The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1877-01-06


suasively on his shoulder
"See here, Fred you are friend Of
mine, and / am about to put your
friendship to the test. / want you to
do me a very great favor, will you ?"
Fred laughed.
"Will 1? OF course ] will. What's
up p
And Mr.. Levison turned the keys of
the doors, and the consultation lasted
until the house-keeper rung the dinner
bell.
Five hours later the moon was just
crossing over the tops Of the trees,
making perfect food of silver-gold
glory on the quiet scene, and Mrs,
Willard, with fieecy white zephyr
shawl and her crepe brown hair, was
standing at the kitchen door, on her re-
turn from tour of inspection to the
snug little barn and carriage house,
which she had personally seen was Sc
cure for the night ever since her hus>
bands death. ....H
Her cheeks were flushed to the tint
Of an oleander flower by the keen kiss
Of the frosty air, and her eyes were
glowing like blue fires as she stood
there one moment in the broad band of
white moonlight that lay athwart the
floor like silent blessing. Then, with
little involuntary exclamation at the
perfect beauty of the night, she went
in, locked the door after her., for her
three servants we're all retired for the
night, and then gave q little. .shrleki for,
standing In self same accustomed place
he was wont to'occupy, and looking
as natural as il it were himself in the
flesh, was her husband. She stiaed her
shrek, and tried bravely to feel brave,
but her heart was tearing around very
undlsciplinedly as she realized that she
was looking upon bona tide ghost-a
veritable inhabitant of the land of eter-
nal shadows. ..
=" Will !" she said, family, with hef
hand tight on the handle of the door
"Will, is it you 9''
His voice was precisely as 1t had been
in the old days-mellow, musical, a
little domneering-Will's, undeniably,
unmistabably.
"Who should it be but 1, Nellie, and
come on purpose to communicate with
you"
Yes ~ she gasped "but what
for ? have tried I have done every
thing that l thought you would wish.
There is nothing wrong, Will 2"
The pale, moonlighted face, the speck-
less black suit, the spotless linen, the
very same In which he had been buried,
the low, familiar Volce-it almost para
lyzed Nellie, and yet, aided by the very
material contact of the door-knob, she
stood her ground, and listened
Nothing is WRONG with you, Nellie,
but with me. / can't rest in my grave
knowing the wrong l unintentionally
committed in binding you to perpetual
wldowhood 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. Promise
me you will do it, and l will rest peace
fully forever"
"Oh, Will II II you say so-lf you
think 1t best-yes Yes, / will |"
Her face pale enough now to have
passed for ghost herself.
"Go look at the big clock in the din
ing-rOOm, Nellie, and see If it is near
the stroke of twelve"
She went dumbly, mechanically at
his behest and when she came back,
he was gone, and the moonlight
streamed in on an empty room.
Then the reaction followed, and
Nellie few up to her bedroom, and
locked the door, and covered her head
with a shawl, and sobbed and cried
Historically, until her oVer-wrought
nerves found relief in sleep.
The next day Mr.. LeVison sent lit
tle note overr apologizing for his SEEM
ing discourtesy in not coming to bid her
good-by on his sudden departure for an
indeduite time, and telling her that her
cruel decision never to marry again had
been the cause of it, and that they
might never meet again, &C., sc.
To which Nellie, all pale, alarmed
and crimson with confusion, penciled
an answer, assuring him she had chang
ed her mind, and begging him to come
over to lunch, to see her and meet her
Orother>in-law, who had only just ar
rived from abroad.
OF course MIR. LeVisOn came, aud it
didn't take two minutes to settle it, nor
did he laugh at her when she solemnly
related her experience of the previous
night.
'For it was his ghost, Harry, just as
true as am alive aud speaking to you"
"a jolly old mean, thoughtful,
spirit, Nellie Bless his
yhostship, we'll hold him in eternal re
Nor did his cOuntenance change a
feature, even when he ald Nellie ami
Fred Willard discussed the marVelously
Ibliging kindness of the departed.
Nor did pretty, blooming, blushing
Mrs. Nellie ever for a moment dream
that her visltant was Fred himself. as
sisted by wig and false whiskers-nor
was there any need she should know,
for her happiness was secured, her con-
science at ease. Sat. Journal.
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