mistress, who was then, fortunately for herself,
enjoying, what was very rare with her, an undisturbed sleep after the
terror and agitation of the day, when a low, but earnest and sorrowful
wailing was heard, immediately, she thought, under the window. It rose
and fell alternately, and at the close of every division of the cry
it pronounced the name of Alice Goodwin in tones of the most pathetic
lamentation and woe. The natural heat and warmth seemed to depart out of
the poor girl's body; she felt like an icicle, and the cold perspiration
ran in torrents from her face.

"My darling misthress," thought she, "it's all over with you at last.
There is the sign--the Banshee--and it is well for yourself that you
don't hear it, because it would be the death of you at once. However, if
I committed one mistake about Misther Charles's misfortune, I will not
commit another. You shall never hear of this from me."

The cry was then heard more distant and indistinct, but still loaded
with the same mournful expression of death and sorrow; but in a little
time it died away in the distance, and was then heard no more.

Sarah, though she had judiciously resolved to keep this awful intimation
a secret from Miss Goodwin, considered it her duty to disclose it to her
parents. We shall not dwell, however, upon the scene which occurred on
the occasion. A belief in the existence and office of the Banshee
was, at the period of which we write, almost universally held by the
peasantry, and even about half a century ago it was one of the strongest
dogmas of popular superstition. After the grief of the parents had
somewhat subsided at this dreadful intelligence, Mr. Goodwin asked Sarah
Sullivan if his daughter had heard the wail of this prophetic spirit of
death; and on her answering in the negative, he enjoined, her never to
breathe a syllable of the circumstance to her; but she told him she had
come to that conclusion herself, as she felt certain, she said, that the
knowledge of it would occasion her mistress's almost immediate death.

"At all events," said her master; "by the doctor's advice we shall leave
this place tomorrow morning; he says if she has any chance it will be
in a change of air, of society, and of scenery. Everything here has
associations and recollections that are painful, and even horrible to
her. If she is capable of bearing an easy journey we shall set out for
the Spa of Ballyspellan, in the county of Kilkenny. He thinks the