Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-12-06

tallsinent-it is an incentive to confidence
ana conversation. The voices rose and fell
III rhythincal cadence, subdued in Difference
10 an occasional chord; but not in any way
oppressed by the necessity of listening. The
woman IN the chair was silent but her COM
pallleii, as II emboldened by the murmurs
around, nestled closer and whispered an en-
treaty.
Il have come today" she said, 'iust to
plead my cause once more. Do say you will
come 1t Will be the one thing necessary to
complete my happiness. Surely you won't
refuse that
Tie woman started, as if aroused from
some deep train of thought. Her eyes turned
to the young, eager face, and something ten
DER and compassionate came into their gaze
Dear Estelle," she said ~ love Won too
well to refuse any request that might tend to
your happiness. l would do more for Won
than for any one know here in Rome but
cannot be present at your bridal tomorrow
Do not ask it, for l hate to refuse you any,
thing
But do ask it, dear Nine. Moncreiffe "
pleaded the spoilt beauty the belle and heir
ess OF the winter city. You know ALWAYS
get what l want. and l want you-to-mor-
row."
my dear said the artist, sadly, "if I
could break my rule for any one, | would do
it for you But | cannot. Nothing could
induce me to attend a marriage ceremony
even yours ~
You always say that, know. But whyl
Is there anything you feari Or is it that
such ceremony recallsr-
Yes the woman interrupted sit recalls
it awakens-it is full Of pain and horror to
me. Estelle, should be only shadow to
the sunshine of your bridal Do not press
the matter farther
The girl was silent. She knelt there in the
freight picture of bright and beautiful
yonth to whom the future only showed it
self in the golden light Of hope. Softly tbe
music rose and fell 1t had changed now to
plaintive. minor melody. The woman
shivered as the mournful notes echoed through
the vast chamber.
ut was just such a scene as this she said
suddenly, ''the eve of another wedding day,
and the music-oh, heavens! Why does he
play that Why does he play thatf'
"Sball stop himT' cried the girl, terrified
BY the agony of the face bent suddenly low
In the light of the leaping flames.
She half rose to her feet, but a gesture
from that slender, trembling hrszryr ss~-J1S.
her impulse, and she resumed her former
attitude
"Did Brighten you Estellel am weaker
than | thought. No, don't move, child; stay
there, and while the music lasts | will try to
speak, 10 tell you the reason of a refusal that
seems so ungracious a thing. 1t is no ca
price, Estelle, for love you as if you were
my own child and l have prayed for your
happiness ever since knew that Prince Clio
wolf had won your heart. You wish TO know
why cannot be guest ut your weddingl
Shall l tell you my story, Estelle, or will it
brighten yOu' We live in an age of realism
of incredulity. No one believes now in
dreams, or si-,ls, or presentiments, and yet
known the truth of each and all of these SO
well that | am an old woman before my
time, and shall carry broken heart with
INC to my grave for sake of one"
The girl trembIed and drew closer. 81 al
ways knew she said, "that you had suf-
fered; that some great troubien--
you shall hear 1t if you will !" said the
woman in a strange, dull voice. She bent her
head. The girls blue eyes noted wonder
ingly the mingled gray and gold of the soft,
thick hair. the haggard lines about the beau
tiful pale lips
1T is years ago" she said, quietly, "and
such girl as you are now, welcomed even a:
you welcome, the eve of her bridal day. MOI
cloud, not a shadow, not a foreboding
With the memory of her lovers kiss, she fel
asleep that night; but in that sleep Their,
shaped itself a dream-a dream strange
terrible-ominous She saw herself standing
In an old churchyard-a dreary, half ruine
place, melancholy with cypress and yews
and old. forgotten graves, moss grown an
neglected. As she stood, something impelle
her to look more closely at the headstone G
one by which she stood On it a name wa
craven, and a date. The name was be
lovers name; the date-not three weeks afte
her destined wedding day. Cold and tren
bling she awoke, and tried to Danish Il
memory Of that dreadful place. 1t haunte
her throughout that happy marriage dal
1t turned her cold and faint, even amid be
bridegroom passionate murmurs. He, kee
sighted with a husbands new born right
demanded to know the cause of her pallt
and her terrified looks. In despair 81
told him, only naming herself as Il
subject of this hateful presentiment. Z
laughed at her fears, and ere q week hs
passed she had almost forgotten them am
the joys and the tenderness shower,
upon her life They wandered fro
place to place in sunny Italy, in t
loveliest hooks and ia the lovelie
season of the year. They took no cou
of time Strong in health, rich in love a.
beauty and worldly goods, life was like
happy dream that lulled them to deepest re-
One day they bad halted at a little out Of t
way village among the mountains 1t W
close on sunset, AMI they wandered off,
their habit often was to explore the netg
borhood OF sketch some Of its picturesq
hooks. Suddenly the girls heart seemed
stand still-a cold and deadly horror chain
her senses Without heed-without oven
marking where their footsteps tended, th
stood in an old half ruined graveyard-t
scene of her dream. ShudderinG and pa
she strove to draw her husband away. L
pallor and alarm reused his suspicious.
glanced around and he, too, remembered
dream There was no mistaking the sp
Her description had been accurate in eve
detail However, lie made light of her fea
he strove to reassure her They left the 81
and returned to the inn. Only then did
remember the date of the day. 1t was
actly three weeks since their marriage"
The voice of the speaker faltered.
girl, pale and awe struck, looked up at
sad eyes and trembling lips. Soft and we
the music rose and fell across the ripple
light words, the chime Of distant laughter
oh cried the girl, suddenly. ut is
yourself you speak, This-this is I
SON.
YES said the woman, slowly. "Thi
my reason. That night my husband was
tackled by cholera. Two hours afterwar
he died
There were tears in the young, bri
eyes-eyes % which sorrow was as yet
known. .I .
"My poor friend, she CRIED softly. Is
nv poor friend. 1t is TERRIBLE
stWait," said the woman, harshly. 81
have not heard ALL Learn how more t
cy,,el faN can be to those who defy it.
know how great the dread is of that teri
scourge. How quickly the pageant of d.
is nIayed out to its final issue. Before
- even realized my loss, before my stric
~ heart had recovered from its first strok
agony, heard that my darling had
taken from me-buried-bpried, Estelle