Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1889-05-17

comparatively unknown artist. How
ever, found shortly afterward that 1t
was sold to well-known dealer.
l followed my ''Vision" at distance
through the gallery, asking every one [
knew who she was, but no one could tell
me anything about her; and at last,
when they left, was fain TO follow still,
thinking from their carriage might be able
to discover some clew. However, to my
surprise. they walked some little distance,
and then got into a hanson. jumped
into another, and ordered the driver TO
follow theirs and stop where it stopped.
Much to my disgust, Paddington station
seemed their destination, and when after
paying my man i hurried into the station,
| was just in time TO see them disappear
into a first-class carriage as the train
steamed off !
had lost her for that time, but com
forted myself with the idea that we must
meet during the season, and determined
at once to look up I'll my old friends, and
accept all the invitations [ got, for until
now, wrapped up in my art, | had rather
neglected the first, and always declined
the last. But everything had changed;
since my dream had been the shadow of
this sweet reality seemed to have reached
at one bound the very soul Of life.
After some months Of solitary wander
ings, I began to journey hOmeward,
pausing at each picturesque village which
took my fancy, and crossing the rich
Lombard plain to Milan, and so to Genoa
and the Riviera.
It was late on Christmas Eve when I
reached a quaint little town near Bordig-
hera and drove to the Hotel Francia. [
was very tired, and after supper and
hasty glance at the beautiful bay, and the
white moonlight shining on the rugged
Rocher Rogue, and mingling with the
glancing lights fitting about in the steep,
arched little streets, [ went to bed, feel
ing a strange sense of familiarity and ex
Dectancy, which [ strove in vain to ac-
count for. However, I soon fell asleep,
and then once more the old dream came
to ME.
There was the violet sea laundering on
the beach, the shadowy purple hills
growing paler against the clear gold OF
the dawn, and the strange, wild chorus
of the bells surging and quivering
through the hushed air; and then, with a
gathering sense of terror and fear, the
darkness, and that dead face yelled in its
coffin lying before me.
With sharp cry [ awoke to find this
was no dream, but horrible reality, for
the room was rocking and trembling with
that sicl1ening motion one grows to know
and dread in countries subject to earth
quakes, and terrible sounds of falling
buildings were mingled with cries and
croans of those buried beneath the ruins
The sea broke on the shore with sound
like thunder, and above us the peaks
seemed to SILVER and crack, as huge
powders came lettering down on the lit
tie city.
sprang I'D, and hastily dressing,
CROPPED my way out of the hotel; and
not a moment too soon, for as [ reached
the road, which here sloped sharply down
to the sea, the ground again quivered and
rocked slowly backward and forward,
and the whole building fell into mass
of shapeless ruins, and as the steep little
streets seemed leaning together, the I'M
earthly chorus OF bells rang out again
and again, half drowning the cries Of the
terrified people.
It was all exactly as I had seen it in
my dream. and | turned away with q
shiver, noting how familiar was each de-
tail, and feeling sick and dazed, and
helpless, when voice near recalled me to
myself.
Gina, where are you? My God, where
can my daughter be?'
/ recognized the voice at once as that
picture, and the girls sweet name sounded
like hymn Of peace amid the horrible
scene.
NV as size in the Francia?" I gasped.
Eyes" he replied eagerly; ''she was
with me as we CROPPED our way down
stairs, but blow from some falling beam
hurled me here, and she-where is she?"
He strove to rise, but even as he spoke
another fearful shock came, the ground
opened at our feet, and with terrible
cry and hopeless clutch at the yielding
masonry OF the wall by which he stood,
disappeared, swallowed up before my
very eyes! Had I been a foot nearer |
must have gone, too. AS it was, I stag
gered and fell heavily, but only to
struggle up again, haunted by the nor
rible thought that she was lying buried,
perhaps dead, underneath those cruel
stones.
I must find her. And nerved to greater
haste and energy by the awful sight had
Just seen, | rushed into the ruined house.
calling: