The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-01-31
The GhOstly Manifestations
Of Aunt DruSilla.
BY ELISABETH PUILEN.
Author Of The MAJ from AidonA
copyright. 1896. by Bachelor. johnson AM
Bacbeller.l
PART III.

49, !" 1890
was subtly blighted. The next morn
ing when she entered it, singing, with
u duster in her hand, the first thing
which she saw was the photograph,
hat lay face downward upon the floor
about three feet in front of the fire.
place, as if it had leaped from its sta
ton on the mantel shelf. Corinna took
il up and replaced IL, without thought.
But she felt a curious little shudder.
She went on singing in her clear and
pleasant voice while she busted the
around the crocheted lamp mat on the
table in the center of the room. All
at once she saw the photograph stir,
then stand upright, totter and spring
toward her, falling TO the floor. A SUI
perstitious terror seized Corinna; her
breath stopped and her hands became
cold and moist as she stood, not daring
10 remove her gaze from the object of
her fears. She could hear her mother
peatIng eggs IN the kitchen, her father
chopping wood in the barn, the 1oise OF
the electric car that had passed the
house and was speeding down the slope
OF the hill toward Neighbor Dunn's.
These everyday sounds dissolved the
spell. Corinna would not be silly; she
finished her task, busting everything
conscientiously. But until she was
quite ready to leave the room she laft
the photograph where il lay. Finally
she picked it up, averting her eyes from
1t, and set 1t in it's place. Then she
hastened away.
That evening when Corinna, accom-
panied by Herbert, opened the door of
the parlor the likeness Of Aunt Dru-
silla was lying upon the carpet.
1.-THE old lady has tumbled OFT her
perch" said Herbert, with scant rev
erence. And he set her up again.
He did not see the fright in Corinna's
eyes. All that evening the girl sat with
her shoulders toward the picture; If it
sprang down again she diu not wish to
see that. Once, indeed, it seemed to
her that she heard a light thing strike
on the floor; but at that moment Her
bert was reading aloud and the car was
passing, SO that she could not be GER
tain. When he arose to go away she
followed him into the entry without
looking back.
AT all events, the following morn
ing she found the photograph prone
upon the carpet, and there she let il re-
main. The strange contest of wills be-
tween herself and the uncanny piece of
~pastcboSrd dispirited and wearied CO.
rinna. Finally she put the photograph
away in the table drawer and hoped for
peace. She did not wish to confde her
fear to Herbert; of course, it was a
fanciful dread, and he would laugh at
the parlor be spoiled for him as it was
for her.
But one evening as she watched for
Herbert's coAing her father, who was
adjusting a window-shade roller IN her
little parlor, called to her: "Corinny,
where Is aunt's picter?"
She saw the CLEAN of the car light
down the road, but she must run to
find the photograph. Her father took
1t in his hand.
"a pleasant likeness. Looks almost
poorly" he commented. He stood hold
ing il, studying the face. Then he heard
the sound of the approaching car.
"Thcre, run along, Corinny," he babe
her, good-naturedly.
And, not to mar the lovers meeting,
he remained just where he was, gazing
at the picture until he judged it discreet
10 appear and welcome young Jenni-
son. Then he set Aunt Drusilla in her
place and went out into the entry.
"Glad to see you, Herbert" he said,
cordially.
But later that evening Corinna heard
again the light impact of the paste
board as it fell to the floor; and again
she would not look at it, but waited
until the wholesome daylight should
companion her, when she would lift the
evil thing and put it in its own place.
More than once in the days that fol-
lowed Corinna thought of destroying
the photograph, but that would dis
please her father. Moreover, what
would be the use, since if the ghost of
Aunt Drusilla really took that means Of
disturbing the lovers, no doubt her un-
kind spirit could find other ways to
the same end. Corinna decided to Dear
these post-mortem spites as she had
borne the whims and ratings of Aunt
Drusilla in the flesh. But the gisl be-
gan 10 grow pale and thin; there was
an anxious quicker in her pretty, white
brow; her manner was l~istless and
nervous. Her mother noticed this