The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1897-11-13

ter, as from the store room window, the
worthy housekeeper watched Billy walking
briskly by her brothers side, over the
brown stubble-the dogs, mad with joy,
bounding and careering around her. II We
seen many gal reared, but if ever saw
one reared like that-call me Archie
But it no use talking, she concluded,
resuming her task of sitting and weighing;
"a body darcn' no more speak their mind,
than if she was a princess, and he the
ext Mogul =
The frosty morning whereon such dis
astrous mention was made of Billy edu-
cation, was followed by two or three weeks
of bright Indian-su calm; and, in the
enjoyment of out door pleasures, the dis
agreeable subject seemed to pass into OBJ
liyion.
Glorious days they were Though late
inNovember, the air was as balmy as June.
True, the hedges and stone walls were nc
longer printed over with Illuminated texts
in scarlet vine -tracery, the pixies of golden
rod-corpse- of the dying summer
no longer cleaned among the withered
grasses; and where the flaming banners OF
autumn carnival had lately hung, were
only the leafess trees, lifting their naked
arms to heaven, like hoary patriarchs be-
seeching strength to endure the coming
time of trial Still, over all-the fruitless
orchards, the dry fields of stubble, the
steel-blue waters, rested smile, like a
benediction-the ''well done ! at the
year finished work
Well might the brother and sister de
light in wandering over the breezy hillsides,
and among the rustling leaves of the dis
mantled woods; and well might they, also,
in this brief season of sunshine, seek to
Danish every unpleasant recollection.
But, though the subject of their late
contention was tacitly tabooed, Billy felt
that it was not forgotten; nor was she much
surprised when, one evening, after day
spent in draining the latest wine of the
year, Rolf drew her down upon his knee,
and in the tone of peculiar tenderness
which, from her infancy, he had always
used when imparting anything likely to vex
his little sister-told her that governess
was coming on the morrow.
EYou will be good girl, won't you,
Billy p be asked, anxiously at will be
a great deal better than boarding school
Billy received the communication with
docility that charmed and surprised him
nor were his surprise and delight lessened,
when, upon Miss Allan arrival, Billy re,
ceived her with degree Of politeness for
which he had not given her credit; and
when, after tea, instead of following him
to the library, as was her custom, she ac-
companied the stranger to the parlor, seem
ing determined to do the honors of the
house, his satisfaction was extreme.
''She'l make true Lady Annesley
yet 7 he murmured, exultantly, to him
SELF ''After all, | believe there is more
in blood than in breeding.
And, proud in the conviction that his
petted sister would not disgrace her ances-
try, he threw himself into the great chan
by the library fire, and-gazing up idly,
where the trophies of some of his fore
fathers adorned the chimney -panel-like a
man who feels that he has done his duty,
he gave himself up to the seductions OF a
dreamy reverie.
Meanwhile, Billy, as though resolved to
sustain her credit, led the guest to the par.
lor, and installed her in an easy-chair by
the centre-table. Upon this table was col
lected, strangely enough, a curious medley
of ghostly literature. Here were com
prised all the annals of the terrible and
supernatural, from the musty folios Of
hobgoblin legends, to the latest fimsy
pamphlet of modern spiritualism.
eff you are fond of reading, Miss
Allan, said Billy, Hospitality, "here is a
very interesting book, handing, as she
spoke, copy of ''Footfalls on the Bound
airy of Another World. =
Miss Allan-one of these negative
blondes who, Doctor Holmes says, ''are
only arrested on the way to becoming
albinos, . opened her wide, vacant eyes yet
wider with surprise; but she took the book
politely, and soon became absorbed in its
contents. Had she noticed the elfsh face
watching her furtively from the freside,
she might have read with less ease of mind
Not motion or expression escaped those
roguish eyes, and when at last, the gov
erness let the book fall with shudder,
Billy masked battery was ready for action
''Of course, Miss Annesley, said the
young lady, in reply to Billy innocently
questioning glance, "you don't believe in
such things. -
Billy shrugged her shoulders expressive
ly-a movement that might mean any
thing-but declined to commit herself in
words.
Impelled by sense of duty to her pupil,
Miss Allan thereupon began to argue the
matter
''You know, my dear, she said in
old times such superstition was somewhat
excusable, but, in this enlightened age,
the very idea of a ghost is preposterous -
''True enough, answered Billy, laugh
ing. what would poor old CHEST do
among the rushing steamboats, and shrek
ing locomotives of today? Just imagine
one inhabiting one of those long rows of
brick and mortar that they put up in cities
and call houses think, in that case, it
might emphatically be called lost spirit
Why, even the humans sometimes have
trouble to distinguish their own particular
box, especially if they happen to- be a little
convivial No Ghosts-like Highland
claymores-are evidently things of the
past 1t is only in few old rookeries like
this, which have stood for centuries, that
they continue to have local habitation
and name
A quick glance darted forth to note the
effect of this opening shot, but, as Miss
Allan only drew her chair trife closer to
the fireside, Billy continued
tYou must not suppose, Miss Allan,
that | mean to say that this house is
haunted. Rolf would raise pretty to-do,
were to insinuate such thing; but one
of our ancestors was murdered in the old
west wing, and since then that part of the
building has been-well, as my old Scotch
nurse used to say-not quite canny. We
never enter those rooms, nor, indeed, of
ten, the passage leading to them. "
Miss Allan drew yet closer to the fire,
and her voice was not quite steady, as she