Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-06-18

/ remained for a brief space irTegO-
lutte, lost In utter bewiderment, then
went back into my own room, more |
deeply perplexed than ever before In |
my life. What strange mystery was /
this, for which there was no account |
ingP The vision Of the young girl |
seemed like dream, but the face was a
reality.
l sat down 10 ponder over this singu-
lar circumstance, and, sitting there, my
eyes perceived, lying upon the floor,
card. picked itup, and upon IL read,
In delicate feminine characters, " No.
83.n Once more / started with aston
ishment. My own room was No. 80.
The room adjoining, into which 1 be-
held the young man enter, was No. 83.
Then the vision of the young girl had
indeed been no fancy. What had be-
held must have been an actual reality;
and my strange visitor must have drop
ped this card, whether accidentally or
by design knew not.
And suddenly / took a bold resolve.
should never fathom the mystery by
wasting the time in idle coniectures. 1
determined to explore it Immediately,
to penetrate the secret which seemed TO
deepen momentarily about the beautiful
face l had beheld.
Once more left my room, and this
time approaching the door of No. 93, 1
knocked It opened, and again that
sweet, pale face beamed before me
again those calm, clear eyes looked into
mine. But it was the form of the young
man who appeared. The graceful fe-
male figure was gone, and the tall,
slender but masculine outline was alone
visible. And yet that face, so gentle and
loving and sweet, remained unchanged.
1t was stamped upon my memory in
delibly, and 1 could have sworn to its
every feature.
held out the card had picked from
the floor.
" You dropped this in my room, be-
lieve, few moments since 1 have taken
the liberty of disturbing you in order to
return it."
He received it from my hand, glanc-
ing at mefurtively the while from under
the long lashes which half veiled those
deep blue eyes. 1 watched him mar
rowly as he turned his gaze to the card
and read the characters thereon written.
He looked up at me again presently,
and spoke:
"You were mistaken, sir. I have
never seen this card before. 1t appears
to bear a number corresponding with
that of my room; otherwise l know
nothing of It."
That voice again-ike the distant
strain of music, so soft and low, and so
unutterably sweet. He had spoken
very quietly, and had looked at me very
steadily with his calm blue eyes.
stood thus completely baflled in my de-
sign to obtain an explanation of the
mystery, and utterly perplexed as to
what course should pursue. l APP
peared involved in deeper and more
bewildering maze than ever. A slight
smile seemed to play across the young
mans face as he observed my hesita-
ton, and to linger there and light it up
as a rare sunbeam from heaven. He
stood looking at me in silence for a mo-
ment, and then said:
"We are strangers to each other, and
yet we appear to be neighbors; why
should we not be friendsP Would you
object to coming into my room and sit.
ting with me for whileP am lonely.
and shall be glad of your company il
you will do me the favor"
accepted his invitation, and entered
the room. 1t was an apartment similar
to my own, but it contained one object
which startled and amazed me. 1t was
the portrait of a woman, and upon il
my eyes became riveted as iffascinated
The same face of the girl who had ap.
peared to me in my room-the face oi
the man beside me. The same, and ye
not the same. Its expression appeared
older and more careworn. Its eyel
lacked the luster and the depth of the
: living and breathing objects l had be-
, held, and upon the canvas appeared Il
shed only cold and vacant stare. AnC
I vet the resemblance was too Vividly
. strong to admit of doubt. The SAINT
J sweet and gentle features beaIned dow
upon me from the wall, portrayed witt
= fidelity so accurate and lifelike that
2 seemed to be again in my own room
: gazing upon the lovely face of the younl
r girl as she stood before me.
The young man observed my eye
, fixed upon the picture, and remarked
: at is portrait of my mother. NJ
: doubt you perceive the strong resem
I blance of my face to hers; it is some
r thing remarkable-the precise similarit
! of our features and expression. Ant
yet have never beheld her since tn
< hourI was born"
3 looked from the picture to him, in
5 quiringly,
: "She died at my birth, - he added
"and so passed away out Of my sight
s and / might almost say, out of m
8 memory, except for that portrait; fol
0 having never known a mothers love o
r care, nothing remains by which / ca
n recall her, save yonder painted pictur
S of her face"
It He sighed as he spoke and turne
= his eyes away. Iwatched him as he SO
s for a few moments in dead silence, wit
, his head bent upon his hand, and Onl
n the profile of his pale face revealed t
# my view. Some moody abstractio
seemed to have fallen upon him, for hi
J, tightly-oompressed lips uttered not
Q word, and / saw his hands clenched j
}. kind of fierce, haf-angry way, g
l. though his mind was tormented wit
(. some bitter thoughts. A feeling of il
y tense wonder and curiosity stole owe
me as l looked upon him. Who an
|, what was hep Certainly had nevt
IS seen him before this night, for that fac'
|. once seen, was never forgotten. A d.
u sire to learn his history took possessio
II of me, and yet, without actual rud'
st ness, l could not accomplish such
= object.
1 Presently he lifted his head, and th
2, blue eyes looked once more into mini
e With an effort, he seemed to thro
ct aside the transient CLEAN which for tn
Ivs,4 o,,ono baH ohoInryo1 HE faafnpa