Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1885-10-29
A CHARMED BOWL.


When the fever peculiar to Brazil
seizes upon newcomer, said the friend
who told me this story, it deals hard
ly with him. So it was with me. ]
was just conscious that ! was not likely
to live, yet not strong enough to think
of the many preparations ! should
have made If my hours were number
ed. ! had sunk into heavy, fever
ish half sleep, through which I heard
some one say "He will go off like
that" and was beginning to dream
without being entirely without con
seriousness of my surroundings, when
the door of our long, low, whitewash-
ed room opened and 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. She carried
a bowl in her hand. The bowl was
of thin, transparent china rarely aeen,
painted with leaves and bids of bright
colors, and here and there gorgeous
sort Of butterfly. 1t wsg full of wa
ter, the purest and dearest chat ever
saw. N
"Are you thirsty ?" she asked as
simply as mother might ask the
question Of her child.
Eyes, madam" answered, land
the doctor will not let me drink"
"But / will" she said.
She put the bowl to my lips; ere
she withdrew it, it was empty,
"Good night and pleasant dreams"
she said, and smiled and left me.
slept then, sweetly, dreamlessly,
for | know not how many hours.
When / awoke the fever was gone
and / rapidly recovered strength.
One morning ! said "She cured me
with her pretty bowl of water
"Theres been no woman here for
months" one Of them said. "That
was dream ofyour fever dreams;
quinine did the business for you"
NJ TWAS hard to convince me ,butat last
they proved to me that at least they had
seen no woman; that no one gave me
anything to drink to their knowledge;
and began to believe in ministering
angels. 1t was AS certain TO me that
| had seen this fair, dark-eyed lady,
with her blue veined hands holding
that curious china bowl, as it was GER
tain that / had been i'll.
However, many other matters en-
crossed my thoughts. ceased at
last to tell the story, since the regular
answer was that in fever one fan
cied everything and ten years from
that time was in Virginia, in Prince
Edward county, not far from the
Court House. / had been driving
with a friend, and we wereriding past
fine old mansion with beautiful
array Of flowers in its garden when a
woman walked slowly down the path
and paused to pick rose. Her fig
ure was tall, her hair golden, her eyes
black. Her motions were graceful.
With little exclamation Of astonish-
ment | recognized the lady of my
dream, if dream it were. She looked
little older-nay, good ten years
older but otherwise unaltered.
Il know not in what words COM
inundated this fact to my friend; but
know ended by saying:
II must speak to her. She will re-
member"
"She would think you a mailman,
he answered. "Come on. You may
get yourself shot for staring at another
mans wife. They do these things
promptly at the South. ] will find
out who she ia if you like"
/ assented eagerly. We rode on.
"Talk to me as much as you like,
be said, "but never expose yourself te
strangers. Itispossible TILT this lady
was in Brazil il IS ssl brought