Smyrna times., 1884-06-18
A Night of Terror.

! was Is when | finished my course
at the Oakwood Seminary, and | grad
uated with honors mot meaning to
sound my own praises, but facts are
facts. However, / certainly deserved
all the honor / obtained, for | had
studied hard-how hard | did not fully
appreciate until it was all Over-the
worry and excitememt-and / went
back home with papa and mamma,
completely worn out.
/ found ! was nervous and cross
about two-thirds Of the time, and for
the rest | was listless and stupid. with
no energy or ambition for anything.
Mamma finally decided that the best
/ thing to do would be to send me to
/ Uncle JOc's to spend the Summer.
! This proposition met my hearty apprO-
baton, for | considered it one of the
/ pleasantest places | had ever visited.
1t WAS a short drive from the neigh
boring city; large frame house sur
rounded by beautiful trees and shrub
berry. The family consisted of Uncle
Joe, Aunt Kittie and five boys. The
eldest-John-w married and lived
in the city. Charley and Will were at
college, and Harry and Fred, 1G and
-, were at home. They were both
handsome, jolly boys, and soon fell
wildly in love with-both of them.
was quite pleased with my Summer
resort as Harry drove me up the long
gravel walk one lovely afternoon in
May. The boys atterward told me
that they had quite discussion as to
which should 90 to the depot for me.
| felt justly tlattered, and was about to
acknowledge the fact, when Fred in
terrupted me by saying:
"Oh, no, Cousin Nellie, you are
laboring under a false impression as to
what our. feelings were. | blush to
admit we neither of us cnvied the Job.
Our idea was that, being nervous and
sick, you would be loaded down with a
dozen or more different kinds of medi-
cine, which you would have to take
every half hour, beside pills, smelling
/ salts. and numerous other soothing
restoratives You would of course
scream if we drove faster than mild
trOt, and go off in a dead faint in case
a hOrnless COW, grazing by the road
, side, raised her head and relieved her
self Of contented moo"
e We all laughed at Fred's description
of nervous person.
"You really thought was trouble.
some, them" | said.
, why, nervous person must
necessarily be very troublesome, O
course" returned he, and we laughed
again.
That Summer was n very pleasant
y one to me. | gained strength rapidly
My face soon lost the sallOw, unhealthy
tinge, grew plump and rosy, and be
fore the Summer was nearly over ont
day discovered on my nose a-freckle
The boys and | would walk, drive
picnic and fish. There was quite
c large stream of water about a mile dis
tant from the house, and here w,
would frequently 90 and spend tn
day, fishing and rowing. 1t is a won
der | was not as brown rs n nut. Blu
"early to bed and early. to rise, is
good prescription for fine complex
ion, and / followed this rule.
l. One morning / went as usual to tn
spring for water. / knew it was early
and that it would be some time befor
K breakfast would be ready, so l sat on
We stone to enjoy the beauty of the earl
10 morning, and was soon lost in thought
The spring was not far from tn
e- house, but concealed from it by shrut
berry. 1t was one of my favOrite re
sorts. Here / loved to SIT and watcl
the cars go by. This morning
was too late for the early passenge
train but | fingered, watching the rC
a. Election of the sunlight on the crysta
drops as they fell and FLASHED into tn
{" stone basin. l sat musing for-I car
- not tell how long. Presently hear
n foOtstep. l thought it was one of tn
boys after the water, having grow
tired waiting for me.
" Doesn't it look beautifully" / said
q without turning my head
q Every beautiful indeed" came tn
answer, but not from Harry or Free
/ turned quickly and saw tall mar
!. his dark hair streaked with grey, an
> sad, mournful eyes in whose depths
saw tears unshed.
4, Fair maiden, whose giveth a Gun {
> cold water in the name OF the Ior
shall be rewarded"
I'd He held out his thin hand. | file
my cup and handed it to him. II
drank it all, never once removing h
eyes from my face. / felt inclined [
run, but thought better of it. AS
10 extended my hand for the cup he too
ne it and said:
I'd. Little maiden, YOU remind m
to greatly of my lost Minna; though W
eF meet no more on earth, we will surel
for meet in that beautiful land where a
is bright and partings never come"
yes He raised my hand to his lips an
Sys pressed kiss upon it, then made me
Of stately bow, turned, and slowly Wake
away.
was nuite nervous and not n lit
frightened. Hastily filling my pitch'
4 q 4. I...A 4