The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1927-11-25
We have NOR ret descrihed Lizzie |

the privileged frankness of such old
family servitors. The two were at
once a contrast and a complement
Fifty years Of American ways had not
shaken LiZZie's firm belief in banshees
and leprachauns or tanned her wild
Irish tOngue-ifty years of Lizzie had
not altered Miss Cornelia's attitude of
| fond evaporation with some of Liz
| Zie'S more startling eccentricities. To-
gether they may have been, as one of
| the younger Van Gorder cousins had
irreverently put ii, "a scream"-but
apart each would have felt lost with
out the other.
Now what do you mean-if that
were all OF il, Lizzie?" queried Miss
Cornelia, sharply, as she took her let
tiers from the tray.
Lizzie's face assumed an expression
of doleful reticence.
ITS not my place to speak," she
said with a grim shake of her head.
but I saw my grandmother last night,
God rest her-plain as life she was
the way she looked when they walked
her-and if il was my doing, we'd be
leaving this house this hour!"
"Cheese-pudding for supper-of
course you saw your grandmother :"
said Miss Cornelia, crisply, Sitting
open the first Of her letters with a pa
perknife. Nonsense, Lizzie-Pm not
going TO be scared away from an ideal
country-place because you happen to
have bad dreamI"
WAS il a bad dream I saw on the
stairs last night, when the lights went
out and I was looking for the can
| dles?" said Lizzie heatedly. ''Was it
a bad dream that ran away from me
| and out the back door, as fast as
Paddy's pig? No, Miss Neily-it was
a man-seven feet tall he was, and
eyes that shone in the dark and"
Lizzie Allen :"
well, it's true, for all that" in
sisted Lizzie, stubbornly. And why
did the lights go out-tell me that,
Miss Nelly? They never go out in the
city,
well. this isn't the city" said Miss
Cornelia, decisively. Its the country
and very nice it is-and we're stay
ing here all summer. I suppose I may
be thankful" she went on ironically,
that it was only your grandmother
you saw last night. 1t might have
been the Bat-and then where would
you be this mOrning?'
I'D be stiff and stark, with candles
at my head and feet" said Lizzie
gloomily. 'Oh, Miss Nelly, don't talk
of that terrible creature, the Batr'
She came nearer TO her mistress. "Oh,
Miss Nelly, Miss Neily-do let's go
back to the city before he flies away
with US ALL"
Nonsense, Lizzie" said Miss Cor
nelia again, but this time less firmly.
Her face grew serious. eff I thought
for an instant that there was any real
possibility of our being in danger
here" she said slowly. Butch, look
at the map, Lizzie! The Bat has
been-1ying in this district-that's
true enough-but he hasn't come with
in ten miles of Us YETI
whats ten miles TO the Bat?' the
obdurate Lizzie sighed. And what
| Of the letter We had when ye first
moved in here? The Fleming house
is unhealthy for strangers it said
Leave it while We can"
Some silly boy-Or some crank"
Miss Cornelia's voice was firm. 4
never pay any attention to anonymous
| letters"
and there's a funnyIookin' letter
| this mornin'-down at the bottom of
the pile persisted Lizzie. ct looked
like the other on-Td half a mind to
throw it away before you saw itr''
Now, Lizzie, that's quite enough :"
Miss CorneIia had the Van GOrder
manner on, now. u don't care to dis
cuss your ridiculous fears any further.
Where is Miss Dale?"
Lizzie assumed an attitude Of prim
rebuff. Miss Dale's gone into the
city. ma'am."
Gone into the city,
"Yes, ma'am, She got a telephone
call this morning. early-long-dista
it was. I don't know who it was
called her"
"Of course not, Miss Nelly" Liz
zie's face was a study in injured viz
tue. Miss Dale took the call in
her own room and shut the door"
And you were outside the door?'
where else would be dustin, that
time in the mcrnin'?" said Lizzie
But it's yourself knows well enough
the doors in this house is thick and
not a sound goes past them"
Il should hope not said Miss Cor
neIia. rebukingly. 'But-telI me.
! Lizzie-did Miss Dale seem-welI-
this morning."
THAT she did not" said Lizzie
| promptly. When she came down TO
| breakfast, after the call she looked
like a ghost. made her the eggs she
/ likes. too-but she wouldn't eat EN-"
Hin" Miss Cornelia pondered.
I'm sorry if-well, Lizzie. we mustn't
NEEDLE in Miss Dale's affairs"
| NO, ma'am.'
'But-did she say wisen she would
be back?"
Yes, Miss Nelly. On the two
O'Clock train. Oh-and-I was almost
forgettin'-she told me TO tell you par
ticular-she said while she was in the
city she'd be after engagin' the gar
dener you spoke Of"
~The gardener? Oh, yes-I spoke
TO her about that the other night
the place is beginning to look run
down-se many flowers to attend TO.