Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1896-01-16

fully sheltered by those twining creep
erS.
She lay awake for some time after
they had retired to rest, thinking of all
this
Mrs. Webb had placed a sofa hedstead
across the bottom of the large bed on
which Carmen reposed, for her use,
and as Margaret ensconced herself in it,
she found that her eyes faced the long
French windows, against the panes of
which the green tendrils and many
colored blossoms were keeping up such
a pleasant music.
Margaret fell to sleep with her mind
full of strange imaginings-now fancy
ing that tiny elves sat upon the broad
leaves of the creeper whispering to
each other: now that they swung them
selves down like nimble harlequins by
the twisted tendrils of the vine; anon,
that the half-opened roses changed
into lovely faces, and bowed toward
each other in all the frolic of a fairy
courtship.
Carmen, with the indolent, unimag-
NATIVE blood of her Spanish mother
walking slowly through her veins, had
never INDUCED in any such weird-like
fantasies; she lay on her soft bed now,
slumberfng dreamlessly and dispassion-
ately. But restless, agile Margaret
twisted and turned, and had composed
whole romance before she could per-
suade the god of sleep to visit her
How long he stayed she knew not,
nor what subtle potion he had admins
tered to change ali her lovely fairy
dreams to visions of the past life she so
dreaded to remember
But grOans and curses and cries of
pain, or so the girl Imagined, mingled
with her sleeping experiences, and she
woke with the full sense of some COM
ing horror on her mind. The room was
wrapped in the peaceful repose in which
she had seen it last; the flowers and
leaves still shaded the unsheltered win
dow; but what was that horrid face
| white, fat and senselesS-that was
pressed close against one of the panes
| OF glass? Was it reflex of her un-
| easy dream? A remembrance only OF
some dreadful visage that had scowled
upon her when she was poor, trem-
bling little outcast, wandering in fear
[
! could not decide; but the sight she saw
inspired her with terror With a Shrek
OF fear she sprang from her own bed &C
Garments. and succeeded at last il
arousing that sleepy young lady to &
consciousness of the cause of her alarm
! When she had once seen it, Carmen ap-
peared as frightened as herself, and
rushing out into the corridor, called
loudly for Webb and then for "Mr
Brown" The last appeal was the mos
| effectual, for before the housekeeper ap
peared upon the scene, a respectable
looking man in dressing gown and slip
pers, answered the young lady's call
and inquired the reason for it. GARNER
told it to him, whispering rapidly in hi.
ear; and the next moment he had en-
tered the room they had vacated, anC
Mrs. Webb appeared to lead them II
another.
What is it?" inquired Magaret, trem
bling. "A ghost?'
'Lor' bless the child began tn.
housekeeper. How should we hav,
ghosts at Abbotsvi1le?"
But Carmen stopped her
Eyes, it is a ghost. Why not speal
the truth at once? Never mind. Mag
gle; don't shake so-weIl sleep I'D
stairs for the future
You'ds better come at once then.
said Mrs. Webb, as sounds of scuf
fling and faint cries began to max,
themselves heard from the deserte,
room. You won't go back there to
night, Miss Carmen, will you?-ane
you're both beginning to tremble will
| the fright and chilli
The girls did not sleep in the south
room again during their. stay at Abbots
vile. and the remainder of their hoIi
days was spent amongst the diversified
pleasures of a country life.