Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-05-28

for pardon. God knows what possessed
me. l answered only:
May [ not talk to pretty woman be-
cause | hope to marry you some day 2"
You were flirting, almost making love
to her," she replied.
She is the sort Of woman with whom
men fall in love-" said d" irresistible in
her manner I've heard she makes con-
quests everywhere; I don't doubt it,
Grace looked at me with very stern
face-whlte in the starlight as a marble
statue.
"Other women are always jealous OF
such women," added.
"I am not jealous of her, she said.
" would not be like her for kingdom.
She is a terrible woman. But since you
admire her SO you are free to tell her SO
after you have seen me to my door,"
/" Grace !" said.
q Miss Hunter, if you please, MIR. Ruth.
erford," said she " we have both made a
little mistake easily rectifed ; that's all. u
ielt as l stood looking at her that the
effect upon me Of the wine | had drank
was stronger than had thought, but |
paid no heed to the warning Of the giddy
head and rapid pulse"
Just as you please" | said. {"
should think that a jealous woman would
curse any mans life. I'll 60 now. won't
trouble you longer. Good bye"
We were not at the door of her home
we were half block from it but | turn.
ed on my heel, then and there, ard left
her. l staggered little as walked, and
l was hot and angry. l made my way
home, and without undressing, fell upon
my bed and dropped asleep.
In two hours 1 awakened sober. L sal
up and looked about me. The scenes o.
the evening recurred to me wildly. l saw
how blameworthy [ had been and terri
Bile grief oppressed me. l put my heae
down upon my hand aud burst into bitte
tears. | had lost her, and with her, and
all that made life precious. Then hope
dawned upon my soul. would write tt
her and tell her how, unused to liquor a.
was, the wine had affected me. L woulc
tell her that to my sober self there was NJ
charm in the woman who had seemed tt
enchant me the evening before. would
draw the comparison | felt SO keenly be-
tween herself and the bold-eyed firt.
would pray for forgiveness, and she would
forgive me.
Springing to my feet | rushed to my
desk. l drew from it pen and paper.
wrote a letter overhowing with remors'
and tenderness. | read and re-read it
Then leaving it lying on the spot where i
was written [ stood at the window watch
ing for the tardy dawn, very jealous of the
hours that kept my missive from my dar-
ling.
| had put out my candle when | lef
my desk, and the room should have beer
dark, but as | turned my head after Ions
and anxious reverie, | saw that it was full
of pale radiance like that of moonlight
1t startled me. Whence did the ligh
come Had miracle occurred HaC
the moon risen again
Suddenly, amid this silvery light, ap
peared a still whittier radiance. 1t SLOWLY
took form. A female figure, in white gar
ments SO bright that they dazzled my eyes
stood bending over my letter.
i | remained motionless-to speak or sti
was out of my power-and gazei on th'
object with terrified intensity. The fgur
seemed to turn the pages of my letter witt
its transparent hand. heard gentl
sigh then the head turned toward me
and l saw a face | knew, the face tina
seemed loveliest of all on earth to me, en-
dowed with a mysterious, divine beaut..
for which no man could find words-th
glorifed face of Grace Hunter.
At the sight l burst the bonds whicl
held me-bonds as tangible as though
could have seen them, and rushed forward
| strove to clasp my love, or her shadow
in my arms. A shock, such as one Nigh
experience from an electrical machine
flashed through me and l fell powerless t
the floor.
When recovered the day had dawned
and under the blue morning sky the cit
had awakened, but my day never dawne
again. My heart never woke to lite
sweetness.
| To end this story in very few words
Grace Hunter never reached home tha
night, and never was heard of again. Th
family imagined that she had remaine
with her friends, and were not anxiou
about her had left her within sight o
her own door, and why she didn't reach
I shall never know. But | do know that
in some woeful manner, she died that nigh
and that her parting spirit paused in it
flight to bid me long farewell,
i | have outlived my youth, and the sus
picion that fell upon me and embittere
many years of my lite, but shall neve
T outlive my love for Grace Hunter, or M
} remorse for that nights woeful work.
shall never outlive the knowledge that, il
the madness caused by wine and an evi
woman's enchantment, l was the cause @
my darling's death.