The house was still and he slept, but was awakened by what appeared an ice-cold hand upon his forehead. Startled, he sprang to his feet. The little old lady, her hand raised in warning, glided through the door and up the stair-way.
A cold moisture stood upon the forehead of Mr. Farnsworth. He trembled and grew faint, and it was with an intense sense of relief that he heard Mr. Merryman’s carriage stop at the gate.
He hurried out to receive his wife and helped her to alight. The four passed a few minutes in pleasant conversation; Mr. and Mrs. Farnsworth thanked their neighbors for their courtesy and kindness, then the Merrymans proceeded on their short way down the road and up their maple-lined lane to “Fair Meadow.”
Mr. and Mrs. Farnsworth went to the parlor where, in listening to an animated account of the concert, Mr. Farnsworth’s spirits revived, but his sleep that night was disturbed and he arose unrefreshed.
“Mrs. Lattinger’s little girls are coming to take tea this evening,” remarked Mrs. Farnsworth cheerily at breakfast a few mornings after, “and I gave them permission to invite any playmates they wish to accompany them.”
“That is all right,” replied her husband languidly.
“I have thought of several ways to entertain them, among them to dress in my great-grandmother’s wedding costume.”
The children came, the orchard was visited, the dove-cotes, the fish pond and garden had a share of their afternoon, then all returned to the parlor and Mrs. Farnsworth quietly slipped away to the attic.
She had taken the ancient attire from the trunk when she felt a presence near her, and turning, she saw slowly receding toward the back room a pale little lady with black gown, white kerchief and dainty lace cap.
Uttering a piercing scream, Mrs. Farnsworth fell to the floor in a swoon.