The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1896-08-07
A TERRIBLE FRIGHT.

ways makes me cold all over, and shiv-
cry, like water down ones back, you
know"
''F'right?' questioned one of those ad-
dressed. "Oh, if I'm frightened, L
scream right straight out, nothing can
stop me-I just yen."
You Just dol" corroborated another
of the pretty conciave round the ire,
with a laugh. Il never heard any
thing like it; when that tramp we met
yesterday in the avenue at dusk suo-
denly addressed US, you made the wei
Kin ring, and pinched my arm black
and blue, until 1 made you understand
the wretched creature had only asked
his way"
There was the usual desultory chat
and exchange of condolences, between
mouthfuls of muffin, concerning alarms,
past, present and future, when a hand
some woman with mischieyous eyes,
who had not hitherto spoken, eN-
claimed: Were none of you girls ever
struck dumb with fright?"
What a question" they chorused-
Why, Mrs. Treherne, were you ever
taken like that?"
On one memorable OCCASION" was
the reply, while a comical expression
settled about the corners of a mouth
which Venus herself might have en-
We'd for its outlines, Il lost the entire
faculty of speech during fully ten min
utes. 1 was struck dumb, and only
found my tongue too late to b- OF any
use"
The speaker looked across at her
hostess She was met by amused air
of incredulity. Let US hear the story,
L Ill,
frightened; but unbosom yourself,
dear. L intend keeping YOU until the
men come in to introduce my brother,
so you've plenty of time" Amid muir
murs of excited nticipation Mrs. IRE
herne began:
1t was an evening like this-darll
and dreary, with thick, white fog.
But I'd better go back to the beginning,
or you won't understand. We were
living in Highfordshire during the last
Years OF my husbands lifetime, and my
1ream was to become an artist. I'm
sorry to say ii has never been realized.
There was even at that time school
of painting near US at Treeleigh, and
soon found a lady al tist willing TO teach
Inc the rudiments. A draWback 10 conf
plete happiness in my newly-adopted
house and this woman's studio, for MI
1Teherne, much as he dislikcd my
painting craze, as he called il, objected
to my being alone about the roads still
more; and 1 must admit they were un-
commonly dark at times 1 may add
also"-and the droll look crept up to her
eyes-''he had two special bugbearS
These were the artists and the models.
He declared they were all scamps,
and that, if / escaped from the arti-
fees of the one, l should sooner or later
be garotted by the other. The male sex
he more particularly referred to, but
L must confess he had no very high
opinion of the women either.
Therefore, much as he hated his
horses being out at night, he insisted
sending the carriage for me in all
weathers, and l firmly believe the coach
man had orders to give receipt for my
person every evening.
Whether the presence of good-look-
ing young fellow who used TO go about
with one of the artists, and whose, no
doubt, well-intentioned glances my
husband had surprised in church, con-
tributed at all to this frame of mind,
| never knew. But had my suspicious,
although, as matter of fact, | never SO
much as spoke TO the man, or heard his
name.
''One day in the winter, 1 had been
working in the life class till after five
and owing to dense fog the carriage
was late. / suppose L ought TO have
waited for it, but the tempter in the
shape of girl friend persuaded me to
| take tea in her rooms. Nor am / quite
| f.la lAft ar he 81 m
| dio to enable the carriage to find me.
Il dare say you imagine the party
included men. If you do, you are
wrong Whatever Mr.. Trehernc
thought, morals were very strict, L can
tell you, in Treeleigh.
We were half a dozen girl students,
of whom one played divinely on the
cello, and it must have been quite al
hour later before / started, my body
guard not having turned up, TO trudge
home in the mud alone.
Il have said the roads could be very
| dark, but | never knew them SO bad as
they were on this particular evening.
Lamps there were few even in the vii
lage, and the fog obscured such as there
were. L felt very sorry for myself on
leaving the comparative illumination
of the street for the utter blackness of
the lonely road that lay between me
and home.
Il wondered where the brougham
could be. and for once missed its com
Portable cushions, and the inspiriting
presence of our fat coachman- The fog
penetrated eyes, nose and ears. 1t
blinded me and made me cough.
With difficulty, by aid of my UNI
brella and the palings, was able TO
keep upon the apology for a sidewalk,
though in places L literally had to
crawl along as best 1 could.
just at first there were people
about, grown large and indistinguish-
able in the mist boy passed me
whistling a popular air. L envied him
his courage, and would have liked TO
initiate it. He passed on, and 1 felt
more lonely than ever. The tree trunks
! loomed like huge phantoms in the
murkv stiffness, and the whole world
seemed dead.
Then 1 remembered an encamPment
| of eypsies of whom some had pose'f
as models, and nearly all had been up
before my husband in his capacity as
magistrate. during the past month.
Snpposing one of them hat noticed my
watch or rings during sitting! Ihe
thought was appalling.
Footsteps behind me made my heart
! Jump into my mouth, but they died
away in the distance. l shuddered
stepped in puddle up to my ankles
end had I hean man and mt 81