Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1871-03-23


said. ;,
A nice sleep. What mockery all
tbe tender house: old sayings had been
to herl None knew of her grief, for
Rosie had been shy of speaking OF her
scarcely found happiness. She felt 'as
if the past and future had been blotted
out. as if nothing could ever happen
again-ever had happened but this
one horrible event. And yet she won
dered why she did not cry. Did she
love him less than her pet canary that
died last week. No, not last week
wears. ages ago, when she was herself
and had heart instead OF tins leaden
weight that did not feel, only pressed
all tie life out of her. h.
Oh. If she could die and go TO Arthur!
But she could not die. Sc would go on
living length of years, and her youth
would pass, and wrinkles come, and her
pretty hair grow thin; and even her
love would fade in the long years, only
leaning her sad, spiritless old maid.
And poor little Rosie's mind wandered
in these sad labyrinths of thought, hour
after hour, as she lay in the darkened
room. One memory after another
passed before her, each more full OF
pain than the other Only yesterday
she was sitting at her drawing, and she
saw him coming IN from the garden
through that very door, now 80 heavily
curtained.
She lived that scene over agian IN her
mind, feyerishly recalling every word
and look. She had told him an old le-
oend about the house she lived in, and
then sic remembered what She had told
about spirits, and his look, and the
half-spolien word. How she hated Mr..
Smjthers for interrupting them Ii she
could only have told one word OF her
love, But now Arthur would never
know OF il. All if her belief was but
true, and his spirit could come to her,
and show her that love is stronger
than the grave.
All ut once a suddel Light broke upon
the darkness She turned her heavy
ewes and there, there between the
curtains, stood her lost love IN the sun
shine, looking tenderlv at her.
Rose half raised herself, held out her
trembling hands, and cried, " Arthur,
NV loved You have come 30 me. / am
rot afraid ] am not at all afraid -
'Afraid OF what, darling z" replied
the phantom, in tone of greater sur
Drise. Come TO YOU OF course ] have
straight from the station. Have You
a headache, that the room Is SO dark
enedE"
The last words were lost upon Rosie.
He was kneeling by her, her head on
his breast, and torrent of tears were
utterly spelling the spectre's shirt front
Gradually, with great difficulty, he
learned the truth; and by dint of sooth-
ING and caressing, and laughing little
at her, the tears dwindled into an occa-
sional sob, the color came back to the
rosebud mouth, the light to the eyes,
and Rosie was herself again.
at was all that gossiping Miss smith
ers, Arthur explained THAT family
seemed destined to annoy us. had in
tended coming by that train, (Rose
shuddered, and had to be restored by
a kiss, shut I found my business
would not let me. | was vexed at the
time, little thinking from what | was
preserved mentioned to Miss Smith
ers bv chance what time / should come
back and as / did not turn up by that
train, she added me to her list of killed
/ and wounded. OF course | hurried
/ here directly when returned, and came
in this way hoping to find you alone.
| was in dreadful suspense, and when
+ | heard my dnrling's first words
"But | should never have said them, "
whispered Rosie, blushing very much,
If hadn't thought you were"
"A ghost" he answered, laughing.
Il know that it was owing to certain
Young lady's belief in apparltlons that
| was spared the torture of making an
offer; for it is torture to n shy fellow
I like me. Now don't say word more +;
but keep quiet and get your nerves all
1 right again.
Rosie pleaded to say one word, which
was" never cried at all about You,
Arthur, till | found nothing had hap
pened to You"
But he didn't seem to take that much
to heart
According TO the rules of fiction,
Rosie ought to have had brain fever,
and even to have furnished a touching
death bed scene. but all the effects OF
her fright on this romantic young per
son were that she did not get quite
strong for few days, during which
time a great deal of Captain Slade
company was required to divert and
amuse her.
la after years, when little Rosies and
Arthurs clamored for a story, some
one would say, ASK mamma If she
ever saw ghost But there would
be no reply,
FIVE members of the aristocracy OWL
6 3 II Gnnff,cb dom a