Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-11-07

prise.
Then where is she ?" cried Jane, Il
have just come from Mary Smiths, and
she told me Calie left with YOU last
night. She did not come home, and
where is She?'
Wei, where WAS she, vainly was the
question asked, for none cau,d tell.
went over to Mary Smiths, aud
found her, and Maud, and Viii, and
Harry Rice all talking the matter
over.
"Oh Kate" cried Mary, did YOU ever
know of anything So nltda ~ those
boys" pointing 10 VIII and Harry.
You knew We thought VIII was in the
city. Instead of that he WAS only down
at the station, in hiding, and he tele-
graphed 10 Harry to come down ON the
1880 train; and Harry Was hidden
away i'll the SPARE room, and VIII went
down cellar, after listening at the door,
and finding out what we girls were go
ing TO do. So It was nowouder YOU both
saw faces; and, now, isn't il uWfR about
Calli,9 Do you suppose she was MUIR
dcreC9f
81 do not know what e think, an
swered. "but feel sure that CalHe saw
something or somebody when he went
ont last night. You know she came
back, looking so excited and strange;
and she said she saw the ghost Of " 6r
ing person. thought it all nonsense
then; but | half believe she saw Recce
DWtoa.
VIII brought his hand down on his
knee with sudden force. "By Jove,"
he cried, 81 saw Il fellow get oil the train
last night all huttoped up to the chm
who reminded me in his walk of but
ton! He shot of into darkness, and
forgot all about him. believe il uoS
Reece Button"
Atter.inveStigatiou proved that a man
answering to Reece Dutton's description
and n closely-veiled lady had boarded
the upward bound train ut the station
above The Corners that night at >
o'clock, and the man had paid tare for
both 10 New York.
After that nothing more was heard of
them. Their names ceased To be spok-
en-, but old Mr.. Somers aged rapidly,
and ere the spring came he was laid III
his grave, and Jane the spinster sister,
went no one knew whittier.
The months glided on, and two years
passed by. II was October again 1869,
and the day had arrived when we four
girls had promised to assemble again Mt
Mary Smiths
TWAS not difficult for me to keep my
promise, for was now VIII Smiths wife,
4 l., 4 IL,
| had kept Halloweve two years pre-
vious. Maud, now Mrs II trry Rice, and
Mary who, oddly enough, had, a year
before, married wealthy widower OF
unpreposslpg appearance and none too
sweet temper,-both came down from
the city on the noon express. Maud and
l proudly exhibited TO each other
our lovely babes, while Mary, childess
laughinly showed us her new diamonds
worth fortune, which she said she sup.
posed would not purchase either one Of
the babies.
ooh, well, girls" she said merrlly
providence is justin its distribution OF
favors, | think. You have love, and
have money,-and both are content
NY husband has his peculiarities and
have mine,-the chief one being love
of money. Isn't it Fortunate the pre-.
diction of Halloweve was so well carried
out for us alp
And what geese we were not to knOU
that those fellows we're i'll the house,
laughed Maud. "The idea Of my living
awake as did until dawn, with super.
stitious oWe because had seen the spir.
it of Harry,-and he in another room
chuckling over it. Ihaye never forgiven
him for it.
So we sat, reviewing the past two
years, until the shadows Of night fell.
Maud and | rocked our fair-cheeked
boys to sleep, and tucked them in their
snowy bed and talked of their childish
peculiarities and cunning, precocious
ways, and Mary told us ofthe brilliant
life she was leading as society queen,
and then we spoke of Callie.
How very mysterious her fate is"
said Maud. ut seems strange that no
one has ever heard of her since she
went away"
81 wonder" said. eff her thoughts
are with us tonight. / wonder if sne
remembers. You know she said if she
did not come herself perhaps her ghost
would"
Az | said the word, we all looked
simultaneously toward the hail. The
sitting room door was open into the
hall, and each OF us had heard a
soundE
w hat was that7' asked Maud.
at sounded like a hand on the out
side door-knob," Mary ans"ered; and
rose and went into the hall. As | did
so, the outer door opened slowly, and a
woman entered woman who, from
her extreme thinness, looked very tall,
her dark, shabby cloak chung about
her in damp folds. for il was raining,
and she staggered as she came into the
warmth and light Of the hall, from the
darkness and the gloom without. ]
took her arm and led her into the room,
and as the full light Of the lamp fell
upon her face, there was one cry from
three pair Of lips
Great heavens, it Is Calliew
She turned her dark sunken eyes
from face 10 face, and then crouched
down in corner Of the room and hid
her head in her arms. Great sobs