Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-04-09

AOI ntNNtH bhhtl
because, as 1 say" replied, "it
seems TO me just possible that, If there
be such thing as ghostly influence, or
spiritualism, or olairvoyance, or what
ever one may choose TO call such mys-
teries-because l say, If such things
exist, you may have received the warn
ing to leave your seat as you did through
the mysterious influence of Miss
Naughton herself, for she was in that
railway train that same night, and those
earrings belonged to her."
Again the wonder in his face would
have been amusing had it not been
mingled with an expression of pain.
d" Incredible, preposterousN he said at
length. "You say Miss Naughton is q
friend of your wife'sP"
Eyes; and / will explain how came
upon the fact forthwith. Yesterday,
as my wife was dressing, she asked me
to fetch her a brooch from the drawer
in the dressing-case. On opening it
the first thing which caught my eye,
among lot Of little trinkets, was that
earring, and moments examination
showed it to be the counterpart of the
one you had so mysteriously come by.
The device was not easily to be forgot
ten. You may Judge of my surprise,
and how it led to my telling her about
your strange adventure. Then we went
into the matter, and she on her part
told me how the earrings had be-
longed to a schoolfellOw Of hers, Rose
Naughton by name, who had lately
gone abroad; and how, two years ago,
she had been in fearful railway acci-
dent one evening, while on her way from
Peterborough to ball at Grantham--
how two of her party had been killed
while sitting beside her; how she es-
capped by a miracle, uninjured and
how, amongst the trining events con-
nected with the terrible circumstances,
she had lost one of her earrings
one of pair which had been given her
that night by the man to whom she was
engaged. and who was himself killed. ~
My friends face, with a strange per-
versity, seemed for n moment to lose
its panied expression as | uttered these
| last words. l resumed: "When Miss
Naughton went abroad she gave my
wife her photograph-that on the easel
and among other souvenirs that odd
earring; for it appears the tragical ac-
cident brought about one good result
| for her-it cut short an engagement en-
tirely distasteful to her, and into
which she had been forced-well,
DIDN'T hear exactly how; at any rate,
she never loved the man-disliked him,
in fact, my wife says, and had no com.
junction about giving the earring tc
my wife, who was struck with the
quaintness of the device. You will
readily understand how this story in.
stantly associated itself with you in my
mind. A comparison of dates anC
other circumstances left no doubt
was bound to come and tell you; and
hope, my dear fellow, you will acqui
me now of an idle intrusion upon you
affairs. / assure you l had not the
faintest idea that you knew Miss Naugh
ton by name. l thought you nigh
have seen her, as believe you did; TO
assuredly her presence-either in tn,
flesh or in the spirit, whichever il wa
saved your life" My friend, full 0
amazement, held out his hand, and, il
shaking mine warmly, eVinced NOR
feeling than l had ever given him credi
for.
"Of course, of course, old man." h
said, 81 know you didn't mean any
thing; only / was taken by surprise, a
well might be, for was tremendousl
} fond of Rose Naughton once-am s
, still, for the matter of that and tn
sight of her face rather took me abacB
We were half engaged once, only he
= old mother broke it off; and l was an
| cry and hasty, and--and droppe
3 them, and have been sorry ever since
Y and then was too proud, and, in short
= have made an ass of myself. Do yo
: know where she is nowP Do you kno'
where she is gOneP
4 "No; but | can find OUT " wis
t you would; for after all you tell me,
= have a strong inclination to follow hel
t and try my luck again--try if forum
!, will turn her wheel for my benefit.
| "Most certainly do so; you would b
}, flying in her face if you did mot; fC
. really this is the most astounding thinl
o on the whole, that ever happened to
s fellow. There must have been son
y mysterious agency at work when yC
were thrown so close together that nigl
IL without either of you knowing it. Sa
l that the appearance was but vapor
Il the brain, partly due to i'll health an
h uneasy sleep, still its aspect and natul
II are clearly traceable to Miss Naughton
l presence hard by; and mere coincident
0 is not sufficient to account for all tn
u happened
% every marvellous, truly" said h
l. "and we can only call it, as the guar
J. did, q the ghost Of chance Stil
u whatever il was, it hardly accounts f
y the earring being in my compartment
y that, as originally wrote, was not Il
If ghost of an earring; how do we 6
N over thatp" "Ah," l answered, "v
e are as far off in the solution of that
1t ever. Never mind; be thankful tn
T. things are as they are. viii ascerta
3s from my wife Miss Naughton's prese
o address, and do you go and see II 81
70 can explain the mystery"
" He followed my advice, and he final
u married Rose Naughton, of course; b
u still it was long time before any lig
IT was thrown on the earring side of Z
mystery. This eventually came, ho'
10 ever, thuswise; In the course Of {
" whirligig of society in which my friel
A. and his wife move, there has turned
1t young man, who was one of the b
Of party of that fatal night, and he tn
r explains the enigma. He says he W
lt late, and was hurrying along the plI
m form at Peterborough when Miss Naug
70 ton and her friends were trying TO fl
IN seats. They were little ahead of hi
- and in the confusion she must ha
s, dropped one of her earrings, for
III picked it up, and fearing TO be left
Q. hind-for the whistle was sounding
h he made dash at the nearest carrias
is The window was open, but the dc
Id was locked; and on precipitately thru
ne ing in his head to see If there was roo