Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-10-10
"Are you Amelie de Boursons..'


Slowly. with admirable grace and dignity,
the lady threw back her mantle, and her
marvellous beauty was again revealed.
The notary, with d:stended eyes fixed
with low moan.
This must be explained, monsieur" I
cried. stridins to his side and grasping his
shoulder rs there any reason why 1
Mademoiselle de Boursons." returned the
rotary, still regarding her with horror,
has been dead these forty years."
"Dead!' 1 echoed, staring first at the
notary and then at the girl, while sense
of bewilderment overcame me.
Mile. de Boursons arose with a charming
smile nile and ,ao came to 9, my side.
ingly, and giving me her hand, do you
also think me dead?"
The hand was as cold as Ice, but it's touch
sent strange thrill through my body.
Come. monsieur" I said to the notary,
who watched the scene in amazement,
haste.'
tary ooeyed the girl at my side returning
the answers In sweet, collected voice IN It
d1sarmed my fears and Gained to some
extent the notary himself.
1 drew seal ring from my finger and
placed 1t upon her Icy hand, and in its
place she slipped a large ruby from her
own hand upon mine.
The ceremony concluded. I paid the
Ices, and. followed by my bride. walked
down the path to my carriage. The notary
stood In the doorway lighting us with the
| candle.
At the carriage I turned to hand my
wife to her seat but she had disappeared.
1 ran back to the doorway.
Where is my wife," 1 asked.
"She followed you down the path" said
| the man.
But she is not there"
Without word the notary accompanied
| me back to the Garage No trace of the
girl was to be seen.
Right and left amongst the shrubbery
| l searched; I called aloud her name, en-
| treating her to come to me, but no sgnt
| of the beautiful face rewarded my ef-
| forts.
1 returned to the notary's study filled
Where can she be?' 1 asked dismally.
I'm her grave" was the hoarse answer.
"Monsieur!'
II told you before that she was dead.
1t is true. You have welded ghost!'
The next morning. In company with the
| notary. drove down the road till We came
| to the brick wall where l had first seen
Amele de BourSons.
We entered the gates and walked to the
chateau that stood in the neglected grounds.
An old woman admitted us, the care
taker, and. at the notary's request, allow
| ed us to visit the gallery.
The notary threw back the shutters and
the sun came IN anu IlOOueu the .'OI tIdit
| Of beautiful girl, whose violet eyes re-
garded me with the same sweet expression
| l had noted in my bride Of the previous
| evening.
1T is Amelie de Boursons,' said the
| notary, in gentle voice. Il have seen tbs
picture often. and heard the girls pitiful
story, and that is why 1 knew her last
| night to be a mere phantom. Her father
| was a stern, hard man, who insisted upon
! her marrying person utterly distasteful
| to the young girl. She tried to escape
| but was captured and brought home to
| confront her fate. On the wedding morn
| ing they found her dead in her bed. She
| had taken her own life. That was forty
/ years ago, monsieur
AS we left the room I glanced curiously
| at the ruby that sparkled on my finger.
| 1 wear it to this day.
| 1t is the only evidence 1 have ever pos-
| sessed of my phantom bride.