The Argosy — page 331: what you’re looking at

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

Tim ARCOSY.) Nelly Devitt's Ghost. 31! Will had a book, called ‘‘ Captain Riley’s Narrative,” that was very interesting, and Jenny had spent many an hour over it of winter nights. “Get Captain Riley, and let us have some of it, Jenny,” said I; *€ T’ll sew while you read, and the children can have their blocks to play with.” ‘‘ All right,” cried Jenny; and she ran up to fetch the book, leaving me and the children without a light, except the fire-glow. She sang as she went, for the sake of company, and the pleasant sound of her voice came down the stairs as she bustled about, searching for Captain Riley. I was sitting with the baby on my lap, and my back to the door, and the sound ceased while footsteps began slowly to descend the staircase. Jane was a quick, impatient walker, and this was a slow, soft, regular sound, that came pit-a-pat till 1t reached my side. I looked up, expect- ing to see her, book in her hand. I cannot tell you how I felt when I saw nothing but the shadows that the fire-light could not scatter. The next instant she came flying down, breathless and white, the lamp shaking so much that its flame was nearly out. ‘What is the matter?” cried I; but the next minute I remembered the children, rose up quietly, took the lamp from her hand, and shut the door, still holding the baby in my arms. She had the book, which she clutched unconsciously in her trembling hands ; but she dropped into a chair without opening it, or seeming able to recover from her alarm. “ "There was a strange lady up-stairs to-day,” said Willie, my eldest boy, as if he had just remembered it, ‘“‘and she seemed so odd! Did she come down here ?” “Where was she, and what did she do?” I asked, keeping my eye on Jenny, who was trying hard to gather her senses about her. “She walked round and round, and seemed looking for something,” said Willie. “She was a very strange lady, and her hair was all wild.” ‘‘Poor thing !” says I; but it took quite an effort to say it quietly. ‘She strayed in here, and can do harm to no one. God will take care of us, and we need not be afraid.” ‘* That is true,” said Jenny, recovering her composure ; ‘‘it is very foolish to be frightened at nothing. I think we had better read the Bible to-night, Aunt Susan, instead of Captain Riley; don’t you ?” I was very ready to hear the Bible, for there’s nothing so calming to the feelings as a good chapter. I’ve lived long enough in the world to know something about its troubles; and this I'll say, that I’ve never met with a sorrow or a burden that it didn’t help me to bear. So we had two or three chapters, which Jenny tried hard to read distinctly, but without succeeding as well as usual. Do what I would, I could not listen with undivided attention, since I was all the time fancying I heard the soft footsteps repeating themselves on the floor beside me. They comicloooks (CO) im _