The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1866-06-21
and welcome alike by old gentlemen and


Attwenty-fve the the feelings soon con
centrate. In the skies of youth one stal
8 comes very quick to outshine all Others =
]. Shirley fell in love with young lady Of
= about nineteen, bearing the pretty name o.
d Pauline Weston, daughter of Colone
!. Weston, to whom the young man had
: broughta letter of introduction. lst5
A month afterward it was known that he
1 was engaged to this young girl.
h She was gay, witty and the soul of mer-
ry-making. A brighter pair of blue eyes
, never shone in that region; redder lips had
e never uttered the jest or the laugh. Why
did Shirley select her 1t seemed impossi-
bic to explain the fact, save on the theory
OF opposites.' Engaged they were, how
ever, and Colonel Weston who had become
very much attached to the young man,
placed no sort of obstacle in the way. The
gossips speedily informed each other that
the wedding day was fixed, and this time
the fraternity had come into possession of
) the exact truth.
Fifteen days before the evening fixed for
the ceremony, Pauline Weston was sitting
at window looking upon the town, when
she saw Shirley coming towards the house
She awaited him with something nearly re-
sembling gloom. Since their engagement,
Pauline had discovered in her lover some
traits Of character which made her uneasy
, For a man of fresh and vigorous intellect,
he was strangely superstitious and at times
gave way to fits of gloom and melancholy,
from which nothing could arouse him At
such moments his pale face became paler;
| his eyes had in them singular light, as
though the gaze of their owner were inward;
and when any one spoke to him he would
start with a frightened air, and answer ell
tirely at random to any question More
than once he had related with ominous gray
ity the widest and most extravaganza stories
of weird occurrences in his own family; the
appearance OF spirits to members of the
households; the fulfiIlment of terrible dreams
land the straugest verifcat lions of lnysteri-
Gus warnings of impending woe he believed
Las firmly as he believed in his own existence:
land one of his habitual phrases was Three
warnings never deceive"
One OF his gloomy moods had attacked
him on the preceding evening, and Pauline
had vainly attempted to laugh him out of it.
lie had remained obstinately sombre, and had
left the house about eleven o'clock, the pic.
ture of dispair. -
AS he now approached, Pauline saw that
his mood altered. As he entered, ShirIeys
face was dark as night frightful pallor
covered his features; but to all the Young
lady's questions he only replied that he had
had bad dreams
Assuming a bright smile and gay tone,
she endeavored to laugh her lover out of his
mood. The attempt was unsuccessful In
vain did Pauline assume her most bewitch.
ing air; glance sidewise with the most CO.
quettlsh provocation, twisting as she did so,
one OF her golden curls over her white and
taper fingers, the wide sleeves falling back
and displaying an arm round, rosy.white
and charming. Shirley remained gloomy
and almost speechless.
Upon my word, said the young lady at
last, with something like pout, any one
who saw you at this moment would scarce.
ly believe that you we're engaged to be mar
ried-and to my humble self
sigh was the only response. The Young
lady colored slightly. forced laugh, and
added
You surely must have had bad dreams
What in the world is the matter that YOU
start so p
You are right, Pauline returned Shirley
i have had most distressing dreams, and
cannot dissipate their influence.
TELL me your dream
He looked at her gloomly.
i am afraid
DO not be, was the earnest reply, in a
voice full of affection, Have you forgotten
that it is my right to share your trouble
your sorrow IS your joy?
He looked at the blushing face and
slight color came to his own
| SYnu ara ri bo
1T concern you-for you were the subject of
my dream
y came again with a forced laugh
| What In the world has your lordship con-
descended to dream about me? That had
cut my little tnger-that was thrown by
some wild steed | was riding-or did the
chariot with the headless horses stop before
my door!'
At those words, tie chariot Nth the head
less horses, Shirley gave visible start, and
turned so frightfully pale that he seemed
about to faint ....
'What-do you mean P he almost gasped,
his dark eyes burning in bis pallid face
Then understanding doubtless, that this
emotion would have disagreeable effect up
ON the young lady, he passed his trembling
hand over his forehead bathed with cold
sweat and said more calmly: ~
4 do not understand your allusion to
'headless horses. p.
Have you newer heard the legend p said
the young lady, with a troubled glance Il
thought every one in S. had heard it.
1 am stranger-relate it. he said, with
gloomy calmness. r..
1T is very absurd, and very simple. They
say that whenever any one is going to die in
S. chariot of six horses all without heads.
drives noiselessly up to the door of the house
where the sick person lies, and at the mo-
ment when he expires the door of the
chariot opens without noise, closes in the
same manner, dusky hands are seen to gath.
er up the rains, and the chariot drives silent
lily away: .a
The words uttered by the young lady pro-
duced terrible effect upon Shirley. He
placed his hand with a quick movement up
on his heart, uttering groan of the deepest
agony, and closing his eyes sank back al
most fainting in his chair.
The young girl ran to bring a glass of
water, which she placed to his lips, and in
an instant he opened his eyes.
do not trouble Yourself about me-. he
said, with an expression of almost agony
upon his features Il have these attacks
sometimes, but soon. get over them See,
Pauline, I'm quite calm again. u
: And by powerful effort he suppressed
his emotion, and resumed his former expires
: sion of gloomy calmness.
But you have not told me your dream :
said Pauline, with beating heart, what
! could it have been !?
1 had three dreans-each time the same.
3 he responded in low tone, but we we will
not speak further of them at present. That
, is almost my last visit before going, Pauline;
let us speak Of our marriage"
In fact Shirley designed setting out on
the next morning to visit home and make
every necessary arrangement for his mar
riage. He gave himself fifteen Jays for
= Lthis inilrnE1r Or, -hsu IL -