Year: 1877

THE FACE IN THE GLASS.


The morning express from New York
arrived at Chicago at 8 o'clock, and
brought its usual medley of passengers,
among them one very strange one. A
dead woman was found in one of the
sleeping cars-a young and exceedingly
lovely girl, with hair like silk and feat
ures exquisitely perfect and fair.


She lay in the lower berth of sec
tien as if asleep only, when they turned
her and looked in her face, the large,
black eyes were staring with a look of
agony and horror in them that even
death had not been able to remove.


The upper berth, did not seem to have
been occupied, and there was nothing
about her to indicate that she had died
by violence except that look in her fixed
eyes and slight distortion of the lovely
features.


Upon one of the long, silky curls
which lay across her throat, was a small
piece of soft, slightly adhesive wax,
which, finding it impossible to remove
otherwise, the curl containing it being
severed, was laid aside for future exami-
nation.


1t was learned upon inquiry that she
had come upon the train at Detroit, in
the night, and alone.


The section had been engaged for her
beforehand, by woman of middle age
seemingly, though none of the officials
at the ticket-office could give more than
q general description of her, she having
worn veil, and only partially lifted IL
at any time. Nothing was discovered to
really excite suspicion of unfairness,
hung about the affair.


The exceeding beauty of the dead
girl, the richness of her clothing, the
costly jewels in her ears and upon her
hands, the absence of any baggage,
even a travelling bag, the fact that an
elegant portemonnaie containing notes
TO a considerable amount was found in
the pocket OF her dress, but no papers
or address OF any sort, no name-these
circumstances were discussed aud COM
mented upon, until curiosity grew
weary.


At the inquest the jury gave in their
verdict in accordance with the report
of the DOCTORS" Died of congestion
of the lungs" Many came to look
upon the beautiful, dead face, drawn by
the noise the papers made about the
affair and she was at last recognized
by friends from Detroit, whom she had
lately been visiting, as a Miss Tracy,
from California. But they could give
no explanation of the mysterious CIR
cumstances attending and preceding her
death. She had left them without tell
al L
gone out that afternoon ostensibly to
call upon an acquaintance, and had not
returned. That was all they could tell.


The body was sent to her father in
San Francisco, and the matter dropped.
But there was general feeling that q
mystery remained back of all it might
be dark and terrible one.


/ was a young girl of II at
this time, and chanced to be on the
train, and the very car, with the dead
girl, though l did not know it till long
afterward.


1t happened in this way:


1 had been visiting school friend,
and was summoned home suddenly by
telegraph to attend the wedding of a
sister, whose betrothed, being called
abroad Unexpectedly, wished to take
his bride with him. Hence the sudden
marriage. got aboard the train at q
town about six hours ride from Chica
90, at o'clock in the morning, and, not
feeling inclined to sleep, took a seat in
the small compartment of palace car,
called the drawing-room. sat with
my back to the main portion of the car,
and so close to the door on the side by
which passengers entered that no one
would be likely to know was there, ex-
cept by actually looking inside.


The lights we're turned low, but suffi-
cient remained to enable me to see in the
mirrors about me most of the interior OF
the car outside my own retreat. There
was not much to see. the berths being
mostly all closed. But for that very
reason, perhaps, 1 noticed hand which
was holding slightly apart the draperies
of section half way down the car. The
hand glittered with several evidently
costly stones upon the small fingers, and
that was enough OF itself to attract my
attention.


When face, the most beautiful I had
ever seen in my life, presently followed
the han Z, looking cautiously ont. and
quickly retreating, my interest in
crease the face was so white-tht
large so anxious.


Hen slety, though seen but for O
momen niected me. could not helr
wonder what she was looking for
and / wa sd her berth constantly (ir
the mirror see if she would look out
again. She did repeatedly.


At last saw her face brighten int
an ecstasy of JOY, and at the same mo
ment the figure of a man slipped swiftly
along the aisle. and stonned beside he