New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1883-01-31

'.Cousin Marjorie he answered .sdo
not ask me indoors. The evening is too
beautiful. Come with me. viii you
not walk with me this once under the
moonp You are not afraid of me, are
you, Marjorie?''
laughed little.
''Why should fear YOUR asked.
You are no stranger. have always
heard Of you. l will walk with you
gladly"
walked beside him. looked down.
He looked at me. We passed from the
garden, and turned towards the beach,
and came at last to the ruins of the old
building, over which there has been so
much talk lately. Then we called it the
old mill.
''They say it is centuries DID," said l.
"And so many lives have run their
course and ended in the tomb, while
those stones still remain" he said sad
". ''Man dies, and these insensate
things outlast him. Yet, while he lives,
what glorious thing to be a man, He
paused. His eyes glittered in his beau
tiful white face.
''Think of it, beautiful Marjorie" he
said. Think of me, your cousin Al
fred-young. strong as q giant. rich,
powerful. and with you for his bride.
You. you bright young thing, think Of .
man like>that, with all before him, and
suddenly all is Como. and death leads
him he knows not whither.''
His glance, his voice, his words
frightened me.
''Cousin Alfred. are you ILL.," asked.
Perhaps we had better 60 home"
''You shall 20 ho,ne.' answered my
cousin. ''you sweet young living thing.
I SEQ fear in you eye. You tremble.
Give me moment more. 1t is so sweet
here-on earth, under the moon-with
you and love. And you have all life be-
fore you; give me one moment more"
my beautiful cousin is certainly de-
ranged" l said to myself.
Suddenly he bent toward me. M
'Ihave not yet saluted you. Marjorie, :"
he said. May not kiss your hand, I
your betrothed husband?"
Oh, his soft sad voice! let him take
my fingers in his own, and he bent and
pressed his lips to them.
As he did so felt no touch Of human
flesh and blood, but through all my
frame thrilled strange electric flashes.
l could not speak or stir, but as stood,
turned, as it seemed, to stone, l saw the
beautiful form before me gradually fade
away. 1t did not move from the spot
where it stood. but even as regarded it
l saw it change into white vapor and
slowly melt into the air.
I knew no more for hours. Then
was aware that they had borne me into
the house and restored me to myself,
and lay on the great chintz-covered
sofa trembling with the memory of what
had passed.
Out in the darkness, beyond the
windows, the servants went to and fro
with lanterns, searching vainly for the
man who had come and gone so
strangely-for none believed my story.
But now there was heard the CHATTER
Of a horses hoofs, man alighted at the
gate, asked for my father, and was
shown into our presence.
A seafaring man, tall and bronzed.
wearing look that spoke of no good
tidings. He took the seat offered him,
and addressed my father:
''Sir, am the second mate Of the
Osprey and l come to you with evil It'd
ings. regret to bring them, but have
no choice"
proceed, sir" said my father. 'sThe
Osprey has met with some disaster?''
mo, sir, replied the sailor. ..The
Osprey is in port, unframed by all the
evil weather she has encountered on
her voyage; but when she sailed, she
had on board a passenger, young
nobleman who crossed the ocean, it was
said. to visit his affianced bride. The
name and title recorded on our books is
Alfred, Lord Hardinge."
My father bowed his head.
my wife's nephew" he said, ''and
betrothed to my daughter"
''Sir," continued the sailor, s'when
we reached port that nobleman was no
longer with us. must tell the tale. He
was drowned in mid-ocean, swept over
board by great wave. We warned him
of his danger, but he would not remain
below
..How long ago did this happenP''
asked my father in faint voice.
"a month ago." replied the second
mate of the Osprey.
Then he drew from his bosom min.
iature, set with diamonds.
This" he said, ''had been placed in
our captains care. It was to be pre-
sented to his bride. Lord Alfred's own
portrait =
1sprang from my couch. and caught
it from him. and saw the face that had
faded into the air in the moonlight beside
the old mill. And knew it was the
spirit Of my cousin that had come to
me. But we said nothing to the honest
sailor. He was well entertained, and
went his way again. And we three kept
our secret well.
As for me, that ghostly kiss left by
my dead betrothed upon my fingers was
the only one that ever touched them.