The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1886-01-07
ly more than six weeks old. I saw IN.
der obituary notices my own mama.

4
So was supposed 70 be dead.
A curious sensation, like the running
OF cold water crept down my spinal cot
umn-an involuntary shndder.
Ii is a sudden shock to read Of youf
own death, and calculate how long you
have been under ground, and not by any
means an agreeable one.
81 dort think I'm dead" said I,
stretching out my arms and legs and
feeling the strong pulses that projected
healthy currents through my veins. 9 and
this evidence is certainly very convinc-
ing-that was murdered by barbarous
natives on the night Of the 95th of May.
Poor dear little Lacillai how inconsol-
able she must be.
So 1t happened, you see, that I was GO
ing home to comfort my widow.
II was curious experience, TO be
landing at last-to shrink away from the
observation of ones fellow -mortals as IL
one had no business in this created world;
to feel like . disembodied spirit, come
back to revisit the scenes Of its mortality,
or a ghost, prowIing abroad by garish
daylight.
skunk through by-ways of back lanes
toward my home, not altogether certain
whether some one would not attempt to
exercise me.
It was late in the afternoon when we
entered port, and the shadows of the au-
tumn evening were gathering around as
| crept up the doorsteps of my own man.
sion, and entered stealthily as a robber.
Were the shutters down, the windows
draped, the house dressed in seemly ha-
bilinems of woe? Not at all lights glow
ed brilliantly behind the curtains, gay
voices echoed from the parlor, and
| conld my ears have deceived me Ne,
surely that was Lucilla's laugh ringing
merrily on the air.
"a little hysterical, perhaps"
thought, but nevertheless, instead of
boldly entering the drawing room and
confronting my wife, instinctively pass
ed on To the glazei extension room be-
hind, communicating, by draperies of
purple silk, with the large apartment
room where hal been wont to keep nv
books, and which dignifed by the title
of" library"
1t was but family lighted by the bor-
rowed ustre Of the drawing-room chan
| deler, and as entered | stumbled over
something-it was my own portrait, ig-
ANONYMOUSLY turned with its face to the
wall.
| | crept forward with an ominous tore
boding-a sudden disagreeable recollec-
ton OF Fitz Browns croaking predictions.
But as put aside the Tyrian folds of the
| curtain most unwelcome vision met nv
eye.
Lucilla in her widows weeds.
She looked very pretty in them, to be
sure; the close crimped cap could not
hide her clustering ripples Of golden
brown hair, and her beautiful greengra
eyes certainly did not seem to have wept
themselves dim. Moreover, there were
dimpled roses in her cheeks, and smiles
upon her lips; and her dress of sombre
black only seemed to relieve the fair,
transparent style of her wax-doll beauty.
But she was not alone. Close beside
her on the sofa, actually playing with
her soft little white hand, and bending
devo;edlv over the border of the widows
cap, sat Harry Sykes!
"Come LucilIa," he said impatiently.
"y"u have tantalized me long enough.
When will you give me this little treas
ure of hand, and let me call you
mine ?'
What nonsense, Harry ?" said my
widow coquettishly, but she didn't with
draw her hand, "when you know that my
husband hasn't been dead six months
ooh, hang the old duffer! Who cares
whether he has been dead six days or six
months? He's gone, thanks to the
coolies, and he's wiled you all the cash.
You know very we'll you never cared for
him, Lucilla."
MY widow did not contradict this
sweeping statement.
But the look Of the thing, you know,
Harry dear. Don't squeeze nv hand so.a
".Lucilla, don't you love me?"
OF course | do" with charming liz.
tie pout.
"rhen, my hearts queen, what is the
use Of keeping me in suspense ?'
Really, Harry" she murmared, "I
don't know what to say"
Then say yes"
Lucilla's head dropped until the wild
ow's cap nearly touched her companions
| shoulder.
Yes she murmured at last
Human nature could stand this no
longer. | dashed aside the purple silk
draperies, and entered precipitately on
| the scene
"Not so fast, madame, if Won please ~
| cried with sort of demoniac exulta-
tion. +" may be an 'old duffer,' and YOU
may never have cared for ma but new
ertheless you and Mr.. Sykes here are get
ting along altogether too smoothly"
Lucilla sprang to her feet with an eld-
ritch scream.
It's ghost it's Josiah's ghost!
Mr.. Harry Sykes stared bopelessly At
me, as if he had been paralyzed.
"No, madame, it's not Josiah's ghost
it's his living self You thought Won
had got rid of me, did your An awk-
ward mistake to make, under the circum-
stances Walk out of this house, sir. and
never let me see your countenance
again p
Mr.. Sykes obeyed sheepishly enough.
If there had but been something of the
supernatural iDscrutahly mingled in my
sudden appearance and vehement adiura-
tions, he might have stood by his colors
and Lncilia. As It was, however, he ad-
journed sine die, without . word Of apol-
ogy to me or farewell to Lucilla.
As for you, madame" said sternly,
turnln0 tn nv aohhin~ usfo-un lox~.~.