The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1885-08-13
A STRANGE STORY.

a. ~ - ~ Ma VxVAo
Ny Remarkable Dream and It's
Falf1llment.
Mine is strange story, the story Of
the one event. traught even now with
. haunting mystery-in life otherwise
monotonous and undressing. What
subtle instinct prompts me to tell my
tale, l know not; unless it be the half
unconscious wish to communicate to
others that which must ever be con-
nected in my own mind with so much
that is weird and inexplicable. Even
now, when it all lies behind me like "a
tale that is told" fast receding and fad
ing away into the outlived past; when
my blood flows coldly through my
veins, and my heart, like wearied,
wasted thing, drags slowly on till the
chill hand of deaf b shall stsy il forever
-even now I shrink with shudderine
Fepugnance, and would fain draw back
from my self-imposed task.
l doubt II, under Gods Heaven, two
human souls ever loved each other more
devotedly than did my husband snd
myself. We had been married but q
short twelve months when he came
homo one night with haggard. alb
sorbed look on his face, that told me
instantly something ofimportance must
have happened. What It was I soon
learned Business of the utmost mr.
gency required him to start at once for
Brazil We were to be separated, he
and l. for six long months-he to jour.
ney across a world Of wild, angry
waters, to drag out the weary days
In lonely waiting and Watching for his
return.
OF the desoiate weeks that followed
my husbands departure. will not now
speak. The days dragged slowly on,
one by one, and at last the time arrived
when l might expect to hear from him.
The mail from Brazil the one he had
promised to write by-came in, but the
letter had watched for, longed for and
prayed for through 20 many weary days
and restless nights, came not, nor had
any tidings Of bis ship been received I
went into his Office, where I knew they
would hear directly she arrived. They
told me there was no cause for anxiety,
the ship was overdue, but that was .
common occurrencej some accident had
probably delayed her; they would tel
ograph directly she was advised, :"
Days grew into weeks and weeks into
months. and yet no news Of the Osprey.
How I lived through that awful time,
God only knows. Night after night, l
lay awake thinking, thinking, thinking,
until, utterly exhausted, fell into a
restless, dream-haunted sleep; only
to toss to and fro on a
wild heaving ocean, over which
was wandering in search of my lost
husband. Day after day would shut
myself up in my room to lie PROSTATE
on the floor, sobbing: "Oh, my hus.
band! my brave. noble husband! God
give him back to me! give him back to
me-"
I will not weary the reader and
wiring my own heart . fresh BY dwelling
upon the black misery and hopeless
agony of that fearful time. Two long
years had gone by. and nothing being
heard of the Osprey It was consjderel
- settled beyond doubt that she had
gone down and ali on board persisted
Just at this time an old maiden aunt Of
my husbands, who had been very i'll
took It into her head that she would
like me to 20 and stay few days with
her. As the doctors said she could
not possibly live more than month Of
two I had not the heart to refuse; and
20, for the first time since my marriage
I found myself sleeping under . strange
roof. II was . little country farm
house way up in the midland counties
had never been there before, and, q.
the journey was . long one. and I VA
very tired, l went to bed soon after my
arrival. That night l dreamt dream
OF such intense vividness and reality
that even now I can recall it to my
mind, fresh and unfading - II it ha'
happened but yesterday. I found my
self, know not how, standing alone a
midnight ON . bare, bleak heath. Ii
only By the weird light Of . low-lyinf
moon. far away in the starless south
Across her wan face stretched ragged
skirt Of black, angry cloud. on eithel
aide Of which the intercepted ray
broke into two long hasy beams Q
light -one shooting far across the calm
heavens, the other bending dow
toward earth till It was lost in tn
shadowy horizon. All around me
- far ~ the eye coul,
reach. spread the wild waste Q
moorland. save that away to the right
cav the dark outline Of some building
apparently Q deserted shed or col
tage. A. / stood there. numb an,
trembling in the chill night air.
strange Irresistible impulse Il know
not what-seized me, by which wa
impelied, - BY some unseen power. i
the direction Of thiS object drev
closer and closer. my heart wrenchin,
In wild, uneven etfoft in my bosom. N,
breath coming IN short quick gaspl
and INV ears 90 uunaturally strained 10
the slightest sound, that ! could hea
the blood Kissing aud rushing throug
the veins in my temples Suddenly
heard sound q q some human bein
in pain. and then . wild. wailing cry
Harry, Harry. Harry! God help mel
and then low moan again. With on
bound rushed forward. and there in tn
sksac- ~ fha shn6 ov,orNho6 nm 0ainS