The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1884-05-08

looking Devlne In the race IN the
sternest manner, shave You murdered
my SOM" The young man turned white
at the fearful question, and stammered
out:
II have no knowledge of your son,
SIR"
And yet" said Goodenough, Sc
verely, my son left Harrington's
house on that night of the apple bee,
and has never been heard of since.
And you dragged yourself wounded
and bleeding to this house, and say you
know not who was your foe. Nay,
nay, young man, You know with whom
you fought Was it my son? And,
oh, where have you lain him?"
Sir answered Devine, "as / said
before, / have no knowledge Of your
son. certainly met some being out
side this door, who stabbed me cruelty.
/ drew my knife and freed myself; this
is all 1 know. If it was your son, he
attacked me; and have no knowledge
of his whereabouts.
This was all Devine could say about
it; and SO there was no proof, only
suspicion. There was no action taken
in the matter, only the country round
about was searched for new-made
grave; and the report went out that the
two men had met, had quarreled, and
that Devine had killed Goodenough
and buried him no one knew where
Deeper and deeper fell the murky
cloud OF suspicion, and Will Devine was
marked as social outcast, yet still he
fingered In Smoky Settlement, and still
the girl he loved chung to him, believ
ing none OF the foul story.
Mr.. Anderson took no part in the
matter, only he would consent to no
marriage until the mystery of Simon
Goodenough should be cleared up; but
no light upon it dawned,
Three years after Prudence Harring-
toms apple bee, Mercy had changed into
quiet, reserved girl, and Will Devine
was as much a recluse as it was
possible to be in a populated dis
trict like that of Smoky Settlement,
when suddenly another sensation swept
over the little hamlet. Old Jeremiah
Anderson was said to be in trance.
For two weeks he had lain in an un-
conscious state, looking exactly like a
dead man, but yet there was the slightest
pulsation. Nourishment was given
him, in the form of soup introduced
into his stomach 10y means of a tube.
Hope and Mercy were at their wits
end and the doctors could do nothing
for them, and the report spread far
and near, and many an OK team was
yoked and brought loads from distance
10 see the strange sight of liv-
ing body from which the soul had
departed.
The daughters kept their fearful
watch until the beginning of the sew
enth week and one night Will Deyine
sat watching, with Mercy by his side,
for the girl would not give up her lover,
when the pale hand of the unconscious
man was aised, the mild blue eyes
opened, the wan lips moved and said /:
"Send for the minister"
Mercy cried aloud in her Joy for her
sister to awaken, and Devine caught his
hat and departed for the Rev. Mr..
Goodenough.
The minister visibly shrank from the
man he suspected, but asked quietly:
"What would you with me, young
man?"
Mr.. Anderson has revived and wishes
TO see you"
The minister was soon by the side of
the sick man, and grasping the feeble
hand, he sad, nervously:
Brother Anderson, thanks be to
God, you have passed through most
mysterious sickness.
Il have had no sickness, brother: but
my soul has been in heaven"
His mind wanders," gasped the min
ister.
No." said the invalid, rousing still
more; Il never had the clearness of
mind that l have enjoyed for the last
seven weeks. l have had glimpses of
my friends long dead, and almost en-
ioyed the bliss of heaven; this mortal
body lying here was all that divided me
from that blissful place"
His we-struck listeners looked at one
another; and Mercy said, half afraid of
her own voice:
"O-o-o-h, father but was it any
thing like the earth ?"
"Ahl more beautiful, more blissful,
more peaceful; and still l did not see
the inner courts, but heard the most
beautiful music, and one song they
sung was:
when we We been here ten thousand years,
Bright shining the sun,
We've no less days 20 sing Gods praise
Than when we first begun.
That was all the thing 1 ever heard
upon the earth"
"And what else did you see or hear,
father?" asked Mercy, when he paused.
II saw that which assures me that
you are an innocent man, my son, said
he, turning to Devine.
The frightened hearers looked at each
other with awe-struck countenances,
and he went on:
Brother Go1denough, if you will
write to Austerne, Ohio, you will hear
from your son.
The minister made no reply, and the
sick man closed his eyes and fell into a
natural sleep.
"What strange thing" said Hope,
breathlessly. you will write immedi-
ately, Mr.. Goodenough?
And of what use? 1t is but the
fancy of sick man. And who ever
heard of Austernel And if it should
be that there was such place, my
poor boy is not there. All, no, he lies
Al A 4. n 4