The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1877-05-26

| bow. bless YOU, I am glad to see you, al"
| though for the instant | confess 1 Was
| startled. You are the living image Of
YOUR brother Wilson. We've been dis
cussing ghosts, you know"
Young Williard's eyes cleaned mis-
chievously as he interrupted, irreverent-
ly-
awe is good, Lev. You mean my
little sister-in- law of course? l know
she believes in 'em. | am impatient to
ace her-for the first time since Wits
funeral"
Mr.. Levison had been looking thought
fully at the embers, glowing like melted
rubies behind the silver bg6fJ Or the CRATE
Now he turned suddenly to Fred, and
laid his hand ~persuasively on his
shoulder.
"Lock here, Fred, you are a friend OF
mine, and | am about to put your friend
ship to a test. l want you to do me a
very great favor. Will you?"
Fred laughed.
"Will II Of course l will. What's
up?"
And Mr.. Lcvison turned the key Of
the door, and the consultation lasted
uatil the housekeeper rang the dinner
bell.
Five hours later the moon was just
creeping over the tops of the trees, max
ing q perfect food of silver-gold glory on
the quite scene, and Mrs. Willard, with
a feecy white zephyr shawl and her
crepe brown hair, was standing at the
kitchen door on her return from a tour
of inspection to the snug little barn and
carriage-nouse which she had personally
seen was secure for the night ever since
her husbands death.
Her cheeks were flushed to the tint OF
an oleander flower by the keen kiss OF
the frosty air, and her eyes glowing like
blue fires as she stood there one moment
in the broad band of white moonlight
that lay athwart the floor like a silent
blessing.
Then, with a little involuntary ex'
clamation at the perfect beauty Of the
night, she went in and locked the door
after her, for her three servants had al
retired for the night, and then gave
little shrek, for, standing in the self
same accustomed place he was wont tt
occupy, and looking as natural az if il
were himself in the flesh, was her hus
band.
She stiAed her shrek, and tried bravCiy
to feel brave, but her heart was tearing
around very undisciplinedly as she real
lied that she was looking upon a bona
6de ghost-a vertiable inhabitant of the
land of eternal shadows.
"Willl" she said, family, with hel
hand tightly on the handle of the door
"Will, is it your"
His voice was precisely as it had beer
in the old days-melIow, musical, a Lit
rig d0mineering--Will's undeniably, Jun
mistakenly.
"Who should it be but me, Nellie
and come on purpose to communicate
with you"
"Yes?" she grasped "but what for
T have tried-I have done everything
that / thought you would wish. Their
is nothing wrong, WIFI"
The pale, moonlighted face, the speck
less black suit, the spotless linen, thu
very same in which he had been buried
the low, familiar voice--it almost para
lived Nellie, and yet, aided by the yer!
material contact of the d~oor-knob, sh'
stood her ground and listened.
"Nothing is wrong with you, Nellie
but with me. I can't rest in my grav
knowing the wrong | unintentionall.
committed in binding you to perpetual
: widowlood for my sake. ! come to re
woke my decision, to give you my full
permission to marry again, and my ad
vice to marry Horace Levison. Promis
me you will do it, and I will rest peace
fully forever"
80 Will! II you say so-if you thin
it best-yes !--yes, | will"
Her face wa pale enough now to hav
passed for a ghost herself.
Go look at the big clock in the din
ing-room, Nellie, and see if it is ear tn
stroke of twelve
She, went dumbly, mechanically, at hi
behest and when she came back he wa
gone, and the moonlight streamed in OF
an empty room.
Then the reaction followed, and Mel
lie flew up to her bedroom, locked tn
door, covered her head with a shawl
and sobbed and cried Historically unit
her overweight nerves found relief il
sleep.
The next day Mr.. Levison sent a littl
note over, a~pologizing for his seemini
discourtesy in not coming to bid he
good-by on his sudden departure for Al
indefinite time, and telling her that he
cruel decision never to marry again hal
been the cause Of it, and that they nigh
never meet again, etc, etc.
~ --
To which Nellie, all pale, alarmed, an,
! crimson with confusion, penciled an an
: swer, assuring him she had changed he
mind, and begging him to come over t,
luncheon with her. to meet her brother