The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1885-07-24
A CHARMED BOWL.

! ike that and was beginning to dream
without being entirely without conscious
ness Of my surroundings, when the door Of
our long, low, whitewashed room opened
and a lady entered. She was woman
with dark eyes and golden hair and a
cream white skin. Her dress was white
with bit of blue about it somewhere
J She carried bowl in her hand The
bowl was or thin, transparent china rarely
seen, painted with leaves and buds of
brilliant colors, and here and there a gor-
geous sort of butterfly. 1t was full of wa
ter, the purest and clearest that / ever
saw.
'' Are you thirsty ?" she asked as simply
as mother might ask the question of her
child
es, madam" answered and the
doctor will not let me drink"
But | win, - she said.
She pat the bowl to my lips; ere she
! withdrew it was empty.
Good night and pleasant dreams" " she
said, aud smiled and left me.
| slept then, sweetly, dreamlesslv, for
know not how many hours. When
awoke the fever was gone and rapidly
recovered strength. One morning l said :
" l should like to thank that lady, for
she cured me with her pretty bowl of
water
There's been no woman here for
MONTHS one Of them said. That was a
dream-one of your fever dreams quinine
did the business for YOU"
1t was hard to convince me, but at last
they proved to me that ut least they had
seen no woman that no one gave me any
thing to drink to their knowledge; and
began to believe in ministeriHg angels 1t
was as certain to me that l had seen this
fair al arE IaHv rx-i+h
veined hands holding that curious china
bowl, as it was certain that l had been
i'll
However, many other matters eugrossed
my thoughts. | ceased at last to tell the
story, since the regular answer was that
in fever one fancied everything: and
ten years from that time | was in Virginia
in Prince Edward county, not far from
the court house. | had been driving
with n friend, and we were riding past
fine old mansion with beautiful array of
Lowers in its garden. when woman
walked slowly down the bath and paused
. to pick a rose Her figure was tall her
/ hair golden, her eyes black Her motions
. were graceful. With a little exclamation
. Of astOnishment 1 recognized the lady of
my dream, if dream It were. She looked
. little Clder-nay, n good ten years older
/ but otherwise unaltered.
| know not in what words l cOmmuni-
Gated this fact to my friend, but | know l
ended by saying
"I must speak to her. She will remem-
ber"
She would think you a madman. " he
said. " Come on. You may get yourself
shot for staring at another mans wife
They do those things promptly at the
south. l Will find out who she is If you
like"
/ asscnted eagerly We rode on.
Talk to me as much as you like, ," he
said, but never expose yourself to
strangers. It is possible that this lady
was in Brazil in Is, and brought you
something to drink when you were left
alone. In that case doubt that troubles
you will be satisfied. You can with all
propriety, call on her and thank her"
But. though he spoke in this way, I
knew he did not imagine it could be so
That evening we smoked our cigars in
Col Is company and my friend dip
lOmatically introduced the sub ject
THAT beautiful house with the large
garden he said, d" ls quite a feature of
the place. Who owns it -
A lonely woman, widow OF Mr. v"
said the colonel She was a belle in her
girlhood. She might still be one if she
chose"
Perhaps we saw her in tho garden -
said my friend. beginning a minute de-
scription
Exactly. 1t was no one else" said
the colonel.
My friend paused a moment and then
said
She reminded B Of some one he
met in Brazil. In fact he almost believed
her the same person"
'No, no." said the old colonel Mrs.
V has never left Virginia We have
known the family since she was years
old. 1t is only the other day that we
spoke Of that, and she Iamented that she
had not travelled more"
felt a pang of disappointment, but
found courage to say should greatly
like to be introduced to her"
The old colonel instantly offered to intro
duce me.
But remember" said my friends, as
we parted, never tell her of your fancy.
It would spoil your chance with her, and
/ see it is a case of love at first sight"
He was right, and l was very fortunate
very happy. l won the beautiful wo-
mans heart
Her fortune did not want, but it was
large. had sufficient means, and could
not be suspected of mercenary motives.
We were married after long and ardent
wooing on my part.
She loved me, but a second marriage
seemed wrong to her. and it was not un-
I'll she realized that she had irretrievably
given me her heart that she would give
her hand
Neither of us had ever visited Europe.
We decided to cross the ocean during our
honeymoon. Before we went she showed
me her beautiful home and all her posses
sions. Among them was a store of old
china.
Suddenly she turned to the shelves of
her cabinet and took down china bowl
transparent, covered with flowers and but
terfies OF quaint, unconventional FORM
As she held it toward me, l saw again
the long, w-hung whitewashed Brazil
ian room-the crowd of men playing cards
at an improvised table-the figure of the
woman advanced toward me- IL was her
attitude that my wife had assumed L
uttered a cry.
Are you thirsty 20 she asked.
It's true, then ~ l cried You are
the woman who saved my life when l lay
perishing Of fever in Brazil -
She began to tremble. Setting the
bowl aside, she threw herself into my
arms
Long ago." she panted-"ten years
Rgo-I thought l held that bowl in my
hand and asked you that. 1t was night.
do not know whether 1 dreamt or
whether was mad. In the dead Of night
thought voice called to me- Save the
man whom destiny has set apart for your
Then ] arose and asked How 2