The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-06-07
AUNT CYNTHIA'S SPIRITS.
BY ABBIE p. GARDNER.
BY ABBIE p. GARDNER.

house, when the day before had felt only
regret that my visit was 80 soon at an
end.
Aunt Cynthia met us on our way down
stairs that morning, and said In very
low solemn tone OF voice Don't you
think, girls, / found - light burning on
the hearth this morning where there
hasn't been fire In more than week,
and she drew "A very long. heavy Sign as
she added, Its sign ! never knew 10
fail. never-knew-to-fail.
some way oar nights experience had
beosl so very uncanny that we dldn Z feel
like speaking Of IL even 30 Irwin ana ms
friend before they took their leave on TIRE
early train for fear they might think us
cowardly and superstitious. l don't be-
licve / drew single full, natural breath
that day until ato in the afternoon wnen
several miles of country road extended
between myself and AuntCynthla nome,
Ii was "A good many months before had
the courage 10 again visit the old ancestral
home. and i'm tho meantime, had become
the wife OF DIR. George Brooks and we were
settled in coy home OF our own.
One evening, we were sitting before our
omen CRATE fire and had adjusted the shades
oi tho windows so that tho fall moon out
side flooded the room with It's sllvery
light
"This reminds me OF that evening at
Aunt Cynthia's." " said George, glancing
toward the window.
$50 YOU renember that night do your
! said, trying To appear unconcerneu,
although | was conscious OF drawing
deep sigh "a .,-
myself "A pretty depraved sort OF being II 1
could ever forget the glorious scene from
those front windows. said George, speak
ing rather vigorously.
yes said. "only Aunt Cynthia
didn't allow us quite enough OF H. We
were obliged to leave so soon.
''Hai ma Yes. but Irwin and L So
cured some extra time after the rest OF
you had gone TO bed and so had little
additional pleasure out OF the moon
light "
How was thatY' | said, beginning to
feel quite little Interested
"Weli after we had gone upstairs that
night and your Aunt Cynthia was
brolthing pretty loud and heavy, irwin
sa d. i tell you how tis, George, / can {
stand IL shut up here in these back rooms
with such "a magnificent night outslue-
what do you say TO going down on the
yerarda for n smoke" 30 saying, we
slipred very quietly down the back sthlrs
and out onto the yeranda-l always
Thought twas kind of mean TO deceive
Aunt Cynthia so.
But as the night dir was raw and chilly
we didn't remain long outside, but went
bnck into the sitUlng room and Irwin put
q log onto the CRATE and soon coaxed a
right, comfortable blaze into existence.
There wo sat about that swapping
cracking fire and told college stories un-
I'll far into the night, and finally when
tho fire mad burned low Irwin proposed
that / should play few tunes on my har-
monica, which 1 always carry In my
pocket, for you know / CJustucr myself
an apt performer on that instrument.
A ~ l., .f,s.V - M lEE
covered the moon had sunk pretty wen
down toward the horizon, and we, too,
quietly went TO our rest.
lis it possible - | said when had suffl-
clcntly recovered from my surprise, at the
strange recital TO which had listened, to
! reply at all. "Is IL possible j repeated,
''that you and Irwin were tho authors of
that gruesome midnight entertainments
which Aunty Cynthia assured us came
direct from the spirit landY
And then George listened in astonisn-
ment and dismay TO my story OF that
nights experience.
us 10 pCssiblcl" he retorted in return
as finished my woeful tale, that young
ladies' brought up under enlightened
Christian influences should ho so ready
To attribute any unexplained sound to
the harmless beings of another wOrdy'
Many years have passed since thon aud
we have made frequent visits TO the home
! of Aunt Cynthia, who still loves o. tell
how she was suddenly awakened nt night
by marvellous music from the spirit lana
and how early In tho morning she found
light ON the henrth-where there ladn'
| been a fire In more than week and
within two weeks she heard the sudden
death of distant relatiye-'for seeing q
light is n sure sign of death, " she inyari-
ably adds
And as we value our plRce in Aunt
Cynthia's esteem and perhaps some day an
interest In tho dear old ancestral home
itself we would never dare reveal To her
! the truo secret OF thnt nights oxperionces.