Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1885-11-19


garden, he said, quite feature of the
place. Who owns it?
"A love woman, widow of Mr.. v
said the Colouel. She was belle in
her girlhood. She might still be one
if she chose.
Perhaps we saw her in the garden,
said my friend, beginning a minute de-
scription.
! Exactly. 1t was no one else said
the Colonel.
My friend paused moment and then
SAID:
sShe reminded B of some one he
met in Brazil. In fact he almost be-
lievcd her the same person.
No, no, said the old Colonel, Mrs.
V-has never left Virginia. We have
known the family since she was two
years old. 1t is only the other day
that we spoke of that and lamented
that she had not travelled more
! felt pang of disappointment but
found courage to say; 4 should greatly
like to be introduced to her.
The old Colonel instantly offered to
introduce me. But remember said
my friend, as We parted, never tell of
your fancy. 1t would spoil your chance
with her, and | see it is a case of love
at first sight,
He was right, and was very fortu-
nate-very happy, l Won the beautiful
woman's heart.
Her fortune I did not want, but it
was large l had sufficient means, and
could not be suspected of mercenary
motives. We We're married after a
long and ardent woong on my part.
| She loved me, but second marriage
seemed wrong to her, and it was not
until she realized that she had ire
trievably given me her heart that she
would give her hand.
Neither of us had ever visited Eu-
rope. We decided to cross the ocean
during our honeymoon. Before we
went she showed Inc her beautiful
home and her possessions. Among them
Was store OF old china.
Suddenly she turned to the shelves
of her cabinet and took down a china
bowl-transparcnt, covered with flow.
ers an butterflies Of quaint, unconven.
tional form.
AS she held it toward me. saw
again the long low hung white washed
Brazilian room, the crowd Of men play
inc cards at an improvised table, the
figure of a woman advanced toward me.
1t WAS her attitude that my wife had
assumed. uttered a cry.
Are You thirsty% she asked.
Its true, thenr ! cried. 'You are
the woman that saved my life when |
lay pcrishirg of fever in Brazil:
She began to tremule. Setting the
bowl aside, she threw herself into my
arms.
Long ago she panted-'ten years
ago-I thought l held that bowl in my
hand and asked you that. 1t was night.
do not know whether ] dreamed, 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
There is on our plantation spring
the water of which is magical in it's
mower to cure fevers. l dreamt or
thought that unseen thing led me to
the spring. ! carried this bowl III my
hand. Then ! stood in strange room
long, low, white, and you-you-lay
on pallet hot with fever, and | said:
Are you thirsty% and gave you to
drink.
'The next morning I would have
thought it was all dream but that
bowl, still wet, stood at my bedside
Now l have told yon this, do you think
me mad or. s1perstitious? have long
ed so often to tell you, but | dared
not
But l also had my tale to tell-the
one I have told you.
We ask each other often: What was
it? What does it mean? How is it to
be explained: But no answer comes
to us.
Whatever it may have been it bro't
us together, anu l bless it from my
soul; for we are harry as few lovers
are, my wife and l. And whatever it
was it came from heaven. Nothing
unholy had any hand in it.
-. g
Reaction is the law of life.
Silence is the virtue of the weak.
A