The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1886-02-13

| a 'AfAAhAA8 tttN EAfHsAN NtVHEiNs UlAL
never saw any account Of her marriage.
Thought all this very strange. but could
not doubt that the marriage had taken
place.
After a time ceased TO look ut tbs
papers altogether and devoted myself
strictly to my profession.
One night, as sat alone in my Office
wrapt IN thoughts Of the past, a boz en-,
tered and handed me telegram. lost
no time IN reading II and found Il TO b,
from old Mr. Merton and contained
these words:
Dora is very III and desires to 10,
you. Come immediately
! did not stop TO tlhnk over thii
strange message, Ionly knew my darl
ing mine IN spite of the past--was IN
probably dying, and wished to see me
lneyer once thought Of her being an
others wife | would 20 10 her, O
! course
All the bitterness had felt toward,
the poor little girl left mo- and The Low,
for her that ] had partially smoihereC
surged over and through me with re-
ncwed Wgor
II was early morning when | starte,
on my journey. and the darkness o.
night WIS settling over the world when
1 reached my destination.
No one WIS 1T the station 10 meet
me. and. without losing tho time 10 hire
n vchiele. | started out 70 walk TO the
! Merton mansion across the fields. az /
used 10 do of yOre. Ii WIS no great
distaace. and the walk would DO mi,
good Ny way you'd take me BY the
Old trysting-tree, where Dora had met
me ~ often in the happy days Of the
long ago
My mind WIS busy as walked over
the old familiar pathway | thought Of
the grl now. probably lying within
the pale Of death-wh0 had wandered
over these very fields, clinging trusting
ly 70 my arm. and utern9 vows of
eternal love for me thought, too, of
the man who had come between US
with his accurscd gold and parted us
forever. well-nigh wrecking my life,
and breaking the heart Of poor Dora.
was now near the old tryst-tree, and
in The fast-gnthering twilight ! saw a
sight that sent the blood rushing
through my veins like q current Of fire
Leaning against the trunk Of the tree
clad in dress Of spotess white, saw
the outline Of q fragile female form
Il was Doral There could be no
doubt about that knew the graceful
figure too vol, and the attitude was
Just the same as she used to assume
when she waited for me in the spot long
ago.
Yes. Il was Dora. She was not so i'll.
then, RS they had thought her; she had
recovered, and had come out TO meet
and surprise me.
Thus thought as rushed on TO greet
her. There never was such 10y as
mine II was so great often wonder it
did not Kill me then and there.
] was now close TO her; but she never
moved.
Uttering many endearng words
seized her hands which were clusped be-
fore her, and attempted to draw her to
me-
The hands were cod--oh, so stony
cold. and the great brown eyes had such
strange expression, and tho face was
so worn and white, that released her
hastily and recoiled several feet.
My Godr' was my inward cjacula.
ton, "can my Dora have gone made
Has her Illness dcthroncd her reasonpn
Suddenly she turned, and fixing her
great star-like eyes on me, slowly said. |
Paul, your Dora is dead you came
too late / died for love of youl Forget |
me never, oh, my darlingl Farewell, |
farowell!' and, uoiseessly approaching |
me, she pressed her icy lips to mine and |
disappeared.
Overcome with horror fell fainting |
to the ground,
When | recovered found myself in |
bed Mt the residence Of the old village |
doctor, under whom had first studied. |
He told me that had been found I'M
der the old maple-trce in death-liko |
swoon; that three weeks had elapsed |
since then, and / had been suffering
from an attack of brain-fevcr, and In
all that time ! had talked of nothing |
but Dora, ghosts, and human cruelty.
When grew stronger he said:
"Old fellow. YOU have had u tough |
pull. They came pretty near killing |
YOU MS they did Dora, poor grill She |
died short time before we found YOU.
She was calling for you all the time dur
ing her illness, and died with your name
on her lips.