Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1884-11-20

friend of mine, | said. i am doctor
perhaps it may be in my power to relieve
him.
.sShe thanked me and asked me up
stairs. l saw pale, fair young man ly-
ing on couch; the room, though hand
someIy furnished, had the air of being
occupied by an invalid.
He sleeps most of the time, said
Mrs. Bernadot; and when he wakes,
he takes very little interest in anything
she passed her hand fondly over his
hair but he's been spared to me, she
id, though it is in this way. have
no right to murmur.'
"While I stood looking at the young
man he opened his eyes.
Edward, this is DR.. Awry,' said
Mrs. Berandot.
can odd smile came to his face as he
stretched out his nand.
my feeling was strange one.
knew it was Reed speaking to me with
this young mans voice, and it was Reed
who said, I am glad to see you, doc
tor
~ talked with him little while, but
did not make much headway. He
seemed to be under sort Of restraint,
and left, promising to go again.
"Soon after Reed left suddenly, but
do not think he wrote to Miss Ada, for
she seemed dispirited and sad after he
left. l was honestly sorry for Reed l
was sure the young people loved each
other, and it seemed hard fate that
kept them apart"
ssWas that the whistler
"No," said the grumpy man: Fifteen
minutes yet. Is that all2n
''No.r
''Before you go on, said the man with
the valise, "what is your theory on the
subject9"
Just what Reed asked me. 1t was
one of those strange supernatural affairs
that there is no accounting for. 1t may
have been that when Edward really died,
Reeds spirit, partly disembodied by his
illness, had, through the prayers of Ed
wards mother, been permitted to in
habit her cons body at times, that she
might not feel she ND. lest him. Or it
may be Reed really was crazy I"
But you saw the young MANI"
g Yes; but perhaps l was crazy"
The grumpy man looked disguised.
" Well, what is the end Of it2'' said
he
"Oh, I said, Reed went away. wrote
to him, and went occasionally to tht
Bernadots. One day Reed walked in
we were Just through dinner. l saw Mis-:
Ada turn white, then red. Reed went
straight up to her, with tn
happiest look l ever saw OF
mortal face. He stood for minute
holding her hands as if he saw no one
else. till she gave little embarrassed
laugh, and said, turning to me as the
nearest one, Here is Dr. Awry;' then he
walked up to me, grasped my hand, and
greeted the rest; but I noticed it was mo-
long before he made an excuse. to get
Miss Ada of by herself, and saw nc
more of either of them for hours, from
which l concluded that something had
happened.
''As may be supposed. was devoured
with curiosity, and seeing Miss Ada rur
up to her room just before tea, hunted
up Reed
"'What has happened9' asked
:" i am free," said he.
"'How7 What doyou meani'
"'It seems shocking, he said, TO be
so unutterably glad. but Edwards mother
died last night, and 1 was no Longer
needed, so the poor body will be buried
with the mother tomorrow.
"And here he broke down. and cried
like child. must confess I felt the
water standing in my eyes; he seemed SO
ike prisoner set free. The excitement
had kept him up, but his new-found hap
piness overpowered him. There was nc
need for him to tell how matters stood
between him and Miss Ada They were
married in six weeks, and I was best
man."
"Did she ever knowi" asked the grum-
py man.
II never asked
''All aboardm
"There's our train.n