Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1921-11-30
The TOWER LADY
BY AGNES G. RRoQAN.
Copyright, 1891. western Newspaper Uhion

| Copyright, 1891. Western Newspaper Union
Alan Wendell was elated over his
latest commission. When Georges en-
gagged him to illustrate his coming
book, Alan realized that as an artist
he had arrived. Georges was noted,
his stories famous for their realistic
atmosphere, and Alan therefore de-
cided that 1t would be wise to take
cottage down at Van Ampsden while
he worked on his sketches. There
he could get view of the ocean from
sion around which Georges had wo-
ven his story.
This rambling stone house was said
to be haunted by some unfortunate
girl Of a tragedy Of long ago. The
present gay cottagers along Van Amps
den beach visited the place with their
guests. pointing it out In interest and
wonder. Here ladies and gentlemen
had danced stately minuets and
played merry games at holiday time
with the hosts of the great estate.
One could almost see in fancy the
holly wreaths draped through the
winding balustrade. 1t was fair
Van Ampsden daughter who had an
gered her arrogant parents by clipping
with their lodge keepers son. The
young woman, 1t was said, still haunt
ed the house with her wraithlike pres
ence.
| Alan was amused; then he had an
idea. The fallacy might aid him in
finding quiet quarters-it annoyed him
exceedingly to be distracted while at
1 work. The gayety Of the beach was
distracting, so were the people. He
sought out the agent Of Van Amps
den house, and rented the lodge gate
cottage for his own quarters. When
he moved In, he went three times daily
to exclusive Shore Inn for meals.
All around him in the neglected gar
den flowers bloomed and bees hummed
soothingly; before him stretched the
ever changing sea- 1t was one eve
| ming, when he was indulging in ar
lists visions, that he first saw the
! specter. silence and darkness reigned
in this desolate end Of the shore, when
| suddenly from the tower came grace
| full white-clad figure, to move slowly
around the palings of the balcony.
! Then, as Alan watched, breathless in
spite Of his skepticism, the girIish
white figure came gliding down the
steep outer STAIR to fit here and
there among the flowers of the gar
den. And as she came toward the
lodge, Alan buried the light of his CT
gar, but instantly she was gone In
spired he began to draw from mem
DRY her face In his pictures. Her elf
ishness was the very quality he had
much desired for Georges "Maid' of
Mystery" When Georges drove out
one day to call, Alan showed him these
sketches and told whimsically his own
story Of the Flower Lady," as he
called her And Georges, the writer,
laughing. scented, Is usual, romance.
"She is probably a later-day Van
Ampsden, Wendell" he said. Cant
you plan to meet her?'
But it remained for Duncan, Alan's
Scotch terrier, to bring an actual meet
ing about. Alan had sprained his
ankle climbing over the beastly rocks,
at least, that is the way Alan ex-
planned the matter to the dumbly sym
pathetic Duncan. And the usual mid
day journey to Van Ampsden Inn for
dinner was out Of the question. The
quiet, had failed to install telephone
at the lodge. So, at last In hunger
and desperation, he fastened note,
intended for the inn steward, on Dun
cans collar, and directed him out on
his usual noon way. But the terrier,
not being very wise to direction, or
perhaps being very wise indeed, went
with his note straight to Van Amps
den house, and stood vigorously wag-
ging his tail as the Tower Lady
climbed her steep stair. When she
came back to pet him, she found the
note on his collar, and this Is what
she read:
"Will whoever receives this note,
see that luncheon or some sort OF food
is sent Immediately to Alan Wendell
at Van Ampsden Lodge"
The Tower Lady gazed sympathet-
ically down into the eyes of the dog.
| THAT poor man must be starving"
she said, "here, at my very door,"
So it happened that Alan, opening
his eyes later from a troubled nap,
saw the specter-a very beautiful spec
ter-greeting him from the lodge door
way, a basket on her arm.
'The Tower Lady," he exclaimed
unconsciously, while the young woman
laughed.
"What q fanciful name," she said,
''for plain Della Brown. OF course
we all know, Mr.. Wendell. who You are
Mother and l rented the tower rooms
of Van Ampsden house for the sum-
mer because they happened to be
the cheapest rooms offered. Probably
It Is the high price Of the lower rooms,