattress was laid on the floor, and
though 1 was urged to change places with
another member of the family the novelty
of sleeping in half furnished room and
on the floor, as it were, was altogether too
enticing for me to permit the exchange.
We went upstairs early, taking lamp and
book along-I think it was 1.-The Chill
dren of the Abbey" And there we lay,
propped up on the pillows, reading aloud
TO each other by the ghostly glare of the
lamp standing on the floor near the bed.
Then we fell asleep, leaving the lamp
where it was-though we had meant not to
do that.
Suddenly some one shook me violently
and a voice marvelously clear and sweet
called to me, Margaret, my child. get up
quickly; you are burningp'
Starting up and turning saw behind me
figure clad in white with beautiful auburn
hair streaming round her shoulders and
down her back.
In one hand she carried lighted candle,
and with the other she was carefully 1eel-
ing her way toward me.
l called mother for it was the image
of my mother who had been dead twelve
years.
The figure turned, stretched out her
hands, and, as / started toward her, she
disappeared it seemed through the door.
but when I reached the door all was dark
ness-the figure was nowhere to be seen.
1 rushed back into the room and saw
the chairs and bedclothing on fire, the
mattress partially destroyed.
Hurriediy snatched pitcher of water
from the washstand and had the flames
extinguished just as 1 heard voice outside
CRYING. "Fire! fire" called from the
window, "It is all OUT for heavens sake,
| do not awaken the folks downstairs.
| 1t was the night Waterman, who had
seen the smoke and flames through the win
dow and was rushing TO the house to wake
the occupants. I assured him the flames
were extinguished and that there was
| no further danger. Then I returned to the
bedside of my friend and found her uncon-
scious.
| She awoke when the water had been
thrown on her, only to see the danger she
was in and return to Inconsistencies
| through fright. quietly secured bottle
of camphor from the next room, and in
| few minutes my friend was all right.
| The next morning when we appeared at
| the breakfast table and related our experi-
ence of the night before We were severely
and very properly reprimanded, and
| warned to never again read in bed by lamp
| light.
| l told them nothing about the fair wrath
| that gave me the warning, however, fear
| ing their derision. But 1 told Nellie, and
| she believes me. | do not care whether
the world believes it, or not | shall
always remember that Christmas, for
| mingled with the joys of the season were
sad, yet pleasant thoughts of the white
robed figure, but for whose watchfulness
perhaps should not have lived to enjoy
| the day.