R 4
Mi i W i
V It A XK M O 11 TIM 12 11 ,
Editor and Proprietor.
AN INDEPENDENT FAMILY NEWSPAPER.
Terms: IX ADVAXC1'.
) One Dollar per Year.
"Vol. IV.
TVow 131oomficll, I3i., Tunc 7, 1870.
Ia Published Weekly,
At New Bloomflcld, lYnn'a.
UY
FRANK MORTIMER
eUDSCllirTION TliliMS,
OX12 DOLL A 11 I'lJli Y 12 All
MADAM TAIL'S APPARITION.
A Remarkable Story.
SEEING that some persons rithcr will
fully or otherwise, have made a
marvellous story of the affair of my late
mistress, Madam Abigail Vail, of Barden's
Wood, near Bolton, I, Martha Hobson,
have considered it my duty to explain the
whole matter as it actually occurred before
my own cyos.
I had been twelve years housekeeper and
Confidential attendant to Madam Vail,
when she was taken with what proved her
last illness. She was quite old nigh upon
threc-uid-scventy, though up to this time
she enjoyed tolerable health. She had
been a widow and childless for more than
forty years, in which time she had lived
very secluded at Barden's Wood, about a
mile from Bolton town. She got the place
from her husband. It had beon very grand
in its day, but at this timo was a dingy,
gloomy, rather tumble-down old house,
though the lands were very valuable, as
(ivt-rvhodv knew. It was said there was
lead and silver on ono part of the place
which, if worked, would have brought a
fortune The old lady's kin, who expec
ted to be her heirs, were very anxious to
Tierr.uado her to ; and Mr. Simon Vail
even brought nj) to Harden threo gentle
men, one a mineralogist and the others
clever-looking business agents, to examine
the mine, and nuiko torm with her, but
it was all in vain. She. wouldn't even lis
ten to what they had to say. Sho was old,
she said, and didn't want to bo bothered
with such things in tho remnant of her
days. Sho hadn't long to live, and when
she was gone her heirs could do as they
pleased about tho property ; but for herself
all that sho desired was to bo let alone, to
live and diein peaco. And as they left the tho
house, I, peeping through the closet door
at tho head of the stairs, heard Mr. Simon
muttering something about a "pig-headed
obstinate old case."
I had never much fancied Mr. Simon,
though most people like him, and ho was
tho old lady's favorite. I thought ho smiled
too much, and there was a sort of watchful
slyness in his gray eyes that reminded mo
of a cat. Still I knew no harm of him.
Ho wasn't madam's own blood relation,
only a nephew of her husband, ller own
' kin were few enough and distant enough.
Mrs. Arethusa Mills and Miss Grace Brown
wero the nearost of these great-uieces,
both of them : and these two, with Mr.
Simon, and old Doctor Hurdo and his
wife, and young Captain Findley, and Mr.
Podgers, wero all that she'd included in
her will. I didn't particularly like any of
them, and it was my privato opinion that
none of them cared overmuch for tho old
lady, though sho wouldn't have believed it,
bo attentive, and respecful, and afl'ectionato
, as they all bohaved. Miss Grace was tho
only ono who never mado any show of being
fond of her, and Miss Arethusa used often
to remark in tho old lady's hearing how
cold and selfish tho girl was. I didn't
think so ; but Miss Grace was young and
pretty, whilo Miss 'Thusa was turned of
thirty and by no means a beauty, with her
and the
simper upon nor turn lips.
80 it was natural that she shouldn't be too
fond of Miss Orace. They used both to
long neck and dangling ringlets,"
everlasting simper upon her thin
stay a good deal at B.u don's Wood, for
they had no money or homes of their own.
Miss Arethusa generally mado friends and
stayed around ; but Miss Graco was quiet
and retiring, and most people thought her
cold.
Ever since Miss Graco had been sixteen
Madame Vail had wanted her to marry
young Captain Finley, who, in his visits to
Barden, had fallen in lovo with her. But
she told her Aunt Vail that she had prom
ised young Doctor Lee, as soon as ho had
finished his studies and settled into prac
tice in Bolton, lie was a iino young man,
of a good family, but poor as a church
mouse ; and madam didn't approve of tho
match. Sho argued, and coaxed, and
threatened, and stormed ; but Miss Grace's
only answer was, " I love him, Aunt Vail,
and ho loves mo. I have promised to be
come his wife, and ought to cling to him
themoro on account of poverty." So at
last tho old lady got very angry, and threat
ened not to leave her a penny, unless sho
gave tip Dr. Lee. But Miss Grace, though
gentle, was linn. And I know at tho time
of the last illness of the old lady sho had
actually made a will, cutting off Miss Grace,
with a quarter of what she left each of the
others, with the exception of Mr. Simon, to
whom she bequeathed the most of the prop
erty. It had all been left her by her hus
band to do with as sho pleased.
I was sitting knitting in madam's room
at tho timo sho was seized with tho fit,
which was the commencement of her last
illness. From tho first sho, seemed pcrsua-i
ded that sho would not recover, and as soon
as sho was a littlo rallied, began to make
preparations for the end. Among other
things sho mado mo bring her, in presenco
of Mrs. Dr. llurdc, and Mr. Simon, and
Miss Arethusa, was a littlo ebony box with
silver mountings, which sho had always
kept locked in her private secretary. This
sho unlocked, and took out three largo gold
lockets containing miniatures of her hus
band and four children, the latter of whom
had all died in their childhood. I had nev
er heard her mention them, nor had any
0110 dared to do so in her presence for wo
all knew how terribly sho had taken on at
their deaths. Yet now she appeared qufte
calm, as sho looked at them ono by one,
and then handed them to mo to put under
her pillow till her lawyer should arrive.
Sho would herself give them to him, whom
sho had appointed her executor.
" They are to bo put in my coffin and bu
ried with me," she said, in conclusion
fancy I can rest better with thoso dear fa-
cos beside me ; and there is no ono living
would prize them as I would wish."
"Ah, Aunt Abigail 1" said Miss Arethu
sa, reproachfully, and lifting her pocket-
handkerchief to her eyes
" Dear Aunt Abigail," said Mr. Simon,
eagerly, "don't bo so unjust to me, atlcast.
This tho portrait of my own dear uncle,
these ot my darling ntuo eouiiiiis. 1 re
member them as if it wero yesterday.
Dear aunt, civo them to mo. You must
know how dearly I should prize them for
both your sako and theirs."
As ho spoke ho took tho lockets from my
hands, and turned to the window, as if to
examine tho paintings, though I saw ho
was looking closely at the setting. This
was of whito brilliants, -which in tho light
shono dazzlingly.
"No, Simon," answered tho old lady to
his appeal ; "no Simon, thoso dear faces
must be buried with 1110. It will bo a com
fort to have them near me, oven in death.
"What, iust as they are, aunt?" asked
Miss Arethusa, hesitatingly, and also glan
cing at tho settings.
"Just as they are," sho repeated feebly
," It is tho only portion of , my wealth that
I shall take with me, and surely none
you will gmdgo mo this littlo."
"They are very valuable diamonds," said
Dr. Hurdo, solemnly, "and excuse me,
Mrs. Vail, my dear madam, but many
poor people would bless you for the com
forts these could bring thorn."
" I have not forgotten the poor," replied
the old lady, a little sharply, I thought,
"as you will see from my will. Theso dia
monds were my husband's wedding-gift to
me. I had them set in theso lockets on
that account. They arc to be buried with
me exactly an they are"
"Certainly certainly 1" said tho doctor,
hastily. "Any wish of yours, my dear
madam, is, as you must be aware, sacred to
us all."
But as I looked around, I saw some queer
lances exchanged ; and Mrs. llurdc, a
pale, delicate, nervous woman, whispered
to Miss Arethusa :
Isn't it a shame? Ileal diamonds,
mat cost old van thousands 01 pounds, as
I've been told by my mother." And Miss
Arethusa, in reply, cast up her eyes and
shook her head dolefully.
That night tho old lady died very sud
denly, with only a gasp and a quiver to
mark the last change ; and before noon tho
next day, I and Miss Graco had decently
laid her out, and Miss Grace, with tears
falling quietly had crossed tho poor wither
ed hands, and placed in them a few whito
flowers which sho gathered from her own
flowcr-pots up stairs.
" Poor Aunt Abigail," sho said, "a sad
and lonely lot was ners. J. trust that she is
now happy with the husband and children
whom she loved."
As for tho rest of them Dr. Hurdo, and
Mr. Simon, and young Captain Findley,
and Mr. Podgers (which last two had come
post-haste on hearing the news) only come
in onco to see that all was light ; and Miss
Arethusa just peeped in at tho door with
her scented handkerchief to her face
whilst Mrs. Ilurde kept away altogether,
because sho said her nerves were so delicate
that sho couldn't bear the sight of a corpse,
Well, they had decided to havo tho but
iablo on tho day following : and that night
and Miss Grace, and Mr. Simon wore
to take turns in watching tho corpse, which
was laid in a coffin tho lid being already
screwed down. By tho old lady's own
desire, tho funeral was to bo a very quiet
ind plain one, only wo and the servants,
nd a few invited neighbors attending.
Miss Grace had the first watch, and then
it ten o'clock it came to my turn. For
two hours I sat thcro watching alone besid
tho closed coffin, for I didn't caro to have
any ono with me, and then at twelve Mr.
Simon came in and whispered that I might
now retire, and ho would watch till day-
ureaK. i asked, "would lio have somo
one with him?" but ho answered, "No
so I went out, closing the door softly be
hind mo, and left him thero alone.
I felt very tired with tho exertions of
the day, and so thirsty that I thought I
would go to the kitchen and get a cup of
tea before retiring. Thcro I found the
cook sitting up with two or three friends
who had dropped in to keep her company
Such doing !" exclaimed she, as I mado
my appearance. " 1 hero they all ho up
stairs in tho dining-room, a eating and a
drinking of poor missus' best, as if 'twas !
more a feast than a funeral, and sho not
yet in her grave. I'vo hcen kept a brilliu'
chickens and makin' welsh rabbits for 'cm,
and that 'ere Capt'n Findley's a tellin'
jokes about his regiment, an' settin' 'email
a latin' ; and tho doctor's moro'n half tipsy
on missus' old madeiry ; and if ' you'll
b'lievo me, Miss 'Thusa and bald-headed,
red-faced Podgers are a courtin' on tho
sofy behind tho winder-curtings ! Sich
doings no Christian ever seen before. Tho
only well-behaved amongst 'cm is Miss
Grace, which is gone to bed, as sho ought
to, and Mr. Simon, which has looked sol
emn and oneasy all tho time. O, my poor
old missus 1"
When, having taken my cup of tea, I
peeped in at tho dining-room door, I found
it just as the cook had said. They had all
taken a late supper, and were still, at half-
past twelvo lingering over tho tablo j the
ladies being still there because Mrs. Hurdo
was afraid to retire without her husband,
and Miss Arethusa wouldn't go up stairs
without Mrs. Hurdo. They had half a
dozen bottles of tho old lady's maderia on
tho table wino which had been stored
away forty years before by her husband,
aud which sho never produced except a
couple of bottles Christmas. And there
they all sat, drinking, and laughing at Cap
tain Findley's tipsy jokes, aud planning
what they wero going to do with the pro
perty tho old lady had loft them. Poor old
lady ! I couldn't help wondering, as I went
on to my room, what sho would think of all
this if sho could como back and see it.
I had to pass the door of the room in
which lay tho corpse, and I trod softly, as
people do on such occasions, as if any noiso
would disturb that last deep slumber 1
was just past the door, when it seemed to
mo I heard some unusual sound in the
room. I stopped and listened, and heard it
again. It was like tho sound of some in
strument scraping and grinding, and now
and then a slight tap of a hammer. What
could Mr. Simon be doing? I went to
tho door and put my hand on tho knob,but
found it was locked inside.
The noiso had ceased the moment
touched tho knob, and then Mr. Simon came
to the door, and opened it an inch or two,
and in tho dim light I saw that his face
looked quite pale.
"Who is it? What do you want, Mrs,
Hobson?" ho said, quickly, and with a sorl
of tremor in his voice.
' Nothing. I was passing, and thonght
I would just look in."
" It s all right," ho said: and shut tho
door quickly.
1 stopped at the end ot tho passage.
thinking of the strange sound I had heard,
and of Mr. Simon's manner, and then I saw
him open the door noiselessly and look up
and down tho hall, and then again the door
was closed, and presently I heard tho same
creaking sound as before. It was like tho
noiso that had been mado by tho under
taker in driving down tho screws of tho
coffin.
I know that to tho room in which lay the
corpso was another door, opening into a
partially furnished and unused chamber.
This door was kept always locked ; but I
remembered that 0110 of tho panels was
warped and cracked. And I went around,
softly as I could, to this chamber, and there,
in the ' darkness, saw tho gleam of light
shining through this crack from the room
in which lay the corpse. I crept up, and
cautiously peeped through.
Yes ; it was just as I had suspected. I
shudder now when I think of it.
In tho middle of tho room was tho coffin
which I had seen somo hours before careful
ly screwed down. It was now open. The
heavy lid had been twisted around and lay
extended across tho coffin, and stooping
over tho head of it was Mr. Simon, his faco
white and his hands trembling as they fum
bled about tho dead body within.
I began to tremble, too, as I btood there,
breathlessly watching him. I could see tho
faco of tho dead woman, exactly opposite,
and not live yards irom mo, raised upon a
pillow ; and I could even seo the dead
gleam of her half-closed eyes. And I saw
Mr. Simon drawing asido tho folds of tho
shroud and displacing tho hands, which
wero crossed on tho heart, tako out some
thing bright and glistening, and transfer it
to his own breast pocket.
Jeicas robbiiiy the dead!
Thero were, as I have said, threo of tho
lockets, and when ho had found thein all,
ho turned away with thein and loanod over
tho lain, apparently taking tho miniature
out of tho settings. In doing this his back
was turned to tho coffin, so that ho never
saw what I did.
I saw my blood runs cold to this day
when VI think of it I saw tho half-closed
lids of tho corpso upraiso themselves, then
fall, and quiver, and again uncloso. I saw
tho pale lips move, and tho thin, colorless
hands tremblo and grasp feebly. Then tho
eyes opened wide, and gazed full and stead
ily around at tho ceiling, at tho white
draped furniture, aud then at Mr. Simon.
I knew that it was no apparition, it
somo folks would have supposed ; but a
living spirit and a living body before me.
The poor old lady had been in a trance,
nd was just awakening. I saw, too, that,
feeble and bewildered though she was, she
yet fully comprehended her situation. Hvt
gaze was fixed upon her nephew, and she
watched him with dilated eyes as he rough
ly and hastily toro tho miniatures from the
costly settings, and thrust tho latter into
his breast. And it was in tho midst of thin
occupation that ho was aroused by the
sound of a hoarse and hollow voice behind
him :
"Simon "
Mr. Simon gave one convulsive leap as he
turned around. There lay tho supposed
corpse its head elevated abovo the edge of
tho coffin, its bony hands clinging to its
sides, its glassy eyes fixed full upon him.
Tho pictures fell from his hands, and, with
a frantic cry, he made ono bound to the
door. But his trembling hands had -no
power to turn tho key ; and then he reeled
to a window, and as he reached it,- fell
swooning on tho floor.
I believe that I too swooned, or fainted,
for the first and last timo in my life, fori
remember nothing distinctly until I found
myself rising from tho floor and making
the best of my way to tho dining-room. 1
heard tjio sound of a smothered burst of
laughter as I drew near, and the voico of
Captain Findley, as if mimicking some one
for the amusement of tho company. But
when I turned into tho passage-way leading .
to the door, I stopped as if I had boeu
turned into stone. For there, right bcfor
me, was the shrouded figure of Madam
Vail, slowly and with difficulty, creeping
along to tho door of tho dining-room, di
rected doubtless by tho noiso, and support
ing herself against tho wall as she pro
ceeded. I say I stood still, for I couldn t have
moved another step if my life had depended
on it. So two or three minutes passed, a
tho poor old lady crept painfully onward.
I saw her reach tho door at last, and stand
there, supporting herself with her hands on '
the two door-posts. And tho next minutw
I heard a shrill shriek from Mrs. Ilurde,
then a loud yell from Sir. Podgers, followed
by such an uproar of screams and oaths,
and tho crashing of glass and furniture, as
were enough to set 0110's wits distracted.
And presently, as the ghostly figure totter
ed to a sofa, the doctor and the captain cams
rushing past mo, wild with fright, while I
caught a glimpse of tho two ladies lying-
fainting upon tho floor, and Mr. Podgers''
pursy figuro vanishing through a window,
where, by-lho-by, he was picked up off the
flags with a broken log which he deserved.
It wasn't long before the people cam
rushing up stairs ; but one look into tlm
dining-room was enough for them, and they
lied as if for dear life. Nobody but Mis
Graco and I remained. She went to thu
poor old lady, and supported her in her
arms, bathing her forehead and hands ;
aud seeing her do so, I summoned couragu
to pour out a glass of wino and hold it Ut
her lips..
"Call Dr. Ilurde," said Miss Graco t
me. "Quick, or sho may die 1"
But tho old lady feebly put out her hand.
"No, no," sho gasped, "not him not
them. Never, never again !"
"Go for Dr. Lee," said Miss Grace in a
low voico.
And I lost no timo in sending ono of the
servants, who returned in a short timo
with tho young doctor. Under his charge,
poor madam was presently recovered, and
placed in bed, weak and exhausted, but in
full possession of her senses and faculties.
And tho first thing sho did was to send for
tho lawyer, and mako another will. You
all know what that was ; how sho loft two
thirds of her property to Miss Grace, with
hor full consent to her marrying Dr. Lec,
and tho rest to the poor, with a handsome
annuity to me, her housekeeper, Martha
Hobson for which goodness, 1 am, I trust,
humbly and dutifully thankful.
And this is the tru'o story of the appari
tion of Madam Vail, about which peopl
have been relating such marvellous and
unheard-of stories. Tho poor old ludy onlr
lived a day or two after her recovery from
tho trance.