New-York tribune., 1886-08-15

1t was 4 very mug coffin beautifully stuffed |
and lined with white satln. ! felt thankful loi
small mcrcIes. ] wa covered win eoiisiu' a'a
able quantity of cottonwood: i was eompaia
lively warm and comfortable would nave
been itmcly c0sey. if | had been anywher"
but in my own coffin. ] defy any one TO iGeI
contcntcd in such situation.. vas not whoiis /
at ease, for sharp nail p ojccted from one oi
the corners alA pierced the skin Of any foot
But for this tiiling Inconvenience had nom
ing specially of which to complain, except thni
] was hungry dead and coihncd. slumbcicG
during the day, until the evening whcn.l heard
soft footsteps in the room. saw Melissa ap- |
pioaching. Her face was wan and thin; hc'
eyes wclc red as with weeping She sat down
Lcside the coffin. Thee was the fIesh od9r OF
sweet sping flowers. heard her pica hlns
rapidly. Then She began to sob as ii her hcart
Poor jack, did not love him as I should
have done | did not know how much he wa
to me, until LIE went away-away-1oi-
brow. Tears fell on my facc--a delicious
shower. Suddenly she uttered quick, low cry.
'Oh. is that YOU. Melissa" heard Stephen
say. ! just came in to see dear Jack; The twl-
light hours recall the past so wildly
L like YOU for saying that said Melissa
with tIcnbling voice. Il loved him dearly
So did I,'.cioincd stephen, I'VE must both
love each other for his sa kc, Mel YOU and H.
Yes, yes, but let us only think of Jack now
This is his last evening. 10. morrow-to,
at me with eyes from which tears wcre not faF
distant.
Bow--bow-bow,' barked a dog plantively;
Simultaneously Melissa and Stephen ciled
den horror. Mel laughed amid her tears:
'Oh. dear old Snooks We all thought yoa
were dead
1T mnst he his ghost said Stephen iocosely.
Snooks barked feebly, by way of protest. saw
Melissa hugrng and caressing my old pet.
10 n
limbs said Melissa.
Take caro- Melissa exclaimed Stephen
Il believe the brute is mad. Ha he is tying
to bite me-
He doesn't like You, stephen; he never
did What if Jack was like Snooksf
Nonsense y Stephen said sharply
How Jack would like to see you now. wee
Snooks y Whispered Melissa, "a she held the
little dog down to my face. saw it ac stead
tasty and wonderingly at me for full minute
| 1t looked up to Melissa qucstioningly and pitt
| fully. and then looked down again at me, and
uttered the most weird and pathetic wall !
ever heard.
1t was any last night Living or dead.
should be buried tomorrow. Criminals sleep
| soundly the night bc.Oe they are executed
| My slunbels were Likewise profound. do not
know how long slept, before ! WAS awakened
by candle being held close to my eyes. The
holding the candle. His face wa, very hag-
| gard and carewon. He rascd my cyclid and
gazcd eagerly at NV eye His face was close
| to mine. ] could hear him breathe. Then he
| carefully felt Tor my pulse. \ gscat wave OF
hope flooded my heart Perhaps was not in
reality dead, and Stephen was going to rcscuc
me before it was TOO late. Stephen was "a
| shcwd, clever fellow. and a devoted brother.
| Pc haps the miraculous recovery OF SnookS had
| set him thinking Yes, he was gong 10 save me.
| He pmOved some cottonwood he placed his
car over my heart and kept it there for a
couple Of minutes
lie is not gone yet heard him muttcr.
| Oh, bliss From the deepest depths of despair
I rose to the heights of hope. Oh, joy Lie,
precious life was coming back to me again
Stephen would &c my saviour. ! thought OF
Melissa and her love for me AMI the sweetness
OF life. How rapturously happy felt Stephen
to be pcrplcxcd. Evidently he WAS cogtating
as to the best mode OF rcviving mc.
'Pll DO it, hcard him say as he went ont OF
the room Ny mind was distracted with tumnl;
me. was faint. The room seemed to whi.l
round. There was the noise Of iauglns bell,
and the roaring Of far-of sea Would stephen
never come back The suspense was terrible
returning lie did not bing the candle with
him. The room was dim and full of subdue,l
moonlight aooss the coffin it fell clear and
golden. Stephen came softly toward m. He
was pac and ghastly in the sckly gamor Of the
moonlight In his right hand he held something
it was long and sha'p. Tho tip of il was Dis
coloscd- Jaw it cleaning in tho light. Wa-
be going to open vein and thus set free the
! clogged ciIcuhtione
He came cloSc TO the coffin. He placed hi
hand over my heart. He cut ernall piece
out Of my shrond. There was an awful CLEAN
III his large g1cy eyes His lips were FIRMLY
compressed; h. checks wclc blanchcd ! saw
him raise the blade high in the air. Heavens
WAS he going to Kill mci Suddenly gho>tly
foim appeared in the doaway. 1t wa Melissa
| She came gliding on nOLclcS,ly rs If walking in
her dreams. Her hands were outsurctchcd
| Her eyes were open but had a yacuous eyprcs-
sion. stephen did not see her His back wa
TO her He was too dee ny cngros,cd TO hea
! the soft tread Of her naked feet. My scn,ca
were strangely acute. saw the blade descend
! ing. There was wild, loud chick. AND Mel
! issa fell hcaiong on the floor Quickly Stcphcn
hid the blade mp the sleeve of his dressing
gown; ; he replaced the cotton wool over me
| In few minutes nv uncle and servants came
rushing into the room. Melissa cried and raveh
! incohcrcntv She ,ad that Stephen was going
to kin Jack. He had dagger and was going
| to stab him.
oh, nonsense. Melissa said Stephen coollv.
fou were dreaming, hear. You scream and
| found Won he g oil the floor
4 wish Jack was buried His death has been
too much for hci weak nerves. Her mother
had " the ncrycs."'
I was now completely exhausted by the in
! tcnsty Of excitement. Hunger and fright
| domDiaizcd me. ! Law III sorn -unconscions
state took no note Of time Darkness left
the room and light came into il. have n con-
fd.cd recollection of seeing people coming and
going; Of one face that came vcy close 20
mine ard wctch it with tcaIs. Then the lii
| was ularcd on the coffin and -tgcwcd down
was li.tlc~s a"d Indifferent. An awful passivi'v
seemed TO lull cny faculties ! knew that all
was over. They took the coffin down the stairs
was bumped aboni considerably the sharp
nail tore my foot. II was wet with blood
The Iroccsson moved on slowly ! heard
Snooks baking with dolorou> ululaion The
hcarsc had not proceeded far when, to my nm
slcakabc astonishmcnt. ] discovered that
could wink with my left eye. My apathy in