The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1878-04-04

at his feet, and lay there, face down
wards and perfectly motiOnless.
Meanwhile the mfgician drew from
his bosom a small flask, and having ut
tered some words over 1t, touched tho
boy upon his shoulder. On the instant
the little fellow started mp and knelt
before him, with one hand extended
the palm upwards. and followed into q
sort Of cup, and into this the magician
slowly poured from the flask black
liquid not unlike ink, and then grasping
the boys wrist addressed the chaplain
"Hc says that the boy will look for
anyone any person desires to see," he
said; "and he begs us to make haste,
for the condition into which the child
is thrown is very exhausting. What
say you, Nesbit; do you desire a peep
at any one?"
"Not LII answered. "But come,
Herbert, you do"
The young man turned his dreamy
blue eyes upon me.
"Yes," he said, frankly. "If | hoped
he knew anything of Phoebe should
be very glad. Ask if he can do any
thing for me, will yOu?"
The magician seemed to understand
him. He motioned him to advance,
and spoke to the boy, who at once be-
gan TO speak in English.
81 see-yes, see," he faltered, in a
strange rapid way, as people speak who
suffer from fever-''I see such pretty
thing-a place--a house. There are
columns; there are painted windows
there are people-so many people =
and there is lady she is all in white I;
and there are flowers, orange blossoms,
in her hair; and she has veil. And
there is a man, dressed like you, and
another man in white robes, and the
first man is putting ring on her fin
ger-on the lady's finger; and now he
kisses her; and now-I can't see any
more; it is gone"
at is a wedding happy prophecy
said the chaplain.
Herbert blushed, and dropped a hand
full of coin into the magician's lap, and
our chaplain addressed the boy.
my lad," he said, "try to go to
England again; try to follow my
thought. am thinking of home now
of my wife. Do you know what l
think of, and of whom?"
The boy nodded slowly.
ooh, am so tired" he said, "but l
will go-I will try. 1t Is very far
very far. Now-I-see. Now see--I
don't know what see. 1t is black-a
black box"
"a black box!" said the chaplain.
"Look again."
at is so dark, !" said the boy; "a dark
roOm-but see black box full of
white linen. Wait-I see palmer. 1t
has something else in it-a-a woman
dead woman. 1t is what the English
people are buried in-a-a coffin"
And with these words he dropped on
his face, and the black liquid dropped
from his hand to the floor.
The chaplain turned deathly pale.
He sat down and wiped away the great
drops that had started to his brow.
"What fool was to put myself in
the way of being frightened by
mountebank =" he said. "What can
that child know of anything that has
happened, or anything that will hap
pen, in England?"
Then he, too, thrust coin into the
magician's hand and bade him go.
For my own part, / laughed at the
whole affair.
"The rascal fancied you a widower,"
| sad, "and believed Herbert, as he is,
lover looking forward to his wedding.
The boy has been taught to see these
two pictures, and he acts well-that is
all"
And my friends agreed with me in
words, if not in heart.
Still, could see the chaplain waited
for his letters more anxiously than
usual.
1t was eight weeks before the mail
came in. l never shall forget the MORN
ing, or how the men crowded in, eager
eyed and anxious to hear from home.
The officers had theirs sooner than the
Others, and stepped aside with mines
when | heard some one give groan. /
looked about ME; there was tall palm
tree close by, and against it leant the
chaplain, his hand to his heart.
"For Heavens sake, what is the mat
ter? ?" | cried.
But before he answered knew. His
" life was dead.
saw that it was more than he could
bear, and took his arm in mine, and led
him to my tent, as one leads the blind.
But the tent was not empty, as | ex-
pected 1t would be. Lieutenant Herber
was there, seated on a camp-stool, with
an open letter in his hand. saw his
face afterwards, when he had just half
an hour to live, and it was not much
more changed than 1t was then. So abb
sorbed was he In his own trouble that
he did not see nor care for anybody
else.
As the chaplain sank upon the bed he
rose and came to me.
sold boy" he said, "it wasn't n
nropbecy. Phoebe Is married. 1t was