me of which I speak, about seven years of age. She had always been a
gay, romping child, till this old woman was introduced into the family,
and then she became grave, timid, and reserved; she lost all that buoyancy
of disposition, that joyousness of heart, which were common to her before.
Methinks I now see her as she was then--a rosy-cheeked, fair-haired little
creature, with soft, blue eyes, that sparkled with animation, a mouth
pursed into the pleasantest smile, and a nose and chin exquisitely formed.
My sister, as I have already stated, altered much after the old woman had
become an inmate of the family. She lost the freshness of her complexion,
the bright lustre of her eye, and was often dejected and thoughtful. One
night (I shudder even now when I think of it), the wicked old beldame told
us, as usual, one of her frightful stories, which had alarmed us
exceedingly. It related to our own house, which she declared had at one
time been haunted, and that the apparition had been seen by several
persons still living. It appeared as a lady, habited in a green silk
dress, black velvet bonnet, with black feathers. After she had concluded
her narrative, under some pretense or other, she left the room, though we
both strenuously implored her to remain; for we were greatly afraid, and
trembling in every limb. She, however, did not heed our solicitation, but
said she would return in a few minutes. There was a candle upon the table,
but it was already in the socket, and fast expiring. Some ten or fifteen
minutes elapsed, and the chamber-door was quietly thrown open. My hand
shakes, and my flesh seems to creep upon my bones, as I recall that horrid
moment of my past existence. The door was opened, and a figure glided into
the room. It seemed to move upon the air, for we heard not its footsteps.
By the feeble and sickly light of the expiring taper, we closely examined
the appearance of our extraordinary visitor. She had on a green dress,
black bonnet and feathers, and, in a word, precisely corresponded with the
appearance of the apparition described by the wicked old nurse. My sister
screamed hysterically, and I fell into a swoon. The household was
disturbed, and in a few minutes the servants and our parents were by the
bed-side. The old woman was among them. I described, as well as I was
able, what had occurred; and my parents, without a moment's hesitation,
laid the mysterious visitation to the charge of the old woman; but she
st