The Ghost Of Russian Hill

It was in the year 185 I, and I was living ;it Ban Ftftnoisci. Ohanciugto aeed somo ono to issist moin doing some plti;n gewing, Mr. Evans, ono of tho merchants oftbetown, and a man whose obaracter tbr benuvolenee wasknowii far nnd wide, gave nie tho address of a Mi's. Addis. She w.is a superior persón, quito u liidy, he said, who luid como to California froin the Bastera State ; and wagreduoed to live by hor own exertions. Hö added that sho had been recentlyrcry 0 with nervoue Cover, wrashardly strong enough yot for the harder work of waan ing, which slü' had befurv taken in, and 110 doubt she would bé glad of the higher einployment of sewing. " Washing ! " I exolaímoil. "A superior person, quite a lady, and redupod to tako in washing ' " "Ay," replied Mr. Evans, "and thankful to gut it." So, onc ïnorniiig, away I started foi Mis. Addis', oliinbing over tho inttivniing sand-hills thát lay between St. Annis aiul niy more oentrally situated home. ïlio strects were not then cut throufrh and pavi'd as tlioy aro now, so tho expedition was quite a pilgn'ni igo, and I was tiiud boforo 1 ceached the cottage of Mi's. Addis. 1 reorignized it by thu doscription Mr. Kvans liad given : a protty whito dwelling with groen blinda, standing in a garden surroundcd by a picket tunco, with an ornamental porch, over wliich a green vine was boginning to trail. All looked fresh and new, and it appeared that sbo had not long got info it. A littlo girl of ninu was playing outBÍde with a boy of three ; anothor ohild, a girl of purhaps six or so, sat wrapped in B shawl, watehing theiu. 8ho looked ill : nnd, indeed, tlure was a delicaoy about thcin all. Thu moiiieiit they eaught sight of me all three evincod oonsiderable alarm and ran in-doors. In a minute the eldest carne out again, sent by her mother. Ulashing very mueh, sho said I must pluaso excuse her for running away, but she and her little sister and brothex were ghy and not used to visitors. She was a gentle, ploasant-looking ohild ; but in hor face therc lingercd an expression as of a Bodden fright, and I thought it raust, bc at nio. Mis. Addis camo to the door then. A palé, delicatc-looking woman, with a sweet face of s-uffering, and a refinement of manner that hurprised me. It was almost impossible to believe that she could be doing the work of a common waeherwoman. Alas, I had not then tho experienco I havo acquired sinco of what wellreared women may bc rcdueed to by distress when oxiles in a foreign country. The porch door opencd into the parlor, and we went It was tidily, nay tastily furnished, with. such artioles as sojournere in San Francisco could most readily procure. A fresh matting covered the rloor. Somo cano-eeated ohaira and a round tablc stood about tho room. Bendes, thorowasa set of. hanging shelves trimmed with fringe, and plenty of little ornamenta and souvenirs, bespeaking home friendshipeand loving parting gil'ts from the othor side of tho continent. All this, and the -.vonnin's gentle manner and really protty face, seemed more and more at vanance with her hard calling ; but One sees these anomftliee in a new country, as C-ilifomia was then. I carne at last to tho conclusión that, wliatcver circumstances had reiidercd it necessary for Mis. Addis to work in tho way she did, i ... y had no power to dostroy her natural reliuement of inind with. its old associ:i.f Ktlts. " You must excuso my littlc poople, if , yoil please," she went on to say. "They aro liko frightened hans, md fly for , ter at tho sight of :i ttrange i'aoe ; indeed, . we are none of na strong just now, though wo are gaining health duily. All exoept Xanoy, ni y eklést, havo hada long, woakeaing lover." " Panama ? " I suggosted. " No," she said, and shuddered a littlc, speaking slowly ; " it was a nervous fover. I um just reoovering Erom it mysolf, having had the most leiigthenod attaok of all." And then I reniembcred that Mr. Evans had mentionud it - a norvous fever. " Wkiit caused it ? " I askod. Bat to this question Mrs. Addis made no answer. An unmistakable shiver ran over her frame, and for the moment I thought sho wouldfaint. "I beg your pardon,"sho said. " I havo bcüiiiuuuh shaken in ñervos; jarrod and worried. I do hopo - I do trust that we shall get well in timo, now that wc are in this pleasant and peaoeful house." " Pèrhaps tlie liouso you livod in before was damp 'i " " No, I don't tliink it was damp ; it was nol that," sho said. " It was on Jiussian lüll." " Unhealthy perhapa in otter vaya ? " " Yes. Unhealthy for us," - and thore ensued tho shiver again. " Abuut the work, ina'um; what is it you wish moto do i " I sat and told hor. I partook of some refieahmenta whiuh they offered me - a inouthtul of lunch and somo tea. And 1 carne away strangoly interostod in Mrs. Addis and hor gentío ohildron, and quite determinod that that ñrst visit shoulcl not bo the last. " What is the inystory connectod with hor illness 'i " I askod Mr. Evans whon 1 next saw him. "Thore sooins to be one." " It certainly does seom to lo a tttyatoiy ; one, 1 bellere that no one can cxplam or account tor," was tho reply of Mr. Evans. "I dare say sho will givo you tho history if you request it." And in duo timo I obtained that liistory ; and transcribo it as it was told fc ■ me, neither adding to it nor taking Lrom In early timos the mcans of transit across the continent woro so dangeroua and cOinfortless thát, liko the man who had ohoice of two roads, travelors woro suro to wish that thoy had taken tho contrary one. Tlio lengthened horrora of Cape .Hom, tho Indian petils on the plains, and the fearful fever on tho Isth mas, :ivc ampie tlii'mcsof sympathy, curiosity, and endlesa sunnise. Mrs. Addis had como by tho Isthmus, and her voyago was markod by an all-absorbing ow tliiil Bwallowed up every smaller considerution of discomt'ort and annoyance - the death of her husband. Mr. Addis had been a teacher all liis life. Bteaking down in health and spirits, u tlmsc who have nraoh do with the young sometimos do, he had undeitoken the jouniey to California to reornit bis gtrength, and alsu in the hope tii;it he miglit iind there hoiiio moro piofitable and' leas mcntally laborious occupation, l]i' died jusi asthoy oame in view of Aoapuloo, and lay butied there, iar from home and ]indriMl. Pooi Mis. Addis came ashore with aohing heart but a strong spirit, resolved to labor for the living Of het cliildrrn, the VOUTtgest of tl 11 1 1 aearly an infant, ráther than undertake the voyage home agoin. Hei fáthei had been a poor olorgyman ; sln had tto Eriends in hei native land oapablo ofassistin lur, and would not go back to bo a burden upon them. When ons li;i to loso casto and work i'or a living, it hard to the mind todo it in a strango plaoe. Bhe iii'1 not know the work would be so menial, but shu had pal hei sbouldertothewh.ee! and tooli whai oame. At 6rst Dothing offered; peihara hoi visiuns we're too high. yho tould i'iily olasp her threo ohüdfen to hor breast und pray to be helped to próvido fbr thoin, not to dio of starvation. Mr. Evana, who had been ono of her fellow-passengera on board tho Sierra X toda, that had brought thoin np from tlio Paoifie, and who liad ssoii hor husband laid to rost in Mexioan soil, was vory kind to hor iu hor dosolation. Washïng was paid tbr wellin the place, for witshiir-womim wi'ii' scarce, and tho notion patue to her that sho shouhl 8öt up in that calliag. It nu doubt caused her pridjo a crupl blow, heiself a bittoi heartaohe; perhara i struggle, yesor no, with hor spirit. Uut slie resolved on it. fciho tliought she would got day liolp for' the hardest of tho labor. Mr. Evans and one or two other gentlemen who had been witnessi s ui hei miafortune olubbed togother to set hor going. Thoy found a ohoap, pretty house, furaished, ou Riusian Hul, and placed her in it. It overloolced tho entrancb to tho bay, and a nice swoep of gmooth gronnd lay around it, enoloaed by a high paling, on which tho linon coulil dry. Thoy went with her to tako possossion of it : Mr. Evans and a Mr. Hurlcy, iw latter carrying the baby, Willie. What with one busy preparation and aiKitlicr, Iho day had waned, and evoning was drawing on when thcy sUirtod. It was a lon;, tcdious walk up Pacific stroet ; and theii taking a winding path over thii brow of the hill, and desoending a littlo on the sido that fronts the Gol don Gato, thoy stood beforo the cottage. It was. a littlo ono-storiod placo, with a gardou in front full of rank, ovorgrowii geraniums and trailiug Australian vinee, straggling on either sido of the straight and woedy path. " This can all bo dono up mcely, you knoiv," said Mr. Ilarloy, ehoerfully. " ïliero was 110 time for it beforo you oame in. It has been empty and neglecten soTong that it looksrathor wild." Mrs. Addis answered in tho same ohoerfvil spirit ; she was so grateful to thcin that shu would not show any rogret. But as she was cressing the poroh to enter the doorway, a shivering chili struek hor that it was inipossiblo to describe or account for. The house was not dark. Thosc: kind friends had had it lightoil ; a hunp buxned on tho tablo ; a ftre bla.ed in the open grato ; what could have gi%"en hor that shuddwng' chili? The childron, howovcr, made araendsfor hei siïence, for they were loud in thcir delighted comments on the new house, and their surprise at its odd fumiture. The room was a small, squaro apartment, with as open grate and a front and back window. lts Hoor was oovered with ohecked matting, and there were two or three oolored rugs laid over it. Beaides ascarlot sofa nnd two largo chairs, much worn and faded, woro somo tiny Chinese tables, and a little cabinet placed on one of them. To tho right a door openod Lato a, smaller room, containing only a bod and an old walnut clothes-press. Out of (ii.it v;is a largor room, built sideways and in the shape of the lotorL; it had two French Windows and a oheerful lookoxit citywards. A small kitchon comrjletod tho house. " Being night, it look.s a littlo dull," . -.1 .Mr. Evans, ma tbey vest through i T , , 1 11 .1 ltjli tae rooms, " ana Bmeiie eartny; hut that is owing to its having been simt up for so long' a time. It did smell earthy. The vory nir i clnr.i! iiml heavy, and Mis. Addis thought it might be that which caused hor strunge oppression of spirit. Evorything noodud for comfort was at hand, and the gentlemen departcd, loaving grateful hearts bohind thom. Tho days Went on, and the feeling of oppression, as 3Irs. Addia expreased it, woro lightor by degreea ; but sho always had a sonso of it more or lus. Only when shc was ut work sho did not so much fcol it. Her kind friends had cxoited thoiuselve8 to get her plenty of work. It was hard at first, but shc had help, and got rcon-iled to it. Tliu littlo room loading off tho parlor, was made a playroom tur lier oliililron. It was lined with scarlut ohintz, and the largo, curiously-ehaped room was made tho bed-chamber. So she worked and prospered, and bogan putting up a iiioe littlo sum cvery inonth towards repaing Mr. Evans and tho other gentlemen what they had advanoed hor. Her expenses woro not largo. The rent of the houso was romarkably low, and slio sometimos wondered at it, hoping that Mr. Evans was not paying part of it himself in secret. Ho said he was not, but sho could notholp fearing it. They had no neighbors, but farthor down towarda the Laguna was a sottleinent "of Spanish pooplo, whose childron would como up and poep cmïously through tlic garden mil.-. That tlio house luid been ( inhábited by Kpaniards, whc must have ' left it hast'ly, w3 evident, for the furniture was all Spanish. WImii it first was Mts. Addis could ' er distiuetly rocollect or traco that she 1 heard her eliildren allude to somo one ' they called " tho lady." She grew toiimd to hearing themtaik of her, but i wlirn she at longth asked an ] t.iou of who the lady was, there seemod to '■ bo somo niystcry in tlie aiiswere. The ohildren gawthielady "atmoments," they said ;. thuy would look up front tlieir play and soe her by thom, and as they lookod l again she'd be gone, they did uot know : where. " Does she como into tho gardon, Nani-y ': " iski'tl MTrs. Addis of her eldóst girl, i most intelligent child. " She comes indoors as well, mamma." " Comes indoors as well ! What does she say Y " " She ncvor spoaks at all," was Nancy's angwer. "Mamma, she just comes and goos Hko the Bhadowa in the garden." This was very strantre. That it was smni! penon from the Bpaniah settlement at the Laguna, who eame up to indulgí.' hercuriosity, Mrs. Addis feit BUT6 of. Tin: next leisure hour she had she W&Iked out that way, taking Nancy, and bidding hor point out tho lady ifshe saw hor. Mrs. Addis did not nltogethcr like tho idea oí a strangor's entering her lioujo at will without asking leavo. lt wíis a bngat, sunsumy anemoon, ( and :i-ll ili! Spanish pcoplo seemed lo bo ■ outsiile thoir cluster of huls onjoying it. The womeu were sewing; thu ohildren playing. Mrs. Addis wolked along, exrhiinginü; ileasaut lnoks ind nodn willi 1 1 1, .,■ people, os is tiio custoin in un unBophisticatod plaoe like Ban Francisco, and they nod4s3 Mid Btniled baok again. "Doyou soo the lady, Nanóy?" Bhe isknl in :i low tono. "No, immuun, I can't seo her anywhero." All at cuíco, as it wero, Mrs. Addis beaware ofe certain ourioaity in the mannor and looks of these people as tin y regatded ber, far bcyond the Datura! curiosity exoitcd by strangers. It waa, us sin: aftiTWiinl expressod it, an awcBtruofa cnriosityj they gazed at her as thougb she wero a rare, wild animal. " ,i"v malo casa," sha indignantJy heard and the speaker had. her eyes direoted to , her home os Rossian llill. Mrs. Addis caught up onough California Bpftn. ish to know thot it meant, "Vory bad , house." A ï.iall, bright-eyed " señora," with two children at her . : ■ ■ ■ 1 against her linie gate,löoking both curious and she a mixture of i"1 jui tha( uiighl have nxado any onc laugh to heat hor, why they all starod at her ao, and what wis amias with her or hei house. The sonora, took a littlo timo to gathcr in tho moaning, and then said sho was mistaken tibout horself, for thoy all Ihought wr.ll and kindly of hor; but as for tho house ! lloro sho shook her hcad and gestieulatod with hor hands, and looame quito nnintelligible. Mrs. Addis begged her to repcat what sho had said, which sho did in prccisely the iiiamior ; luit. beyondl tho wor&s; bad man and bad house, shc COtdd gathet nothing. It made hor fooi uncomfortablo, and as slio went up tho hill again sho regarded hor neat littlo abodo with puz.lod wondor. Having an errand to do at tho it store, which was kept by an [tallan, ín a tent on Pacific streot iuthoso days, sho soul Nanoy ou to the younger ohüdron. Whon she petumed, oarrying hei few parecis, twilight had set in, and tho great misty columns of f02; that'fi nG timos swopt in from the Bea wpre nmking the landscape vcry dreary. Still, as sho olimbed the hill from tho city sido shc could soo her own door quite plainly, and in it tho thrce children at play. Not thoy only, thcro was a fourth figuro standing with thein - a Spanish girl of slonder forni. She had a BOrapa thrown over hor shouldora, and was vtratohing thcui with a slightly drooping ln;ad. " That must bo tho Indy ! " cxclaimod Mrs Addis to horself with a miden conviotion. " IIow young sho looks - quite a girl." In hor excitciucnt, Mrs. Addis stumblod ever a stono and droppcd hor paper of silgar. Stopping to piok it up, hor eyos were withdxawn from tlio lady for an instant, and when sho lookod up sho could not sco hor uny whero. Tho children were playing on in the iorch, as boforo. In hor hasto to gain the house, shc lost hor breath. " Where's tho lady F " she inquirod of her childron. " In the parlor '(" Tho 1: tfclc ones loukcd round, as if searching for the lady so as to answor tho question. " The lady is not here, mamma,," said Nancy. " Bnt sh! was with you a minuto ago." Thoy soemod Buxprised. One and all declarod tlio lady had not beenthcre that cvening. Minnie, tho second child, said sho had not playcd as much as tho othors, and must havo geen her liad sho come. But Mrs. Addis had the ovidence of hor own eyosight, and wout to look ; a vague ic( ling of soinothing strango was beginning to dawn upon her. The ludy was not in tho garden, back or front, as ïuight bo scen at a glanco. Mrs. Addis went into tho different rooms indoors, and shc was not thero. Whero lay tho mystory ? In what did it 0011sist ? From that night a conviction of somothing to be avoidod and foarod, sat upon hor. Day by day it decponod, liko a darkened cloud. It was cxtremoly painful to acknowlodgc to horself that this fiurious and inexplicable thing had greater power over her, in dopressing her heart and paraly.ing hor spirits, than tlie severo SOETOW that had I pyer her lifo, leavjug alono in the world with its troublo. Á vagué fear of somc ill to como hauntcd hor, and yot shc had not tho courage to confesa tho wcakness, and beg Mr. Evans to fina hor anothei homo. When the childron namcd " the lady," shc shuddered, and yot could not jcason clearly on tho subject or decido sonsibly what foundation slio had for misgiving. 8hc licaiiio daily moro opprossod by brooding over this vory uncertainty, and tho shadowy dread that haunted her. One thing sho observod; that tho children never now spoke of aeeing tho lady but in tho littlo red playroom. AN'liunever sho appoared to thoni (if appcar sho did, and it was not all dolusion on thoir part) it was always thore. Tho singular circuinstanco was, that thoy had 110 fear ; and whether they really bolieved that they saw tho lady, ono of roal tlush and blood, Mra. Addis did not know. Sho would not talk to tltoui about it. , Thus the time went on and October j cuino in. Ono day shc had been down in . St. Annis' Valloy and was toiling back upward aftor hor long journey ovor the gand-hills. Glancing feo the houso whon . sho oamo in view of it, slie fuuud ono of thcir good friends, Mr. Brown in tho poroh with the children. llo had Willie ■ in his anus, i:nd the two ghis wero jumping and talking by I1Í8 sidu. " Thoru's mamma ! " they cried. "Mamma's como back." In that moment the strango and painful doubts were lost sight of by Mrs. Addis: sho lauglied and nodded in hor turn, and quickenod her weary steps. Suddehly hor heart stood still as though it wore turned to stono. Passing lightly out at the door behind the group already there, the figure of tho Spanish girl, and stood among them so clpso thit their garments seonied to touch; but no ono noticed her, or appoared to mark her prosence. Sho leaned forward anxiously, and shaded her face with hor hand as sho watclied, looking earnostly down toward and boyond tho hill. For :iu iustant Mrs. Addis soomed to loso sight and sonso, and wlion slio looked agaiu tho iigun: was gonu. " Was any one with yon hore a minuto agoX " she osked of Mr. Brown. " There's no ono horo but mo, Mrs. Addis; me and tho children. How ill you look ! Your long walk has fatigued you." She said no moro. It was on tho tip of hor tonguo to teil him all, but slio did not. Perhapa a dread of being secretly laughed at provented it. IIow sho droaded tho etayimg cm in that house on liussian llill, only herself knew. The rainy season cominencod oarly ; there was ;i great doal of it - quite a flood - so that the children played indooiB. Mrs. Addis neverheard them talk of the lady now, and feit convinced sho was not appcaiing to them. Only twice nul Mrs. Addis beueld üer ; yct sao teemed to ramember her face as olearly, vi ry feature of it, as though shu had ;nown hor ior yoars. And, bcforo attemptíng lo relato wkat followed, a hopo must. !)(■ expresaed - as Mrs. Addis oxi it - that sUe should not bo ehargod with ins.mit.y. It was tlie 9th of Octobcr; almost midnight, and obout a fortnight after the walk to St. Annis' Valley. lira. Addis, vory busy over Borne sewiñg, and feeling sadly desolíití:, was at work in her bedroom by the light of the lamp, tho threo ohildron abed and asleep under hor. Bhe sat there tot company. Tho wind sigh.■d drcarily without, and tho dull tolling of the f og bel! on the beaofa aounded Ld eaoh rising kus!. AÏmost imperoeptibly al Brst, a soft, low moan began to minarlo with tbe bell ; and it caught by slow degrecs Mrs. Addis' uur. She looksd ofiE her work I" listen, hor vory blooil fooling suddenly chilled. It come from tho Ht He i, i the ohildren played ín. Bhe waa Qcedofthat as slic listeaed with huflhod breath. Taking tho lamp, ghfi I to tbfi door, impolled by tVar, iiapellod with that strange impuísethat t'orbida you to remain btationary in a dread suohasthis. Opening tbe door of the red room she looked in, and saw, well, siw what well might turn her brain. She stoud in a ;ort oí droam, nul knowing whether sho was awako. Tho room seemed to be filled with furnitiif--funiitur6 that it had not in reality - :i bed Énd ohairs, and a matting on tho Hoor. Ou tho bod lay the lady sho had bofore seon, the Spanish girl, lier features distortod with what seoinod to be a dóath strugglo. A man whosc face wns not discemible to Mrs. Addis, stood besido tho bed. Tho Kpanish girl mado a frantic effort to spring up, as if to bent hiiu oiV, and then Bank back and moved no inoro. Tho man toro tip tbe matting and some of tho Hoor, and :i great hole sec-mcd suddenly l.) yawnthoro. Then, by the sido of tho bed, appeared a long box, and Mrs. Addis feit suro that it was not thero a minuto before. Intothis the man pnshed the in ■ smisililo girl, and lifted it into tho groat hole. Tliis was all. Torrifiednearly to death the poor wpinan lost her sonaos and foll. As sho oxpressedit afterwards, aoold, dull nwi'iil blaak Boomed to stretch its"lt' liko a. black curtaiu butwoeu her sight and tho world. The children found her lying thero insensible, and help was callod in. In vain her frii'uils str. ve to iinpcesa upon hor that this strango scène shc geemed lo have witnossed wus nothing but a dioam or a nightmare ; sho replied by osking whether the appearanoo of the Bpauish girl to hor and herohildren boforehood had boen a droani. Tho night was suoeeudod by a dangerous fever, and sho lay for many day8 in delirnni. Mr. Eviins cautred tho floor to bo taken up in the scarlot room. Undorneath it lay just snob a box as Mrs. Addis had !.'- scribed ; the lady within it unreoogui.able from the action of slaeked lime. Then the poor people in tho Sjiunish settlcment wero ojuestioned, and thuy relftted wint tlicy kn;w. Tho houso on Kussian Hill had been tho abodo of a young girl bolonging to their pcoplc; shothought hersolf tho wit'o of an American merchant, wlmiii ghe loved with intinso dovotion ; and sho used to watch foi his coming with anxious 1'uudness. Ilis real wife, mrantimc, sailed fiom her eastern home, and Ciimo to join him ; and ho, i'earing discovery, poisoned tho poor girl, as t'was tliought ; though none could provo it, and nothing positivo was knowu boyond her disappearance on that night, tho 19th of Ootober, two yoars before. The American morchant abandoned the houao and i'urniture, just as it stood ; giving an agent ohargo to lot it for an almost nominal sum. Ai'ter remaioing cinpty for sonlotime, Mr. Evans took it for Mrs. Addis, itslow rent being tho iuducemont, and ho knowing nothing of the story. After tho discovery Mrs. Addis waa roniovod, and lay long ill at the housu of a kind Spanih womftn who reoèÏTed hor. Btranee to sav. her children also bocauio ni ; os ïf (pcoplo saidj the curso of tlio house were working ïtsolf out. A botter homo was providod for hor - the one in which sho has boon introducid to tho reader - tind she rornovod to it. Sho wiis only then rccovoi'iug tVoiu tho long illncss and was veiy woak. Mr. Eviins substantiatod this story in ovbry particular that ho could, ag did othcrs. The suspoctod man liad gouo with liis wifu to Australia ; and no ono luid hold the Spunish girl in sufficiont interest to follow him thero and chargo hira with lus crinio. He lives in immunity from it so far ás is known to this day. I imike no romarks upon tho story niyaclf, I givo it as it was givon to rno. That it was strangcly singular, none can dony. And if tho reader should bo curious on the subject of Mrs. Addis horsolf, I may inciition that sho prospered woll, and rognined her own position in lifo. But shc nevor illuded to tho houso on Eussian Ilill with tho loast abatomont of horror. Nothing in this world will ovor shako hor belief in tho ghost that hauntcd it. - The Argony.