The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-11-07

| the town for no other purpose than to have the
| pleasure of gloating over the misery of their
/ fellows The noise of sizzling sodafountain pro-
ceeds with sibilant penetration from a gorgeous
establishment out the corner, whose sign,
''lce-cold Temperance Drinks" with letters all
| pendent with icicles and capped with snow.
stares at the lager beer sign in frigd hostility.
A street band in a neighboring alley is playing
tune from Mascotte, the violin carrying the air
with an insistent stress.
The east wind has about died away, as it is
| liable TO dc at noon-time in midsummer but just
then slight puff starts up and caresses my
cheeks. making me think of the harbor, the
steamer and my love again, instead of my double
/ who now stands almost face to face with as
| he approache@ the carriage with his companion.
| just then there is loud explosion like the
| sound of a cannon. accompanied by a great
| crashing OF glass. The soda fountain in the
| temperance drinks place had burst. The horses
| start back in alright the coachman who is
| standing at the carriage door, jumps to check
| them and every body's attention is diverted III
| the direction of the disturbance. At the same
| time slip and fall-stepping on the skin of some
fruit, suppose, dropped according to the habit
| of many careless persons, despite the frequent
| casualties thereby occasioned. feel a tremend-
| Gus blow; / hear a second crash which seems
louder than the first great light flashes before
| my eyes, then all light goes out and l know no
more.
| Anna and the Kingstons awaited me at the
| time went by. Other friends come dropping
| along one by Cousin Fanny remarked that
| 1t was strange that l did not come. and Anna
| said nothing. AT last the cry "Al on shore
who are not going!" was passed along tb deck,
| and eyerybodv's friends poured over the gang
way planks down onto the wharf, the passengers
all rushing to the ships rail to intermingle tu-
multuous farewels with those on the land.
Anna strained her eyes, hoping to get sight of
me amidst the throng. But as she gazed in
| vain, the tears gathered What had become of
the sweet surprise had planned for our
| friendsl
| The starting bell sounded from tho engine
room with its sharp, rafting vibrations at pre-
cisely o'clock, and the great vessel began to
| glide away from the wharf. where can George
| Henderson BET" asked Charles Kingston for the
sixth or seventh time. and the query was echoed
| by his wife. sob from Anna startled them
| and. as they turned towards her, her mead sunk
| on her aunt's shoulder, and she gave way to her
sorrow. Then the state of things dawned upon
them They had, of course, observed some
| thing of the situation before but they did not
know how far it had progressed
| The steamer kept on down the channel. When
| near Fort Warren, one of the harbor excursion
| boats, the Twilight rushed swiftly and gaily by
| on the way to Nantasket. She passed close
der the Pavonia's quarter, and all eyes on the
| smaller craft were turned toward the greater,
for the sailing of an ocean steamer is sight that
never loses its novelty.
Quick Anna, look!" cried Cousin Fanny, ex-
citedly. There is George Henderson. He must
| have got belated, somehow and he has come
down that way. hoping to get sight of u.s."
sunny CLEAN darted through Annals tears
| She looked. There l was, it seemed,
| enough, standing on the Twilights hurricane
| deck; but, although only a few feet away, and
! they all waved handkerchiefs and shouted. not
sign OF recognition did give. but gazed vacant
| ly before me. as if saw and heard nothing. The
brief joy that showed in Annals face gave way to
| an expression of amazement, incredibly and de-
DIT oh, IT i
understand it all! am almost willing to believe
| it was his ghost!" Cousin Fanny exclaimed
| They had not been long in London before the
| mail brought the papers with accounts of the
drowning at Nantucket, which seemed to explain
| the mystery somewhat. The Kingstons had been
very fond of me, and they said they did not see
how such levelheaded young fellow could do
such thing, but there many strange and
| unaccountable things in the world, and this was
one of them. Perhaps I had been sunstruck,
for it was very hot day, they said mitigatingly.
| Anna grew seemingly cheerful, but a new
stiffness contrasted strongly with her accustomed
| buoyancy. She was always a sensible girl and
she did not wish to mar the pleasure of her
friends journey. They were quiet, middle aged
people, accustomed to travel and to getting
through the world easily and smoothly, so the
situation was less trying for her than the average
gay routine of travel would have been. She de-
| clared that there something very strange
| about the natter; time, perhaps. might clear it
| up, and she believed that it would.
The continuous buzzing in my head grew
| louder and louder. The picture of the little
avenue" began to resolve itself out of black
nothingness. At last everything took its proper
| place except my double. He was gone, and
somehow felt that was he, hut that he was not
I. While was bordering this conundrum the
| picture faded out again. shut my eyes and
| kept them shut know not how long. When l
| opened them again l lay perfectly still, looking
about and trying to collect my thoughts. Where
| was II
| 1t was a pleasant room, comfortably and taste
fully furnished in soft grays and browns. There
| were some landscape etchingS the walls;
| misunderstanding books scattered about
| The windows wide open; it was sunny
without, but the dense green of trees shut
| in the view. L attempted to stir; then dis
covered that was very weak and that could
not move my right arm, which was tightly
| bandaged. A man who, l now perceived, had
| been sitting near me- stepped quietly to my
| side.
Where am II" asked.
I'm hospital, he replied. ''You are being
we'll cared for; you have had bad hurt. sir"
| 1t dawned upon that must have met with
an accident when slipped in the presence of
| my double. AS l slowly mustered my senses
the extent of the calamity began to make itself
| known. The steamer had sailed What would
| Anna think of my failure to be there2 And the
| telegram! 1t had not been sent, and my uncle
| would be ruined! The consequences seemed so
fearful, the damage irretreveabe, that the
idea paralyzed my thoughts, and lay there
| again senseless, l think, know not how long.
At last stirred once more and the quiet man
was at my side. How long have been here?"
! 1 asked.
| thought it could not be than few hours
at the utmost but the answer was, "A fortnight
tomorrow, sir"
What is the matter with mel"
| You broke your right arm and fractured your
| skull" said he. lay there thinking, rather
| vainly trying to think, for my brain was in a
whirl over what had happened and what was to
be done about it. The man, who was one of the
attendants, said that the doctor would be around
| presently. When he came he saw that l was
unduly excited With firm but kindly order
that should keep perfectly quiet for the pres
ent, he stopped my incoherent attempts to ques-
ton him. and gave me a sedative, saying that he
| would be around early the next morning and
| hat then T M oht all