The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-12-11

Anguish flies and sorrows cease,
 peace for me. Alas! Alas!'
 As the music died away she opened the door and stepped into the silent, dark hall. In the darkness she again
 heard a low-breathed melody, but 1t
 sounded as though within the hall.
 Many voices. fresh and sweet, were | singing an old carol. Ellen started, and thrill passed through her. The | carol was one she remembered as hav-
 ing been sung by the village children
 on that terrible Christmas Eve twen-
 ty years ago-the night upon which
 he life has been ruined. Then a
 strange and startling sight met her weary eyes.
 In the huge fireplace burnt a ghostIy flame. It grew bright and shone on
 pictures wreathed with holly, red-ber- ried and glossy green. It illuminated mistletoe hanging from many lamps. which likewise began to glimmer with pale light But the radiance of fire and lamp faded before the glory of a tall Christmas tree, which rose almost to the roof of the hall. There 1t stood. a mighty fir, with dropping branches bending still more under gay and gilt tering gifts. Bonbons, brilliantly-col- ored crackers, toy horses, bright-hued picture books, jumping-jacks, gally- dressed dolls, tin trumpets and all the fragile toys loved of childhood dangled from it's mighty branches. A silver star shone on the summit, cotton-wool and glittering dust made mimic snow and frost, and every branch gleamed with colored candles. Around this ra- diant tree stood a crowd of children singing, with glistening eyes and out stretched hands anxous for the gifts of the Child Christ. But the whole scene was faint, like the far-with- drawn vision of a morning dream.
 Then a breath passed over the picture flor it seemed like a picture drawn upon the darkness of the hall A stranger entered, and with him her dead cousin, Sir Harry. Again she saw his angry face spelling all the lovely peace of the season; she saw the chill dren shrink together afraid and tear full Her mother was there with her arms around Will. But Ellen did not see the form of herself. And her broth CT Frank, where was he? She looked around in agony. and saw him at last. His now was the place of culprit-he stood before Sir Harry's form shrink ing and downcast. It was Frank who was being accused, and in her dead mothers arms nestled Will. with grey hair and a worn face, not the happy lover she had known. Ellen sobbed aloud.
 At the sound of her voice another movement shook the ghostly throng the fairy lights on the gleaming tree grew dim, the lamps went out, the fire vanished, and, swallowed up by the gloom the Christmas tree seemed to re- cede into darkness. Those surround ing 1t also vanished, and the last thing Ellen saw was her brothers agonized face as he lifted up appealing hands to Heaven Then he, too, disappeared
 and she sprang to her feet with be- wildered air, knowing that she had seen
 vision.
 But 1t Is false-false!" she cried
 For Will sinned. and not my dear Frank"
 There came a soft touch on her shoul der. She turned and saw her brother as she had known him in the flesh. With one hand pointing to the door and with a finger on his pale lips he gazed sadly at her With an impulse she tried to disobey. but could not. Ellen
 moved towards the door. Before her elided the appearance surrounded by a dim radiance which made the darkness visible. Ellen tried to speak. but was unable Her tongue clove to the roof of her mouth, and her limbs almost refused 10 carry her alohs. put SUI pcrnatural strength seemed to make her able to follow on. Through the door,
 down the long passage. through the
 many deserted rooms moved the phan- tom, and the terrified mortal followed. At length the ghostly visitor glided into a room which had long since been loft to dust and gloom. It had been Franks study. And there the spectre
 pointed to an old desk. where, in life. 1t had been accustomed to sit. With a silent look. imploring and imperative, 1t pointed to the upper range of the pig
 eon-holes. Ellen. moved again by that mysterious impulse, approached the desk. She stretched out her hand and touched a little door, It flew open. Still the ghostly finger pointed. At the back of a small cavity. disclosed by the