Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1908-05-09
The Lady In
The Picture.
By CLARISSA MACKIE.
Copyrighted, 1903. by Associated
Literary Press.

luIucu anu lOOheu Ut tue plCluIe.
Framed in gold, It hung over the
chimney piece, reaching almost to the
lofty ceiling. 1t depicted the life size
figure Of beautiful young woman in
a pale gray gown in the fashion Of
century past.
A large gray plumed hat rested on
her dark hair, and about her shoulders
was a loose rose pink cloak caught to-
gether by one slender hand, while the
other held a plumy spray Of white
lilac.
Dickson arose, glass In hand. ITO
Mistress Mowbray; always young, al
ways beautiful and'-he paused and
added. with mischievous glance at
his wife-"ever sllentp'
There was laughter from the men
and a merry protest from Mrs. Dick
son as they drank the toast and re-
sumed their seats.
Rather an unfair advantage to take
Of Mistress Mowbray," objected Mark
Randolph, with a glance toward the
portrait.
81 am sure that Harry's inslnuatlon
is quite unjust" said Mrs Dickson,
with spirit. Family history relates
that Elizabeth Mowbray possessed a
very pretty witv'
II suppose there is story connected
with the fair lady?" insinuated Searles,
with a smile at his host.
"There is," admitted Dickson cheer
fully. "There is some tale about the
ghost of Mistress Mowbray, who Is
said TO ster down from her portrait
and walk bout this room, leaving
fragrance Of white lilac In her wake"
Have you witnessed this appari-
tionY' asked Randolph, with interest.
Never" replied Dickson, helping
himself to walnuts, "but I will admit"
he continued, with a qulzzlcal glance
at his pretty wife, that l have de-
tected the odor CT white lilac In this
roomT
"When does the ghost walk?" asked
Randolph.
Invariably on the 18th Of March,"
replied Dickson, leaning back In his
chair and looking fixedly at the por-
trait eve have never seen the ap-
partition. but some Of the servants claim
TO have seen 1t. 1t has so happened
that we have never been at the hall on
the 18th OF March since our honeymoon.
I recollect that we came downstairs
one morning on the 14th Of March and
detected q strong odor Of white lilac,
Az hei SJnscryatory was empty OF
plants and as there were no flowers OF
any sort In the house, 1t was rather
a.
"a shockr interpolated Mrs. Dick
son, with decision. at was positive
shock to smell the odor Of white lilac
that morning, especially as old Hannah
had RECALLED us with the story the night
before"
"And so you have never waited up
TO see the ghost walk?" queried Ran
doIph as he opened the door for his
hostess.
mo. To tell the truth, we always
run away" she laughed. Suppose you
come down on the 18th Of next month
and watch for Mistress Mowbray.
Hannah will take care Of you, and then
you can report to us the result of your
investigations"
Agreed" he said readily, and as she
left the room he returned to the table
and remarked to the others. ANY vol
unteers to keep me company"
mot l." returned Searles quickly. IL
shall be south about that time"
"And We" said Dickson lightly, twill
be In Egypt"
81 had forgotten that" said Ran
dolph. Nevertheless shall accept
Mrs. Dickson's invitation to run down
here and make the acquaintance of fair
Mistress Mowbray."
He was looking at the picture with
dreamy abstraction In his eyes.
"You admire my beautiful ancestress,
then. Mark?" Dickson shot a keen
glance at bis friend.
"Yes," was the low response. "She
reminds me Of another whom I once
knew"
On the 18th Of March Randolph jour.
neyed down to the sleepy old New
England village where the Dickson
homestead spread its comforta BILE wings
behind sheltering elms, now leahess
and soughing mournfully in the east
wind. Within doors all was cheeriness
and comfort, with soft lamplight and
blazing fires.
When Hannah had cleared the din
ner table and departed, Randolph
threw himself into a huge easy chair
before the fire In the dining room and
looked up at the pictured face Of Mis-
tress Mowbray. He compared her face
with that of another Elizabeth Now
bray, a cousin of Harry Dickson and
also a descendant Of the lady In the
picture. 1t was an old story now, ten
years old. He and Beth had quarreled,
and she had returned his ring and gone
back to her home in the south. They
had never met afterward, but he had
never forgotten.
Randolph placed not the slightest Gre
dence in the story Of the apparition OF
Mistress Mowbray, but the idea OF
spending an uninterrupted evening be-
fore the portrait appealed to him. Un-
able to longer Withstand the glance OF
the tender eyes, he buried his face In
the upturned palms Of bis hands and
gave himself up to unhappy musings.
Hour after hour was tolled by the
tall clock In the hall, and when the bell
.himed u Randolph reused himself
with a slight start from the halr doze
In which he had INDUCED.
Involuntarily he gazed at the por-
trait, and a great wonder came into his
eyes. He wheeled his chair away from
the fireplace and stared. He rubbed
his eyes, looked about the softly light