The Philipsburg mail., 1899-02-24

wanted him to study law, TO establish
| himself well before settling down.
Then his uncle sent for him to come
| to California--it was such good
| chance for h.m-he would come back
| in two years and claim me. You know
| how l waited, Anna. Just before
| father died tried TO tell him, but he
was too III, so, having no mother, l
kept my own counsel and no one ever
knew. Then, when Howard wrote that
he was coming home and that we
would be married on Christmas Eve,
, made my preparations, sent out my in
vjtations and looked forward to very
happy Christmas. Christmas came and
went, but no bridegroom! Weeks
later letter came, saying he had been
injured, had fallen from his horse; he
had also lost his pos!tion-he had
given up the law-he would wait a
year, perhaps, then he would have a
home for me. AS time passed, people
whispered that my lover had Tilted me.
| never told them 1t was worse than
that--that my husband had deserted
me! l was motherless girl and there
was no one to synpathize, except you.
dear, and was too proud TO tell you
all. l left the little town that had
known my humiliation and went to
Radville. where have lived ever since,
where they know me as Miss Rollins,
the little old maid, and they don't
| know I ever had a romance in my life.
Tonight 1t all comes over ME till
| am angry with my own weakness
In the room where l am writing Is a
trunk with his initials on one end-a
mere coincidence, OF course. but l
would like to blot out those letters
my eyes keep turning to them and"
Miss Rollins laid her pen down a
| moment; her hand was tired and she
| stopped to rub it little. Then she
heard a slight noise--was 1t the closet
door? Oh. how foolish! 1t was nearly
one o'clock and she was tired and
nervous-she would let the letter go
| for tonight and finish 1t In the morn
| Ing
| She took the paper from the desk
| and started to rise, then sank back
with little scream and the paper
fell from her hand. Before her stood
a tall man with a smooth shaven face
and irongray hair; he was very pale
and stream OF blood trickled down
one side OF his face! He was stand
ing perfectly still. looking at her; he
made no move, and after that one lit
tie scream she could not have uttered
sound. How she reached the door
she never knew, but she managed to
get to her room and lock herself in.
'The ghost!" she whispered to her
self. "have ! seen the ghost, or was
1t Imagination? My nerves must be
in a terrible state--I ought to have
gone to bed; no, it was not imagination
i surely saw something, white
faced, bleeding man! Oh, it was
dreadful! He never ,moved-tust stood
there looking at me with piercing eyee
and the blood tricklng slowly down
his face. shall never forget IT."
She lay awake for hours and was
too i'll to rise in the morning. Kate
brought her some breakfast and, see
ing her white face. exclaimed:
"Lor'. Miss Rollins. you look like
you'd seen the ghost!"
81 have"
The words came Of themselves al
most, but she went on:
"I was nervous and tired and
thought I cav something last night
but OF course it was all mistake
don't say anything, Kate. wouldn't
have any one know could be SO fool
ish. Now, go to my trunk. will yor
Katie, and bring my gray flannel wrap.
per; think will sit up here in the
rocker little while before I dress.
shall be all right at dinner time"
Kate went for the wrapper, but, tt
her surprise, the door Of the "thirt
story back" was locked. Thinking
Mics Rollins must have locked 1t ant
taken the key, she was about to star
back toward the little hall room, wher
she heard groan. With scream sh'
ran into Miss Rollins room and shu
the door.
| w Hat Is tue 1HdtteT, Ndtle!
"The ghost. ma'am-he's in ther'
now. heard him groaning!"
ooh. what an old simpleton l was t,
frighten you with what said! Come
III 60 with you"
But the doors locked, ma'am; ",
can't get in, and know heard some
thing in there"
here there was a light tap OF
and the poor girl fairly shiv
e..I until she heard Mrs. Bowen
voice, then the door was pushed open
What Is the matter up here?
was on the floor below and l heard
scream"
This foolish girl says she hear,
some one groaning in the back room
She 10 afraid to go in there for me-"
Tho doors locked can't get in.
the girl muttered.