Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-06-05

started en- my journey, and the dark
ness of night was setting over the
world when I reached my designat-
ion. No one was at the station 10 meet
nae. and without losing the time to
hire vehicle, started out to walk TO
the Merlin mansion across the fields
ss used to do of yore. 1t was NO
great distance, and the walk would do
me good, My way would take me by
the old trysting tree where Amy had
met me so often in the happy days OF
the long ago.
My mind was busy as walked over
the old familiar pathway. ! thougat
of the girl, now probably lying with
in the pale OF death, who lad wander
ed over these very fields, clinglng
trustingly to my arm and utterlng
yogs of eternal love for me-. |
thought, too, of the man who had
come between US with his accused
gold and parted us forever, well nigh
wrecking my life, and breaking the
heart of poor little Amy. All this
and much more surged through my
brain as I hurried rapidly onward.
was now near the old trysting tree.
and in the fast gathering twilight, L
saw sight that sent the blood rush,
ing through my veins ike current
of fire. Leaning against the trunk OF
the tree, clad in dress of spotless
white, saw the outline of fragile
female form. 1t was Anywhere
could be no doubt of that; | knew the
graceful figure too we'll; and the at
titude was just the same as she used
TO assume when she waited for me III
that spot long ago. Yes, it way Amy ;
she was not SO i'll, then, as they had
thought her; she had recovered, and
had come out to met and surprise me.
These were my othughts as L rushed
on to greet her. There never was such
Joy as mine. 1t was SO great that L
often wonder it aid not Kill me teen
and there.
| was now close to her, but she
never moved. Uttering many endear-
ing words, | seized her hands, which
were clasped before her, and attempt
ed to draw her to me. The hands
were so cold-oh, SO stony cold-and
the great brown eyes had such a
strange expression, and the face was
so worn and white, that released her
hastily and recoiled several feet. MY
GodW was my inward ejaculation,
"can my darling have gone made Has
her illness dethroned her reason"
Suddenly she turned, and fixing
her great, star-lit eyes upon me, slow
ly said:
Paul, your Amy is dead; you
came too late. | died for love of you.
Forgive me never, OBJ, my darling,
Farewell. FAREWELL And, noise
lessly approaching me, she pressed
her icy lips to mine and disappeared.
Overcome with horror | fell fainhng
to the ground.
When I recovered I found myself
in bed at the residence of the old viii
lage doctor, under whom | had first
studied. He told me that | had been
found under the old maple tree in q
deatklike swoon; that three weeks had
elapsed since then, aud | had been
suffering from a severe brain fever,
and in all that time | had talked OF
nothing else but Amy, spirits and HUI
man cruelty. When grew stronger,
he said:
cold fellow, you have had tough
pull. They came very near killing
you as they did Amy, poor girl. She
died just one hour before we found
you. She was calling for you all the
time during her illness, and died with
your name on her lips"
Many years have passed and gone
since then. All the actors in this
story, except myself, have been called
before the judgment bar of God, and
1 am waiting by the wayside, with
bowed head and anxious heart, for
the summons to come to me to join
my anrel AMY ON that hrirht- eternal