Mondovi High School - Mirror Yearbook (Mondovi, WI)

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4 THE HIGH SCHOOL MIRROR Storm that dashed with fury against the rattling panes, the wind that shrieked and moaned in the tree tops, or the fact that they were seated in. darkness, the only light in the room being that which came from the open tire? For some time they had been sitting in silence and then were startled from theft- dreaming to hear a girl remark, Say, girls, you have always wanted to know where I went to at a certain hour every day since we've been here, haven't you? Well, I've decided to tell you. The very first day we came 1 happened to go back in the woods a short distance and there 1 discovered a large lake. Its current is so power-t'gul that it has not frozen yet, and I stood watching it for some time, thinking what an ideal place it would be for skating later on, when 1 was startled to catch a glimpse of a bright red figure, disappearing in the trees ahead of me. 1 started in pursuit. Site led me a merry chase and finally I lost her. 1 forgot all about the incident then, thinking that perhaps it had been some one from the village trying to frighten us. When I was about a quarter of a mile from the house I stopped to rest a moment, and on looking about me 1 was surprised to again see that red cloak. This time the girl did not see me. She was sitting on a rock by the lake, lookiitg out with wild eyes across the water. 1 went nearer and addressed her. At first she paid no attention to me and then suddenly she sprang up and bounded away. F.ach day I returned to the same spot and waited for the coming. She has the most beautiful face I have ever seen and for some reason that face haunts me tonight. 1 wonder who she is aitd why she always sits in that same place by the lake, looking into that far-away, as if expecting some one who never comes. As she finished, a slender girl of perhaps sixteen, came out of the shad ows, and seating herself before the fire, began, Shall 1 tell you girls a stqry ? There was a chorus of assent as they drew hearer to her and prepared to listen. For an instant she hesitated, and bent toward the fire. The flames illumined her face and more than one person present thought to herself, llow pretty Caryl Courtnav is. Her light brown hair was brushed low upon her forehead and the curls were caught loosely behind with blue ribbons. Her eyes were of a dark, unfathomable blue, sometimes merry and laughing, but more often the dreamy eyes of an artist or a musician. She drew back and her face was again in shadow. She started to speak and then w-as silenced by a sound coming up from below. They heard the hall door opening oh its rusty hinges, heard light and htirr'ed footsteps coining up the rickety stairs, and heard them stop at the very door. There was a knock. Those in the room did not move and scarcely breathed. The knock was repeated. One of the chaperones rose and after turning on the lights, she stepped to the door and threw it open wide. All was dark without, and no one was visible. lfie next moment a figure appeared on the threshold. The girls shrieked and drew back, for there stood the girl of the t;cd cloak. She was drenched with the rain, but still stood motionless. looking in upon the frightened group. The chaperone drew her forward and up to the fire. The hood of her cloak had fallen back, and revealed a face, gloriously, wonderfully beautiful. The dark, disheveled hair clustered about her forehead in heavy waves, and in great contrast to its darkness was the White, despairing face beneath it. And those eyes! One

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THE HIGH SCHOOL MIRROR 3 LITERARY CHRISTMAS IN THE HAUNTED HOUSE. Set far back from the road, and down in a deep hollow, was a rambling old homestead, rapidly falling to decay. The land, gradually sloping down from the road, and the th ck woods and shrubbery about it, completely hid the house from view, and yet people knew it was there and unconsciously hurried their steps as they drew near. Strangers arriving in the village, and starting in the (Erection of the “Old Mansion,'’ as the place was called, were warned to hurry past it and not to lo'ter on the road after dark. The many insinuations that the house was haunted never failed to bring, at first, a smile to the listener’s face, but it would slowly disappear when acquainted with the numerous rumors regarding the mysterious homestead. In awed tones the people would declare, that at nights shadowy lights would come and go in the upper windows, a ghostly figure would flit from room to room, a woman’s voice would shriek out as if in terrible agony, and at times, there would float out upon the night air, strange, weird music. These tales naturally daunted the most fearless, and with some petty excuse he would turn away, and take a road that did not lead past the Haunted House. So far over a year things had gone on; the mystery remaining unsolved, the people living in terror of the ghost who was supposed to hold revelry alone on those dreaded premises. The influence that this specter held over them was so powerful that they were afraid to hunt it down lest it should avenge itself upon them in some strange, merciless way. I'or tins reason the ghost was left in peace and the inhabitants of the village contented themselves with keeping out of its way and advising others to do the same. A week before Christmas, a crowd of some twenty girls, with their chaperones, arrived from the city. Calmly they announced their intention to hold a house party in the haunted house until after New ’t ears. 1 his t me the people's warnings fell upon unheed ng ears. With some misgiving, and, it must be confessed, a great deal of curiosity, they watched the outcome of the reckless adventure. The girls took up their abode in the “Old Mansion” fearlessly and decided to unravel the mystery, if such a thing were possible. Travelers passing on the road above heard shouts of merry laughter coming up from the great hollow. and once in a wh'le were greeted by the girls themselves, who, coming up to the roadside would mischievously question where that fearful ghost had disappeared. The people seeing them safe and sound would laugh in relief, and say that perhaps the whole affair had been invented by some superstitious person. Christmas day was drawing to a close. Gathered together in a great room were the girls who had defied all warnings, and had dared to try to solve the mystery that enveloped the very house they were in. For some unaccountable reason they were restless and started up at the least disturbance in the deserted rooms below. hat was it. they wondered, that filled them with an unknown terror? Was it the

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THE HIGH SCHOOL MIRROR 5 could never forget them—dark, lustrous, with restless, brilliant light that haunted one with their anguish. Unresisting, she let them remove her cloak, and then stood silently before them, a slender, graceful creature of twenty, her rich garments, her pose, everything, denoting the marks of good breeding. They saw now that she carried a violin, and seating herself before the fire, she touched its lovingly, and tested its every note to see if it bad been injured by the storm. Then she rested it in her lap. and lifting her bend wearily, she spoke. Her voice was low and sweet. It thrilled the listeners and made them draw closer—all but Caryl Courtnay, who again drew back into the shadows. “I’m afra'd I am intruding, but I had to come once more to be w th him, for perhaps it will be the last time. Tonight I am very tired, and when I was at the lake, I heard h:m calling for me to come. You wonder what I am talking about? I will explain: My aunt and uncle, of New York, own this place, and, until a short time ago, they used it as the:r country home. Three years ago today they entertained a crowd of their city friends at a Christmas dinner. I was visiting them at the time, and came to know one of their guests, a young artist. After the party he often spent the week-end with my aunt and uncle and we became very good fr ends. Several months later I was called home by the illness of my parents. Before 1 went we planned to meet aeain at th:s place, two years from the day we parted. During these two years my parents d:ed and my relatives moved away from here. I came back to find a deserted house, but I had plenty of money, so I remained; and though the people say this house is haunted by a ghost, I am the only one who has ever been here. A year has passed and yet he who promised to come ba k has not come. V hile I was still at n y old home he sent me a pi lure of h self and me, w hich he had painted. 1 brought it w th me, and hid n in tl s room. hile you have occupied t e house, I have slept -ut-of-doors, 1 it every night after you had retired. I came to be with him. Tonight I f? -cied I heard h:m calling me. I cou 1 stay away no longer, so I came. Tl, t is all. Quickly Caryl Courtnay came f -ward from the shadows and stood 1 ;-fore the stranger. Bending toward h r, she touched her gen'ly on the ai l and whispered, “Carlotta! The oth r sprang to her feet and cr ed, “G( 1. that voice, that bar. and those eye;! I can never forget them. Who are you ?’’ “I am Caryl, Lionel Courtnay’s s:s-ter. and I have a message for you.” “For me, w'as the dazed answer, “for me, and it is from Lionel? Tell me!” “Yes, from Lionel. About two years ago he left for Africa with a party of friends. While there, he became sick of a deadly fever. He never fully re covered from its effects, so he returned home. After Ifs arrival, he steadily grew worse and the doctor told us he could not live. In his delirium he called incessantly for Carlotta. raved about her dark hair, her glorious eyes, and of a picture he had painted of her and himself. He would try to rise from his bed. crying out that she was waiting for him by the lake and that he had promised to meet her at the end of two years. We looked everywhere for the girl, but we never found her. At the very last. Lionel grew conscious. With his dying breath he begged us to find Carlotta. to tell her why he could not come, and to say that he would meet her in heaven. We promised him all he