Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1895-09-27
CHAPTER ".
THE BEAUTIFUL PHANTOM.

pacing up and down the north balcony.
he noticed my astOniShment, laughingly,
and motioned me to be seated upon the
balcony aiing.
"Did you en- .oy yourself?" he asked.
"Yes, | repl ed, 81 did; but whether
l enjoyed a dream or reality l cannot
determine. Is this an enchanted house
where person is deluded into passing
through all these things, or were those
actually spirits gathered together on q
festal occaSion?"
"Those were the shades of the rcop' O
who once lived here" replied Burton.
"They were here to celebrate popular
family anniversary and also to receive
in becoming state person, VIII, you
have undoubtedly heard, is destined to
work out an important miss.oI in con
nection with the hOus "
"That means M, l lresume," said |.
"But what, ked, "is this mission
this all mysterious mission-that have
heard referred to so any times with II
the past few hours?"
at has been orda ned that 9th
ers should acquaint yol with
the necessary information" repiol
Burton "BcsdeS, the most mys-
ferrous part of the mission has been
studiouSly kept secret from me. Every
thing will undoubtedly be made plain to
you as you need to proceed"
The glorious pro pect of the waking
day, as the suns great orb slowly Crept
out of the ca terra vO d, fixed our atten-
tion AID Stayel our words for spell,
and we drank in the radiant effect in
silence.
When the sun had crept up its length
or so along the armament, Burton arose
and said that he must leave me for the
day, as he had 10 go to neightOring
village on a business errand To in
formed me that dinner would be ready
for me 1T noon ard that if got lone
some the fam ly library had a rich
st re OF the wherewith to while away
time. Then he wished me pleasant
morning and left me in charge of my
mission
For an hour or so | walked around
the lon ,ly old pace. Sadly neglected
had it cen for years. Becoming tired
at length of the dreadful duilness of the
D ace | sought the library, as Burton
had directed. The door had been shut
so long that it came open with difficulty,
The room was filed with easy chairs,
writing desks and various-sized book
cases. Opening one of the latter l
drew forth a quaint little volume that
had attracted my attention through the
glass front, and opened it. A small
parcel fell to the floor. picked this
up to sec what it contained A largo
white rose, dried and pressed from hay-
ing been in the book, and musty with
age, was disc oScd; but fir m it even
then issued delicate Fragrance that
was charming to the sense The stem
of this rose was uniquely attached by a
small blue rib on to a thick piece of
pretty note pape upon the opposite side
of which wer1 written some verses,
headed with the words, "To Zeyna,"
and signed by Burton Arold 1 was so
curious as 10 read these verses. They
were as follows:
OF all the flowers, dear, that grow
Up from the fertile sod,
The fragrant white rose is, l know,
Sweet as the smile Of God;
AS sweet, Zeyna, thy nature true,
AS sweet as thou. how few
Then take this rose and wear it here
Twill catch the changing sheen
That darts along thy raven hair,
Or glances bright between
Tie lashes of thy tender eyes
And on thy fair check lies.
Wear it love- where thy breath, tw.ce
sweet,
Can kiss its fragrant leaves;
Look out, then think, my dear, to meet
Me meath the hanging caves
OF the old rose bower might,
Prepared for secret fight
fell to muSing upon this little relic
Of Blu: tons courtship, which had been
cut short, so he had told me, by the
death of Zeyna. But | was disturbed
presently by slight step upon the floor.
Startled, l looked up
Angel of light Dream of spiritual
lovelinessl Was heaven at hand, and
was the queen thereof standing within
the gates? Thus l, indeed, thought for
the moment.
had seen beauty before in this Won
deriul world both upon the painters
canvas and in reality; | have SEN it
since; | had seen it the night before
among the apraritions of the spiritual
revelry; but may the bein,s that people
paradise lie one half so lovely as t e
radiant spirit maiden who. stood so
divnely there in that ancient and dusty
library.
MY widest, most INDUCED fights of
/ paginaton were eclirsed in that face
and form. l knet in an ecstasy of rev.
erence in the presence. Ma estic and
oueenly, with slight halo about the
head long, Loosely flowing tre>seS; a,
pale, sweet. pur ace; tender, lustr0uS
ewes. that seemed to melt the very soul
W til s,mpathy and rapture; a divinely
per t form, mo ded tXQuisitely within
the transparent folds OF great zephyry
mantle or pure VIII te-thuS stood the
spirit before me!
cndeavoied to speak but the phan-
( m placed a finger upon her .ips and
shook her head.
Turning out of the room, and beckon-
ing me to follow she fl tied down the
nail through several hare rooms, then ,,
into a small fice in a W ny of the bui d.
ing. Here she stopIe by tie side tf a
narrow d or which she mot Oned me to
omen. 1t led us into vault, S in the |
SIDE Of which was rusty iron box, with !
its door ra tly a ar. The phantom sig
Difed des re t) have this opene !, and
with the aid of an on ar that found
ION the cor pried the door back. A
70 ! OF parchment fell out started to