The Penn's Grove record., 1884-07-12

me : even the ride that followed, through
the crisp sunny morning could not drive
the cob-webs fIom my brain, the de-
preston from my spirits. 1t was n
of the fairest days Of that long northern
winter. The snow was dazzlingly pure,
and sparkled like crystals the smoke
from the wayside chimneys curled
straight to the clouds through the va
ried atmosphere, like airy spiral stair
cases.
We found Mrs. Werner Onthe lounge
before the fire in the sitting-rOom.
Some slight indisposition was keeping
her captive. She was a tall, 1.-THE wO-
man. with strongly-marked features
and large black eyes full of a latent
force. French and Spanish blood amin
gled In her veins and the story of her
lineage was written on her face.
She had a passionate fondness for
me, which, at tunes, found such eX-
travagant expression that 1t used TO
brighten me. Justine had known her
several years, and was very partial to
her. Before my arrival at my brothers.
home item months previously, she had
made Mrs. Werner her sole c~onfidante.
Justine was one of those women who
mist have a c%onfdante.) And the folks
at Vermillion used to say that we had
found our town-house at Nerners /;
while Verners had found their country
seat at our mansion in the wilds. AS a
matter of course, we saw a great deal
of each other and were so intimate
we almost thought aloud when together.
As a matter of course, also, Justine
dear l~oquacIous sister-was scarcely di-
vested of her wraps that winter morn-
ing, before she unbosOmed herself to
Mrs. Werner.
With her feet on the shining fender,
rocking to and fro in the easiest of easy
chairs, she told the story of Ikubert's
departure, and of my ''ugly dream, " as
she persisted in calling it
AS to Hubert's going, our friend did
not need to be told of it, inasmuch as
brother had been before us. 1t was
quite natural and in keeping that he
should run in on his way to the depot
and say goodbye to the Verners. And
that was what he had done. But when
it came to the dream" Mrs. Werner
rose on her elbow on the couch and
looked at me with those great eyes
a-blaze. She was really much excited.
"And you believe it was an appari-
ton % she asked me quickly.
[ had not spoken. In fact L felt de-
cidedly averse to having the matter cam
vassed. l simplyinclined my head.
She rose to a sitting position, hot and
vehement. sit was a dream, " she said
forcibly, and with gestures !; "only a
bad dream. There are no such things
as apparitions in these days. The dead
are dead. They are gone they return
no more"
Il am sorry Icannot agree with you, )"
l said, with dreary calmness; ''but this
thing was too real. l was not asleep.
| saw Jasp-I saw my friend as plainly
last night as l now see YOU"
l broke off, s~hudderlng at the remem
brance, and hid my face IN my hands.
"Let me convince you,n said Mrs.
Werner, leaning toward me with some
strong feeling in her face. LET me
tell you ma story" She drew out a lit
tie jeweled watch and glanced at it.
"Verner is at the mills, and will not be
home for an hour yet" she explained.
81 never mention this matter before
him, for he is jealous as a Moor. Men
are such fools, Bah p'-with an ex-
pressive gesture of contempt-''to be
Jealous of the dead! Was there ever
such folly? Listen. Before | married
Werner before | vel met with him),
in my early girlhood, l was tenderly
beloved by a young Spaniard. A hand
some cavalier, with pensive eyes, and
the grave, courteous ways of the real
hidalgo. He was some sort of a forty
fifth cousin of my mother, and under
cover of that shadowy relationship he
f%requented my fathers house daily.
Mark you, though | have SAID that he
loved me tenderly, l do not say that his
love was returned. l was interested in
him ; there was a great deal of Senti-
ment between us, and we were both
young and overlooking with romance.
If he had lived-but l am anticipating.
One moonlight night, a. we paused in
parting at the gate of our vast garden,
| was feigning coquettishly to doubt
the sincerity Of his affection. ! remem-
Der | plucked a spray of roses from my
hair and shook it till the scarlet petals
fell upon the grass at our feet, likening
them, as they luttered away, to the
love that glows for a short season, only
to wIther and crumble at the touch Of
time.
HE took my hand in his, aud with
an intense look, and a fervor | shall
never forget, he said 'Carmita, | prom
lse you now, | swear to you by the blue
heavens above us, that il | should die
before you, | will come to you after
death and assure you Of my fidelity to
you. True love is stronger than death.
Win you do the same for me, darling2 p
Carried away with the wild romance Of
the hour, in the dewy darkness, breath
ing the delicious odor If the orange
trees, and with the thought Of actual
death as far from me as was the blue
sky he called to witness his oath, l re-
peated the solemn words he dictated.
That night, riding home, his horse
stumbled and threw hun. HIS neck
Was broken his death was instantane-
Gus. L never saw him again H. life
she paused, a curious emotion passing
over her face before she added-''or in
death. And that was twenty years
ago"