The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-12-25
The Cr6af Staircase
Al L0ndOu0r HAIL.
(By Frank R. Stockton J


which he had held for SO many years.
That summer was a season of delight
to me, and even when autumn arrived,
and there was a fire in the great hall,
/ could not say that | had fully explored
and examined my home and its contents.
| had had a few bachelor friends TO
visit me. but for the greater part Of the
time | had lived alone. | liked com
pany, and expected to have people about
nc, but so long as the novelty of my
new possessions and my new position
continued | was company enough for
myself.
At last the holiday season came
around. and | was still alone. ! had in
vited family of old friends to come
and make the house lively and joyous,
but they had been prevented from doing
so. | afterward thought of asking some
Of my neighbors to eat their Christmas
dinner in the old house, but found that
they all had ties and obligations of their
own. with which | should not seek to
interfere. And thus tt happened that late
on Christmas eve ] sat by myself before
blazing fire in the hall quietly smoking
my pipe. The servants were all in bed,
and the house was quiet as if it CON
tanned no living being.
For the first time since | lived in
that house / began to feel lonely, and l
could not help smiling when | thought
that there was no need of my feeling
lonely if | wished it otherwise. For
several years | had known that there
were mothers in this country. and even
in other countries who had the well
fare of their daughters ut heart, and
who had not failed to let me know the
L. IL l. 4ltsk,.r
Young women without mothers who had
their own welfare at heart, and to whom
q young man of fortune was an object
of interest. but there was nothing in
these recollections which interested me
in these lonely moments.
The great clock on the landing-place
began to strike, and | counted stroke
after stroke; and when there were
twelve | turned to see whether | had
made a mistake, and if it were now real
~ Christmas day But before my eyes
had reached the face of the clock | saw
that | was mistaken in surprising myself
alone At the top of the broad flight of
stairs there stood Il lady.
] pushed back my chair and started to
my feet. / know my mouth was open
and my eyes staring. | could not speak:
i doubt if | breathed.
Slowly the lady descended the stairs.
There we're two tall lamps on the newell
posts, so that | could see her distinctly.
She was young, and she moved with the
grace of perfect health. Her gown was
of an olden fashion, and her hair was
dressed in the style of our ancestors.
Her attire was simple and elegant, but
it was evident that she was dressed for
a festive occasion.
Down she came, step by step, and L
stood gazing. not only with my eyes. but,
! may say, with my whole heart, | had
never seen such grace; | had never seen
such beauty.
She reached the floor, and advanced
a few steps toward me; then she stopped.
She fixed her large eyes upon me for
a moment, and then turned them away.
She gazed at the fire. the walls, the
ceiling. and the floor There came upon
her lovely features an almost imper-
ceptible smile, as though it gave her
pleasure thus to stand and look about
her.
AS for me, / was simply entranced.
Vision or no vision, spirit from another
world or simply mist of fancy, it mat
tered not.
She approached a few steps nearer,
and fixed her eyes upon mine. / trem-
bled as / stood. InvoluntaIily the wish
of my heart came to my lips. IF" |
exclaimed
IF what?" she asked, quickly.
| was startled by the voice. 1t was
rich, it was sweet. but there was some
thing i'll its intonation which suggested
the old time / cannot explain it. It
was Ike the perfume from an ancient
wardrobe opened a hundred years after a
great-grandmOther had closed and locked
it, when even the scent of rose and Law
ender was only the spilit~of something
gone.
"Oh, but if you were real"' / said.
She smiled. but made no reply. Slow
~ she passed around the great hall.
coming so near me ut one time that ]
could almost have touched her. She
fore some old candlesticks upon bracll-
ct, apparently examining everything with
looked up at the portraits, stopping be-
as much pleasure as / had looked upon
them when first they became mine.
When she had made the circuit Of
| the hall, she stood as if reflecting. Fear
full that she might disappear, and know
ing that n spirit must de addressed if
| one would hear it speak, | stepped to-
she were. or rather ever had been, the
lady of this house, why she came, and
il she bore messaege, but in my excite
ment and infatuation / forgot my pur-
pose: simply repeated my former words
--"Oh, if you were but real!'
"Why do you say that? she asked
with little gentle petulance. 81 am
not real, as you must know Shall
tell YOU who | was, and why ! am
hereT
I impored her to do so. She drew q
little nearer the fire. 1T is so bright
and cheerful" she said. ''It is many
many years since / have seen fire in
this hall. The old people who lived in
this house SO long never built a fire here
lat least on Christmas eve"
/ felt inclined to draw up chair and
ask her to sit down, but why need q
ghost SIT? | was afraid of making some
mistake. | stood as near her as j dared
eagerly ready to listen.
II was mistress Of this house." she
said 'nhat was long. long time ago
You can see my portait hanging there. y
| bowed. / could not say that it was
her portrait An hour before, | had look.
cd upon it as fine picture; now il
seemed to be the travesty of n woman
4 a 4, - T..