Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1880-10-12


thought they would try their hands a
keeping tavern There was considera
bic travel backwards and forwards, anC
the stopping. places wasn't any too neal
together. so Elihu and Liza had a gooC
share of company. Liza wasn't very
strong she came of delicate stock, anC
never had been used to rough work o.
living, and il wasn't but year or two be-
fore Elihu saw she was failing. and SURE
cnongh, before they had been keeping
tavern three years she was sick in hel
naked bed.
"Elihu felt blue enough, for the doctor
didn't give him bit of encouragement
One night. just at dusk, he was sitting
right here by this very fireplace, just
over here where he could see that bed
room door. Liza was sick in there
when all at once he saw what he thought
was Liza. all dressed in white. come out
OF the bedroom, 90 across to that dining
room door and disappear. 1t was done
so quick. and he was so surprised that II
was all over before he could speak, ard
jus, as he was going to get up and go and
see if Liza was in her bed. for something
told him that wasn't Liza, though il
looked like her. 4 second woman dressed
all in white appeared in the doorway OF
the bedroom, and, crossing as the first had
done, disappeared, though now he no.
,iC,d that no door opened or shut.
Amazed and bcwildered, he passed
his hand over his eyes to make sure he
was not sleeping, and would have started
TO his feet, had he not been transhSed by
the sight of an elderly woman, dressed
in deep mourning, who was also standing
in the bedroom door. She, too, crossed
the room and disappeared from view.
Just then u fit of coughing seized Ii
"a, and he did not need to 60 to her TO
know that she was still where he left her.
Covering his face with his hands, he
bowed his head and tried TO think.
"''Twasn't no use TO hope any longer,
he told himself, for this was warning
of the plainest kind. Liza had got TO 90.
But what was the meaning of the other
two who followed Liza, Could it be
that he was to have two more wives, and
one was to follow Liza, in robes of white,
while the one in black was to outllve
him,
Stronger and stronger became the con-
yiction that this was the meaning of the
strange sight he had just witnessed, and
few weeks later, when Eliza, in her
simple white robe, was carried to her last
resting place, Elihu felt that the first part
of his vision had been fulfilled.
Several months passed away, and al
though he was still sincere mourner for
Liza. Eihu could not help looking anx-
iously at every blue-eyed, ligh,-haired
woman that he saw, hoping, yet fearing
to see that face which followed Liza in
,ha, solemn procession. and which was
fixed in his mind so plainly that he could
never forget it. lie had good many
curious experiences, bu; they all ended in
'moonshinc,' as he used to say, and he
began to think that he was hunting 4
shadow.
Month after month passed away. and
one day the woman who had kept house
for him since Liza's death gave him
warning that she could work no longer,
and he must look up some one to fill her
place. This was easier said than done,
Tor help was scarce and hard to find in
these parts then, and when it came time
for his help TO 90, he with difficulty per-
suaded neighbor, who was a widow lady,
to take charge Of his house until he could
find some one else.
Just as Mrs. Mason that was the
housekeeper's name got ready to go,she
said:
d" There's a woman up to our place
that works sometimes, and if you want
me to, I'll see her when | get home, and
mabby she'll come and help you out
"Elihu thanked her, you may be sure,
and told her he should be nightly
obliged if she would take the trouble tosee
the woman, and persuad her to take the
place she was leaving.
"Mrs Mason was an accommodating
soul, SO she went right to see the woman
she had spoken of, as soon as she reached
home, and, lucky enough, found her
ready and willing to accept the offered
place.
"Getting ready in those days, warn't
much of job. so Miss Gibson packed up
the few things she wanted, and came
right back with the boy that carried Mrs.
Mason home. They got here just at dusk,
but Elihu was busy, and didn't see her
till supper time, and, if you'll beleave it,
he was so struck up when he did see her,
that he couldn't eat mouthful; for she
had the identicle face of the woman who
followed Liza, and the same light hair
and blue eyes.
"She hadn't been here long, you may
be sure, before he told her the whole sto-
ry, and closed up by declaring that he be-
lieved the Lord intended that she should
be his wife, or he never would have sent
her to him in the way he had.
"And Miss Gibson, being tender-heart-