Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1870-01-22
WARNED BYA GHOST,

Irene Cit6Oru's little room, pfnH
with the shadow of the tossing rose.
that crowded the rustic easements
was full of the dainty paraphernalis
of the wedding day. White lace
white orange flowers, and pallid jes
samine buds, lay around In graceful
confusion; pearls cleaned from ar
open velvet case on the dressing Ia
BILE; and folds of priceless white silk
shimmered like snow ,wreaths on thu
bed. Irene, sitting In their midst
looked herself like a fair white lily
with her complexion of cream anC
roses, and her pale gold ringlets ant
shady blue eyes. s1s1..
ayes, tomorrow morning, Maria,
Come, wish me JOY"
Maria Hewitt shook her head
where the silver threads were already
beginning to CLEAN through tn,
sunny brown braids.
I Ut can't wish you Joy, Rene
can't indeed. Oh, had hoped TO BE,
you stand at the altar with anothe
man than Mark EldOn by your side
Don't think me unsympathetic
Rene; but tonight, Of all nights II
the world, I keep thinking of Wilfret
Mayne.,'' a ~ -,
Had It not been for the pink shad
ow of the roses still on her cheek
Irene Clifford would have been yer,
pale, as she rose from her seat, will
one hand pressed convulsively to he
heart. gaa tls
"Oh, wilfred Mayne, Maria? o
the noble hero who died two wear
ago off the coast of Spain, when tn,
'Otraute' was wrecked, and ever.
one on board perished."
"But I can't believe he Is reall,
dead, Rene" said the elder lady
speaking with passionate emotion
"Supposa-only suppose, for an In
stant-he should one day return t
find you, his aftianced bride, the wifi
of another man."
"Do the dead ever return from thei
ocean graves, Maria?" 'F.
"The dead-no."
MARIA" said Irene, clasping he
slender hands together, and speakin,
In voice that betrayed powerful
though suppressed emotion, "yo,
should know how truly and tenderl.
/ loved Wilfred Mayne-how preciou
his memory still remains to me
But you should also know that tn
many benefits Mark Eldon has show
cred on my poor father, the years &
devoted love he has given to ms
ought not to go entirely unrewardet
do not love him! THAT feelin
persisted when the Otranto wen
down among the orange blo0min
coasts of Spain; but respect and e.
TEEN him. I will do my best to
a good and dutiful wife to him. OF
Maria, you of all Others, should b
the last to disturb the convictions (
my conscience at such u moment.u
Maria Hewitt said no more; sil
only shook her head, and began gu
city to arrange the disordered room
touching the pure white wedding d,
cora tions as sadly rs II they had bee
funeral habiliments. And Iren,
trying to throw OFF the heavy weigh
that lay upon her heart, spoke softl
of other subjects, as the red sunst
died away among the crimson petal
OF the clustering roses, and the r,
dance Of the western sky began
soften into tender, dusky gloom.
"Do you like those stiff, artiflci,
orange blossoms, Maria?" asked I'll
expectant bride. Sometimes far
cy that q few simple white roses frol
our own garden would be sweeter an
less conventional" ''"
"Well, perhaps they would" con
mented the spinster, thoughtful
turning the wreath around.
4 \
AT all events I am determined
try the effect" she said. an ru
down int the garden and gather
few, Just to see."
The solitary vine-embowered ga
den walks lay in a sort Of viol,
shadow beneath the warm twiligl
armament. Through the den,
boughs Of grand old Norway pin
one star glimmered like lance
gold shooting downward from III
heavens as Irene Clifford fitted aloT
her dress brushing perfume frol
spicy clusters Of clover pinks, ar
velvety pansies, and both hands IA
of rose branches, while almost unco
sciously she murmured the burden
some old song.
Such a wild piercing cry az su
denly rose up into the twilight sol
, ness, as the roses fell from her han
and her cheeks blanched whittier ths
their own petals-such wild shri,
of terror as rent the evening stillnel
And when Maria Hewitt reached q
Swallowed garden she found Irene
ing on the ground totally sensele.
with her hands clasped tightly ov
her forehead. -
!. To bring some water nom the q
well under the laburnums was B
: the work Of moment; and unc
Miss Hewitt's skillfully directed ca
!, Irene soon returned tn her sen'
with shuddering signs and faint, b,
terlc gasps.
Dearest, what heightened you
asked Maria, when nj length Ire
:, sat up on the low garden bench .
looked around her with wild, une
tain eyes, "Did You hear ~