The Meeker herald., 1923-01-06
a HAUNTING MAID
Oy MILDRED WHITE
I031. s. WssIsrn NsWspsper Union.

!
BSuee had promised his friend that
when he passed through the quantity
beautiful town OF Lynden, lie would
Gull or his aunt.
"Aunt Caroline is'a queer old 3!rd."
tile friend disres1,ectfully informed
him. "She has money to give away,
lot she never does give 1t away; In
| fact. ] have not heard from the dear
Uld lady, since when AT college. ]
l touched her for ten. However, that
II In the dim and dusty past. But
II might be to your advantage to NEE,
Aunt Caroline, As you are Obliged 10
stop over In the deadly restful villa"
Bruce, walking about the lonely vii
lage streets at twilight. decided 10
follow his friends suggestion. But first,
he asked directions Of the voluble
hotel keeper.
-You ask'H for Miss Latiner." tnnt
man exclaimed, 'why she's been dead
more ihnn two months. The house
In closed up. until Susunnh. Miss la
tln,er's maid, gets bnck from the city
with tire help she went after to clean
II. They have TO pack things up for
| auction"
"W!,o," asked Bruce In the interest
| VI his friend, did Miss Lutimer Will
her property tor
The man grlnnet. ''ro missions
he said, though no one knew she had
any missionary spirit, while she lived
beyond adopting Susanah from the
Orphanage, but then Sue worked her
own way. il ever Il girl did. Miss La
timer kept her going. An she hasn't
| left her u cent Some tElnk what mulc
Miss Latimer SO queer. WIS dwelling
Ou the haunt. Sort pf got OH her
mind, 1t did, that ole story OF the
haunt woman Of Latimer garden"
Bruce smiled amusedly. Tell me
about IT," he said.
The hotel keeper lighted Els pipe
enjoyabIy.
"The haunt woman" he explained.
"was q JAli,ner way back before eveI
Miss Csroline's time. Got disappointed
In love the way girls used to. before
b0b6ed hair and athletics an all thu.
come In. And ever since. she's been
haunting the hix gates. waiting for the
man who never came back. Som.
negroes who saw her one night. says
she wears 4 long white lace dress,
and has black hair. piled up the way
they used to do. with white rose
Ia II. She has q white fncc that look:
tragic with Its big black eyes. and
she II certainly mighty pretty"
Sounds interesting" Bruce re-
marked. II will take look Ut Miss
Latimer's deserted home"
TIE gardens were very still In the
moonlight. He admitted an ceric
feeling. a. he sank TO . seat on IN
old stune bench. Then he saw the
vision. She came, q Wraithlike figure.
around the old stone wall. TO the
gates. end stood there. her face turned
toward the road. Al Bruces low eJacu.
Iatisn, size turned, her dark eyes re-
xardIng him. In the clear moonlight
he could almost see their expression Of
mild surprise.
Then with 4 soft little rush she
came toward him. "Who are your
she asked.
Pardon me- he spoke mechanical
". Il had thought the place deserted"
1T 10 deserted" her voice low and
soft. answered him. Il only come
back to haunt the home l have known
who." the question came wonderingly,
ARE your
Briefly he told her Of his promised
errand aud it's disappointment.
Yes, Caroline Latlmer Is gone
the low voice trailed of drca,E!:y.
land she may not extend to you the
hospitality she loved to give. Per-
haps-I may do II for her: would you
like to come tomorrow evening! II is
then that am here-and will call
for you her tavorite birds from the
trees-and show 10 you. the family
pictures In the gallery. Now" she
turned from him quickly. Il must <"
back to the gates-to watch
She fingered there, as he went per-
plexed yet interested as he never had
been interested down the road.
Bruce hurried back upon the next
evening. The vision wns seated he
fore an old piano In the great living
room. But her fingers did not touch
the keys. His own steps echoed as
be crossed the polished door. She arose
to receive him. her smile warmed his
heart. Before the old painting she
paused, and . girl Of an olden time
gaxed sn,illngly down on her living
prototype.
II found this dress In Miss Caro-
lines old trunk in the attic" the
vision girl was saying. "and the ~him
seized me to masquerade. The wom-
en- have been packing the things up
stairs. I was waiting for them to ar
rive last evening. 1t will be hard
to leave the only home have known.
I guess It WAS intended that ! never
should have real liome." Wistful-
eyed, she looked up al Bruce.