Year: 1875

The bairn g your own flesh and bluid, anc
its your duty to speer after her. No word o.
her getting her teeth, nor improvement in any
way, as if her own fayther would ma like tt
ken a. about her progress in every particular
You ought to 20 yourself to see after her, and
let her be brought down here. I'd care fol
her like my ain bairn, better than any hired
nurse could do"


81 shrank, inwardly from the proposal
But 1 felt pang of self-reproach, at the re-
missness of which had been guilty, and as il
was impossible for me, at that time, to leave
home myself, deputized Barbara to 60 in
my place to see after the child, and to remove
her, with or without her nurse, as she judged
best, from Mrs. Lenox's to town.


"She was absent week, and when she re-
turned I perceived Immediately that some
thing wa, the matter. She looked like a per
son who had received great shock, and hel
broken and confused answers to all my cues
tions convinced me that she was concealing
something from me. Of course I insisted on
an explanation, and on knowing why the child
had not come with her as intended and Il
nally extorted from her a statement of the
condition of the unfortunate little creature
which filled me with horror. She entreated
me to let her remain in the country, under
the care of her nurse, whom she represented
as being every way competent to have the
charge of her. Mrs. Lenox had offered her
place for sale, and was going to remove from
it very soon, but she thought it would
be good plan to board the child somewhere
in the neighborhood, where she might still
have the benefit of the country air. 1t was
just possible that her physical and mental
condition might improve with advancing
years.


II consented to the plan, and soon after.
ward heard that the nurse had taken lodgings
at farm, kept by an old couple who were not
inclined to concern themselves about any
ones affairs, but left her fres to do as she
pleased with herself and with her charge.


"A year passed, and I made up my mind
suddenly one day to 60 and see the poor child,
and jud ge for myself of her condition. My
heart smote me for having so long neglected
this duty; yet felt an indescribable repug-
nance to the idea of beholding with my own
eyes the deformity had heard described, and
which presented but dim and impalpable
image to my mind.


II arrived at the farm, and was shown, at
once, to the nurses private room. There was
little parlor, or stting.room, adjoining her
chamber, and in this l took my seat, waiting
anxiously for her to appear. Presently the
door opened, and there darted through it a
being which, but for its human figure, might
have passed-Rosamond l shudder to say
it.-for a strange specimen of the reptile
tribe The broad fat head, glittering green
sh eyes, almost imperceptible nose, and wide,
receding m"uth, with no visible chin, bore q
horrible resemblance to the head and face of
a snake; and with a feeling Of loathing which
at the moment, could not repress, put out
my hands to ward off the approach of the un-
fortunate little being, who came running d.
rectly toward me, no way abashed by my re-
pellant gesture and look of adherence. She
came to me, and coilsd herself-I can describe
her plant, twisting movements, by no other
word-about my leg and in spite Of myself l
was constrained to suffer her clasp, and to
look down into her upturned face. She ut
tered a sort of uncouth sound, apparently ex-
pressive of pleasure She reached out her
hand, which was long, thin, and unlike a
baby's for nv watch chain and seals, and l
remembered that the hand was my own
child's-I could not push it away. While l
stood thus, forced, as it were, against my will,
to acknowledge the claim of relationship be-
tween US, the nurse came hurrying in. She
apologized for the childs abrupt entrance,
which, she said, she had desired to prevent ;
but indeed, SIR she added, she's like an eel
for slipping out of my hands, when | least
expect it, She tried to detach her hands from
me, but the little creature resisted, utterng a
plaintive beseeching cry, which went to my
heart. A strong tide of pity rushed over me,
and the helplessness and misfortune which was
clothed in so repulsive garb, nevertheless
appealed to nv better nature, with a force
which could not resist / resolved from
thenceforth never to forsake her, but to act,
as we'll as l could, fathers part, in keeping
her constantly under my supervision.


81 had lately inherited some money from
relative in Scotland, and resolved to pur-
chase Sleepy Hollow, which was still in the
market, and make it my home. l could not
endure that any one should know of the ex-
istence of poor Annie (that is her name) or
that her afHiction should become the subject
of public wonder and comment. Instead,
therefore, of having her with me, settled her
nurse. in that house that you know OF, which
is sufficiently near my own to enable me to
see her every day and / have never since
missed doing so, except when prevented by
sickness or absence, In which case, Barbara
has supplied my place:


"You have no idea how strong Annie's at
tachment is to me, and this circumstance has
drawn me toward her more nearly than at
first 1 could have believed possible. She
looks early for my daily visit, and is always
unhappy and restless if am kept away. You
can understand now why always left you at
certain hour in the evening, even at the risk
of incurring your suspicion and displeasure.
Yesterday received notice Of her having
had sudden attack resembling fit, but of
a very violent and dangerous nature, and
therefore came off, as you know, to attend to
her. She has had similar attacks before, but
never as severe as this one 1t passed of last
night, but has left her very weak and pros
trate, and 1 do not know how long the effect
of it may last, or whether it may not ulti-
mately prove fatal.


"Annies mental state is scarcely less de-
plorable than her outward appearance her
reasoning powers being limited to mere in
stinct, more imperfectly developed than that
of some of the higher order of animals. She
can express pleasure, affection or dislike as
horse or dog would do, by mute signs. but has
never acquired the faculty of speech. She
will lie for hours in the sunshine, or gazing
out of the window, dreamily stroking and
playing with her hair, which is as long, fine
and beautiful as yours-her one possession in
common with others of her sex, from whom
she is by her mi.fortunes 50 fatally and irre'