The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1898-09-30
miscellaneous
THE SPECTRE,

1t was early morning, and II omas,
LORDS valet, had waited ON his
masters American guest to see what
he desired him TO do for him.
Thomas was too well-bred to APP
pear to notice anything remarkable,
but there certainly was something odd
in the gentleman's manner, and he
had not the look of one who had en-
joyed refreshing Slumbers. Twice he
Seemed on the point of propounding
a question-twice he che cHed himself.
At last just as the man turned to leave
the room he spoke:
Thomas | have been awake all
night
MY Lord will regret to hear it,"
said Thomas.
Something very odd disturbed
me- continued the gentleman. "Have
you any reason to believe that any of
the women servants have lost their
senses
ANY of the maids, sir?'' said Thomas
"Oh, no, sir; am sure that none of
the maids are out of their senses,
SIR
zone Of the maids kept me awake
all last night" said the American.
Zone Of the maids, sir2' cried
Thomas.
Yes, Thomas she kept running
into my room at least every half hour
to look in the glass and admire herself.
She came out at the door, and he
pointed to one in the corner, land
walked straight up to the mirror; the
light from the night lamp fell upon
her face; she seemed to catch my eye
in the glass each time and smiled as
she did so. | only saw her face in the
mirror, but it was very pretty, though
very pale. She wore a short quilted
skirt, a little black bodice and full
white sleeves, She had a gold cross
tied about her neck by black ribbon
and wore little cap on her black
braids-a very young girl with a per
fectly French face, Thomas. Do you
know herr"
Thomas made no answer. He look
| ed at the gentlemen steadily and grew
very pale. AT last he spoke:
If have the honor Of understand
ing you, sir, the young person came
| through this door,"
Yes" said the American.
More than once, SIRE
about once an hour from mid
night until dawn"
And smiled at you in the glass,
where you saw her facey l under
stand she did not look toward you as
sne parsed, sir?"
Right, Thomas
May | beg you to do me the favor
of looking into this room, sir"
The gentleman followed Thomas to
the door through which he asserted
the young person had passed, and saw
| l., l,,f ali nh
twelve feet square, with no door save
| the one that opened into the large
room and high in the ceiling a little
window through which bird scarce
| ly could have flown. 1t contained no
furniture whatever.
You will acknowledge, sir" said
| Thomas, very gravely, that a Qrdi-
nary Young person must have remain
ed here if she had entered as you
think she did, sir, and that we should
now find her here, SIR
There must be a secret door-or-
or somethii e." cried the American.
Il am not mad, and ! was wide
awake
Yes, sir said Thomas, still more
solemniy, LAS | remarked, an Or
binary young person could not have
contrived to disappear; but am well
aware that the Young person YOU have
seen is not 81 ordinary person, sir.
She has been an apparition, sir, for
more than two hundred years.
An apparition.' cried the Ameri,
can gentleman.
Yes, SIR replied Thomas, San
apparition, sir. l think you have
seen Lady IS gentle woman Ro-
settle, sir. 1t is ten years since she
was seen here before to my know
ledge, but she has been seen very of,
ten. Yes, sir, it must have been Ro'
settle"