The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1886-04-02

..Here in my garden, in the arbor."
| There is no arbor here" / returned.
"Only q solid rock out Of which you
seem to be speaking"
..Saints protect mei'' answered the
voice. sit is too awful. 1 dare not
stay here longer. Spirit or man, fare
we'll"
.But you will come again."
pleaded. LET me hear you speak once
more. Will you not be here tomorrow
1T the same hour?"
Il dare not-but yet your voice
sounds as If you would do me no harm.
Yes. / will come"
Then there was utter silence, the
mysterious speaker had gone. I re-
turned home in state of stupid won
der, questioning myself if had not lost
my senses and If the whole occurrence
was not delusion. was faithful to
my appointment with the voice on the
following morning, however. l had
waited but few moments, when the
soft trembling accents broke the silence,
saying: 81 am here"
"And /, too" / answered; II am
grateful to you for coming"
Il
said the voice. 81 was SO terrified. ]
am very much afraid that l am doing
!, wrong to come"
.sAre you still afraid of me?'
.'.Not exactly. but it is SO strange"
SAY Will you tell me your name?''
al ,1on't know-Lenore. What il
yours?"
example an giving my first name
only. ..Shall we not be friends, Le-
nore?"
aOh. yes" ans,. vered the voice with a
silver peal Of laughter. Evidently its
owner was getting over her fears.
Don't be offended, George. 1t is so
strange people who can not see
each other, and perhaps never will.
making friends"
81 win solve the mystery yet. Le-
more. /" I answered, land find out where
you are. Would you be glad to see me
in my proper person?"
Eyes, was the reply, 81 should like
to see you.n
"And l would give a great deal to see
you. Lenore. You must be very beauti-
full, if your face Is Ike your voice."
"O6, hushm wis the agitated answer.
s.It is not right to speak thus"
.Why not? Do You know, Lenore,
that If this goes on I shall end by fall
ing in love with you, though never see
YOU"
"You are very audacious." was the
reply. "If you were really here before
me I should punish you for it. AZ it is
1 am going now"
But you viii come again tomorrow,
Lenorefn
IF you win promise to be more dis
Greet, George J"
As may be imagined, / did not fail to
keep my engagement with my invisible
friend For many consecutive days
these strange meetings continued. As
absurd rs it may seem. the voice was be-
ginning to make powerful impression
upon me. / felt in its soft tones the
manifestation Of sweet, refined wom-
ans soul. True, had made no prog
ress toward nnravelling the mystery.
Nevertheless was confident that
through some inexplicable dispensation
of Providence had been permitted to
hold communion with q real living.
lovely woman from an unknown dis
lance. She had not yet told me more
than her first name, and / did not press
her for more as vet. Her only. answer
to nv question as to where she was, was:
I'm the garden" She did not seem
capable Of grasping the fact that I was
not invisibly near her and capable OF
seeing her. She seemed content with
matters e they stood, and for the pres
ou< could ID M mora
made no one my confidant as to my
daily occupation; first because know
that should be regarded as mailman
upon my mere statement Of the facts,
| and, next, because shrunk from hav-
| ing an auditor ct my mysterious con-
ferences. win it be believedp Twas in
love with the invisible girl-in love
with voice! Absurd, Of course, but
am not the first man who has fallen in
love with w0man's voice. Besides,
was confident that il was only matter
Of time before / should zee the girl in
person.
i One day toward the end Of summer
| we had been talking - usual, and had
nid: my st.y in Italy Is nearly over,
Lenore."
al" Was the quick reply, you vii
leave me, George"
mo. Lenore," answered. mot il
you wish mo to stay.
4 How can / help it, George, whether
| you 20 or staye 1haye never seen you
IL never shall SEQ you- What am / t.
youf"
IAN the world, Lenors, - answered
ssOurs has been strange experience