The Arm Chair Library No. 79: The Haunted Homestead — page 14: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

13 : THE HAUNTED HOMESTEAD. saw, standing in the middle of the room, the fearful woman of my dream, her finger pointed downward to the same spot, and still pointing thus, she receded backward until she disappeared through the open door. I started up to call her, and, with the violence of my effort, awoke! awoke to see the morning lightshining in through the shutters that I had neglected to close, and to hear little Jet letting herself in at the hall] door, to come up and light my fire. < Again on entering and seeing the open door, she cast an uneasy, suspi- cious, frightened look around her, and said: “Yer allus gets wp an’ opens dis door when yer hears me a-comin’, don’t yer, Miss Agnes, ma’am?” - “Yes, I heard you coming, Jet,” I replied, evasively, but the answer sat- isfied my simple little maid, who went cheerfully about her tasks. As it was not early, I hastened to my toilet and descended to the dining- Toom, not to keep my kind hostess waiting breakfast. They were all ready to sit down when I joined them, and we immedi- ately took our seats at the table. Upon my plate I found a letter the afternoon sports, and the evening dance, | was possessed with the haunt- ing presence of that dark, handsome woman and her majestic woe. We danced in the dining-room through all the Christmas night, and it was two o’clock in the morning be- before we separated. Again, when I was about to retire, Mrs. Legare came to accompany me. “I hope you rested well last night, my dear Agnes, though I have scarcely had an opportunity of asking you to- day,” she said, as we entered my room. “I did not wake until dawn, ma’am,” I answered, evasively, for I had determined, since they let me into no confidence upon the subject of the household mystery, to keep my own counsel in regard to my dream and the open door. “You slept until dawn. That is well. I hope you will have as good a rest for the few remaining hours of the night. Good evening, my dear. Lock your door after me,” said Mrs. Legare, going out with a look of relief and satisfaction. ” As, upon the evening previous, I turned the key upon my retiring host- ess, listened until I heard her pass out| from my brother, which I asked and and secure the hall door, then] obtained permission to open and read. searched my room, undressed, said my|It was a regretful refusal of my invita- prayers and went to bed. tion to him to join me at Wolfbrake As I hinted in the beginning of this| to spend the holidays, upon the narrative, nature had made me at once; ground that he had brought home superstitious and fearless. In the su- with him a friend whom he could not eaae sot 2 without trem-| leave. “ ing.” And now alone, in this “up|. Pooh? pooh! let him bine - his posed-to-be haunted chamber, J lay | friend sla Tell him so! ikiiy with an interest devoid of uneasiness,| friend of your brother will be wel- waiting the development of events. come here, Agnes!” gaid Mr. Legare, it was near day, when, overcome|to whom T communicated the contents with watching, I fell asleep, and then, | of my letter. as upon the night previous, I had a I acted upon this permission, and vision or dream (as you please to call wrote for my brother to come and it). Methought the sound of a deep | bring his friend. After I had finished sigh awoke me, when, looking up, Ij and dispatched my letter, I joined a — comicbooks vag wit bh Ws, iS J aH +" ‘ se