Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-02-16
IN A TRANCE.
BY FRANCES E. wADLEIaH.

The first sound that can remember
hearing was the slam Of door; pre-
sumo it reused me from my stupor, or
Whatever my previous state might
have been; then I heard my brother
in law say:
Shut those windows. please; there's
drought enough to kill dozen well
people! And, Kitty, have one of the
servants bring that little air.tight
stove down from the trunk room, aud
then see that there is a gentle fire kept
up here at least until midday to-mor-
row. l will be back in few mo-
ments
had been trying to open my lips to
say something. to ask why ! was lying
in my bed at this hour of the day, or
to request my sister Kitty to put
another blanket on the bed but l
could not utter word. While l was
wondering what allied me and why |
felt so queer, one Of the servants, who
mad entered with the little stove, said
to her companion:
Sure an the masther's that quare!
Niver before did hear of any one
wantin' to kape dead man warrum
bego-ra. some o thin gets wsrrum
enough where they've gone, but not
the likes O. Masther Fred
Why has Norah such sound of
tears in her voice?
sAh' why, | wonder, didn't some O.
thin miserable spalpeens round in the
back street git runned over an kilt,
instead o him. Nora continued. 1t
will about kill his sister,
A cold chill came over me; who
were they talking about? Sure no one
could believe that l was dead? A
score of weird tales which had read
came rushing through my mind-how
people had oeen buried alive; how deaf
ones had permitted husband, brother,
father, even mother or child, to be neg
lected as past hope; and how, after in
finite suffering. the. supposed corpse
had struggled free from the cofir
and winding sheet and come home
again; and thought, too of the many
who had never been able to free them
selves, and | would have shuddered
if I could have moved muscle OF
even an eyelash; but was as immov
able as any corpse.
In what seemed century | agair
heard my sisters voice. Considering
that her only brother was supposed t.
be dead before her very eyes,
shought she seemed very bllthe.
'Oh, Otto, she said to her husband
then you do not think Fred is reall,
dead?'
No more dead than am, my dear
he has evidently received sever
blow upon his head which rendere,
him senseless and has thrown him in.
to a sort of trance or cataleotic state
Thave just been to see Dr.. Burke, ant
he says it is very probable. Anyway
Kitty, insist that the room be KEEP
warm, quiet and comfortable; If alive
be is weak. and this place, when
came into it. was cold enough to hav
frozen any invalid; and then, on tn
other hand, if he is not alive, it wi
do no harm to have the temperature
little high, for any sign of decay wi
settle his condition beyond doubt
and until | am quite positive he
dead | will give him the benefit c
the donbt.'
l had always liked and respecte
my grave brother-in-law; now | love
him. How blessed him for HI
words! That he would stick to thel
had no doubt, for he was mule fc
obstinacy--no, no, never again woul
call him obstinate, but firml
| certainly was weak, for | eithe
dozed now or had faint turn, for th
next thing / knew the room ws
warm, soft scarlet shawl was spres
over my feet, as ] could see throug
my half-closed eyes, the curtains wei
drawn down, and the house was d.
lightfully still. My sister seemed
have been persuading her husban
into grudging consent to something
for he was saying:
We'll, have your own way, Kitty;
can't pretend to fathom the minds {
you women, and you may be right;
do not like the girl myself, and I thin
our Fred is thrown away on her. Bl
then, you SEQ, there never was but or
woman in the world to me.
You are the best man in the un
verse, Otto! do hope you are righ
and that dear Fred can hear what v
say, answered my sister, kissing n
tenderly.
IF he can" answered Otto, layir
his firm, cool hand on my forehea
he, knows that he is to be cared TO
and that no harm shall come to him
Otto Kramer can defend him.
Alasl my tear-ducts too were par
lyzed, and the tears which I telt ri
in them could go no further.
Kitty now spread large white 4ui
over me, letting it hang straight al
smooth, and then she and Otto left Il
,e room. ! had faith in them, and aga
Tallcwed myself to lapse into q sta