Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-02-23

OF seeing him again will despair;
In dreams zee him now;
And on his angel brow
Iseei II written, Thou shalt see mo therei"
THE GHOST THAT APPPEARED T(
i. 5aa MRS. WHARTON.
sa 80 ~ -
WHEN my mother was girl some RI
mors began to steal through the tOwr
where she lived, about something having
gone amiss with old Mrs. Wharton; for Il
Mrs. Wharton was not known by all the
townspcople she was known and respected
BY 90 many that 1t was really no trifle
when she was seen to have the contracted
brow, and the pinched look about the nose
that people have when they are In alarm,
or living a life of deep anxiety. Nobody
could make out what was the matter If
asked, she said she was well. Her sons
were understood TO be perfectly rcspecta-
BILE, and sufficiently prosperous; and there
could be no doubt about the health, and
the dutifulness, and the cheerfulness, Of
the unmarried daughter who lived with
her. The old lady lived In house which
was her own property; and her income,
though not large, was enough for comfort.
What could II he that made her suddenly
20 silent and gravel Her daughter was
iust the same as ever, except that she Wa
anxious about the change In her mother.
II was observed by one or two that the
minister had nothing 20 say when the sub
tect was spoken Of In has hearing. de
rolled and nodded has bead, and be glanced
at the ceyiling, and then stuck his chin deep
in his shirt friil; but these were things
that be was always doing, and they might
mean nothing. When inquired Of about
his opinion NJ Mrs Whaston's looks and
spirits, be shifted bis weight from one foot
70 the other, as he stood before the fire
with his hands behind him, and said, with
the sweet voice and winning manner that
charmed young and old, that. as Tar as he
knew, Mn. Wharton's external affairs
were all right, and a. for peace OF MIND,
he knew Of no one who more deserved It,
II the course or Lcy life and the temper oi
her mind did not entitle her TO peace with
In, he did not know who could hope for ii
Somebody whispered that ii would be
dreadful If shocking disease should be
selling upon her; whereupon he, Mr.
Quincy, observed that he thought he
should have known il any such thing wa.
10 he apprehended. Az far a. q 1T Of in
digestion went, he believed she suffered
occasionally; but she did not even herself
adinit even that DR.. Robinson, who wa
present, said that Mrs. Wharton's friend
might be quite easy about her health. Sht
was not troubled with indigestion, MOI
with any other complaint People coulf
only go on TO ask ore another what coult
be the matter. One or two agreed tina
Mr.. Quincy had made very skilliul answers
In which he was much assisted by hi
curious customary gestures, but that h
had never said that he did not know o.
any trouble being on Mrs. Wharton
mind.
Soon after this, d like mysterious chang
came over the daughter but no disaster
could be discovered To have happened
No disease, no money losses, no famil.
anxieties were heard Of; their forme
cheerfulness and ease Of manner--nearly
but not altogether. They appeared some
what snbdued In countenAncc and bearing
end they kept solemn silence when SOM
subjects were talked Of, which often TURF
up BIZ the Christmas fireside. 1t was year
before the matter was. explained. M.
mother was married by that time, and re
moved from her smoky native town to 1
much brighter city In the South. Sh
used To tell US, al we grew up, the story Q
MIRA Wharton, and what she endured ian,
we could, IL we had not been ashamed
have gone on to say, II we had still. bee
little Children, :" tell us again"
When we wcre going into tho North =
visit our grandparents, 1t was oil very wei
20 tell us Of coal wagons that we shout,
zee running without horses, or iron rail
laid down In the roads and of the keel
men rowing their keel. boats In the river
and all, at once kicking up their right leg
behind them, when they gave the lon
pull; and Of the glass houses tn the town
with frc coming out Of the top Of tn
high chimncyss and of the eyer-burniD
mounds near the mouths Of the coal pitt
where blue and yellow flames leape
about, all night, through the whole yea
round. 1t was all very we'll to think
seeing these things; but we thought muc
more Of walking past old Mr.. Wharton
house, and perhaps inducing Mr.. Gurne
20 tell ua II his way, the story we had .
often heard my mother tell III hers.
The story asthios
One midsumher morning, Mrs. Whal
ton was SO absent at breakfast that he
daughter found all attempts At converse
! tion 10 be In vain. So abe quickly lille
the coffee. pot, which her mother had fol
gotten to do, and in the middle OF tn
forenoon ordered dinner, which she foun'
her mother had also forgotten. They ha'
iust such 4 broakfasting three times NOR
during the next fortnight. Then, on Mis-
Wharton crossing the hall, she met he
mother Ia bonpef and shANl, about to s.
out % early Is half,past nina. The cir
cumsaancs would not. hare been remarked
but for the mothers confused aud abashe
vay Of accounting for going out. 6h
lid she had little cal TO make, and .
an. The call was on Mr.. Gurney. III
had hardly done breskfast, when he wa
tOId thst MrA Wharton wlahed 70 spea
with him alone. u 'sssss.