Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-03-10

asked n0r TO reply ule Uu0Tc, OuU GucIo
was nothing for me. 1t was evident
that my letter had not reached her.
Perhaps she had delayed a few days
in Paris on her way home. She had
q trousseau to prepare, and it is O.
strange article of faith among women
| that this can be done more effectually
| in Paris than elsewhere; consequently,
nothing was more probable than that
she was there at that moment, my
letter would probably be forwarded
to her, and if so, she would surely be
at the station on the arrival of the
train from Italy.
AS I rushed across Europe had but
one thought in my mind-would Clara
be at the Paris terminus to meet me !?
The towns flew by me when thought
OF her, and yet at times the intervals
| between them seemed interminable
Every stoppage irritated me, yet the
two DAYS were not tedious. could
always lose all count of time by allow
| ing my mind to dwell upon the Incl
dents of our voyage together, and es-
pecially on the browning incident that
was yet to come. But when the
doubling question arose whether or
not we should meet in Paris, the train
seemed to dawdle as train never daw-
died before. At length we reached the
terminus. eagerly scanned the few
people on the platform as we entered
the station, and my heart sunk when
[ saw that she was not there. Then
remembered that on French railways
! friends OF passengers are not, as a rule,
allowed on the platforms, and my
hopes rose again. They were soon
dashed, for there was no Clara for me
in the waiting-rooms or at the en-
trance.
A dim sense of neutrality-suspicious.
and the more terrible for being un-
known-took possession of me. Thur
ried across Paris TIC the "Nord,"
reached Calais in due course, crossed
to Dover and made my way to Lon
don, which | reached late at night.
The next day, at nine in the morning,
hurried to Mrs. Selby's house in Ok
ford Square. | rang the bell, and it
was answered by maid servant In
deep black. / asked for Mrs. Selby,
but so inarticulate that the girl did
not understand me. | pulled myself
together and repeated the question.
The girl stammered awkwardly. Had
| not heard? No I had heard moth
ing; was anything wrong? The French
ship in which Mrs. Selby and Clara
had sailed from Bombay had been lost
AS it was supposed-in a hurricane
between Bombay and Alden, and all
souls were drowned.
| staggered as from g. strong mans
blow. l remembered nothing until !
found myself lying on the sofa in the
dining-room, tended by an elderly gen.
tleman, Mrs. Selby's brother and ad-
ministrator. He, of course, did not
know me; still less did he know of my
relation toward his dead niece. told
him all, and he treated me with the
greatest kindness. He could give me
no hope; the ship was then six weeks
overdue, and the insurance on her had
been duly paid.
Desolate and broken-h hearted, | left
him and went to my mothers housein
Devonshire. After three weeks of
fever | began to recover strength, but
the light of my life was extinct, and an
indefnable sense of night was all that
remained to me. AS soon as I was
strong enough to stand, | thought of
the photographs had taken at Singa-
pore. They were all that was left to
me of my dead love, and, with a feel
ing of awe, proceeded to raise her pre-
sentiment, as it were, from the grave.
In the closely darkened room, illumin-
ated only by the dim red light of my
| developing lamp, / prepared the neces-
sary chemicals with trembling and I'M
certain hand. I took the plate from
| the slide in which it had been enclosed
| for so many months, and as looked
upon its plain, creamy surface, so
soon to bes .nctifed by her image, al
most felt that | was engaged IN some
unhallowed deed of necromancy.
Breathless with excitement, / poured
the developer upon it, and, as | await
ed the result, could hear my heart
humping against my chest. / had
not long to wait. Slowly, but surely
and distinctly, the features of my dar-
ling came to me from the grave. Not
withstanding the inversion Of its
tones, it stood plainly before me
herself In every detail. AS watched
the gradual perfection of the portrait
/ cried like q little child. At length
the development was complete, and,
shaking like leaf, [ took it from its
bath to examine it more closely. AS
| did so, the door of the room was
suddenly opened, a food of light was
admitted, and the photograph was
ruined beyond reparation.
With an inarticulate cry seized the
intruder in my weakened grasp-it
was my valet, who had accompanied
me on my voyage out and home.
know not what I said to him in my
furious despair-the words, whatever
they were, passed into forgetfulness
as soon as they were spoken.
''Sir, sir" said he, 81 bring you
great news. Miss Selby-Mrs. Selby.
Their boat was picked up by a sailing
ship. She encountered adverse winds,
and only reached Plymouth yester-
day-and-MissC Clara is here--and |
have come to tell you so !"
A Strange Tree.
From the Sanderson (Ga.) News.l
TNboro &c +roo on tho liant ati0n nj