The Argosy — page 314: what you’re looking at

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

Two Dreams. 295 It was some time before the girl was sufficiently collected to satisfy her mother’s anxiety and curiosity, but at length, with many breaks and halting sentences, she spoke much as follows : “T went to bed, as you know, perfectly well and looking forward to our visit to the Holts, and I soon fell asleep. About one o’clock I fancy it must have been, I awoke with a feeling of the most frightful depression, just as if I were doomed to death. I tried to call out, and to sit up in bed, but a heavy weight seemed on me, and I could only lie still and gasp. Then I felt myself sinking into a sort of stupor. I knew I was not awake, and yet I was not asleep. Fearful shapes and forms flitted before my eyes, until at length they seemed to merge into the form of a man, with huge prominent eyes, who stooped over me, and slowly waved a large knife in front of my face. I tried to scream, but felt it was only inwardly, and that no sound escaped my lips. Again this terrible form bent over me, gradually fading away, only to return a third time with a still fiercer look in his eyes. Making a superhuman effort, my voice at last broke its bounds, and with a ringing scream I woke, and sprang out of bed. ‘There was no one to be seen, my door was still locked; no one could have come In; it must then have been a dream 1 thought, and, at last, shivering and shaking, I crept into bed again, but could not go to sleep. Oh, I didso long for you, mother, and yet I was too frightened to come to you.” “My poor child!” cried Mrs. Perceval, soothingly. ‘It was in- deed a dreadful dream.” “But, was it only a dream?” sighed Effie; ‘it seemed so much more—and that face, shall I ever forget it ? ” “Only a dream, darling. Something had upset your nerves. Now, try and shake off the remembrance of it. Come down stairs, and, after breakfast, we will settle where we will go.. I think the sea-side will be best, but you shall decide.” Mrs. Perceval treated the matter lightly; Effie always had been highly nervous, and this was only a bad attack of nightmare. It was, however, some time before the girl took the same view as her mother ; and, although the change to the sea-side braced her nerves, and did. her very much good, it was far from being a complete cure. At times, the remembrance of the face she had seen would return and cause her hours of torture. Mrs. Perceval, like a wise woman, had kept her own counsel concerning the dream, or vision, whichever it was, so that it had not become an eight-day wonder in the household. She rarely allowed Effie to dwell upon it to her, and when, a year later, a new interest sprang up in the girl’s life, she rejoiced, feeling sure the ghost would now be laid for ever. For Effie was engaged to be married, and two honest brown eyes now haunted her waking as well as her sleeping moments, and a sense of peace and security hedged her round. ‘To Launce Spencer she had of course told the tale, and Launce had petted and soothed her, and made nothing of it; and conniclooolkks (C(O)