St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-10-19
A DREAM OF DREAD DISASTER.
Why Nine. Moncrieife Refused to Be Wedding
Guest.

at the sad eyes and trembling lips.
Soft and weird the music rose and fell
across the ripple of light words, the
chime of distant laughter.
HER REASON.
ooh" cried the girl suddenly, ait is
of yourself you speak. This-this is
your reason"
Yes" said the woman, slowly. "This
is my reason. That night my husband
was attacked by cholera. Two hours
afterward-he died."
There were tears in the young, bright
eyeS-eyes to which sorrow was as yet
unknown.
my poor FRIEND" she cried, softly.
''Oh, my poor friend. 1t is terrible"
wait" said the woman, harShly.
"You have not heard all. Learn how
more than cruel fate can be to those
who defy it. You know how great the
dread is of that terrible scourge. How
quickly the pageant of death is played
out to its final issue. Before l had even
realized my loss. before my stricken
heart had recovered from its first stroke
of agony, heard that my darling had
been taken from e-buried-buried-
EStelle, in that very churchyard my
dream had shown to me. Then a great
StupOr and horror fell over me. l was
like one daZed and stunned. l felt
nOthing-realiZed nothing but my own
great loss. | prayed only that death
might seize me and bring me to his side
i'll spirit, since it had so cruelty divorced
us. 1t was my first grief. No doubt 1
was impious-mad. They said | was
the priest, whose empty words and hOl-
low services brought no peace to my
wrecked soul; the sOft-VOiced sister
hood who came as nurses and friends to
my side in those dark hours. Mad!
Well, if so, had to suffer yet more ter
ribIy for my rebellion. My story is not
yet ended, EStelle. 1t may have been
many days or few. l do not know.
Il had no count of time, when once
again the fOrcs and reality of Il dream
held my senses in thrall. | saw my
darling imprisoned, as it were, by some
obstacle, calling me, entreatiDg me, be-
seeching for some aid that could not
give, and dared not. Trembling and
sick, aw0ke.
HORROR on HORROR.
''Then-Oh; how can l speak of it?
How describe that hateful, unreSlSting
certainty which gradually took POSSESS
iOr Of ME, which night and day haunted
me with persistence that would not
be gaInSaid? Weak woman as | was-a
stranger in strange place. yet, by
power of woman's wit and woman's per-
siStence, gained my end. l had the
grave in that dismal churchyard opened.
/ stood, woman, alone and helpless,
amid Shuddering. SuperstitiOuS crowd,
while the cruel earth gave back its
dead. Its dead, said |. All, dear heav-
en-! it was no dead they had imprisoned
there; no dead whose helpleSSneSs the
CHASTITY toomb had Knocked. They had
buried him alive, EStelle-alive! He
had turned in that fearful coffin; his
eyes were gazing at me wide open, re-
prOachful, deSpairing-"
The girl shuddered- A low cry rOke
from her pale lips.
Don't tell me any MORE" she whis-
pered. ''Oh. it is hOrrible-horrible.
Il have had to live out my life re-
membering it," came the despairing an
Swer, "lived to think he had called.
prayed, entreated for me in that awful
place. l who loved him so and ONLY
knew-too late-I might have saved
him!'
Softly, hurriedly, the closing harmon
les of the tragic music closed in that
tragic tale.
Voices and laughter rang out once
more from scattered groups. One or
two approached the figures by the fire.
A man, young, tall, of cOurtly bearing
and handsome face, bent down to the
kneeling girl.
Have you persuaded madam, Estelle
mia?" he asked, gently.
She rose. There was a shadow on
the brightness and beauty of her face.
No." she said, "her reasons are too
good. Do not trouble her, PaOlO. L am
content"
The woman looked up at the two
young happy faces.
''SOme day." she said sadly" some day,
prince, you will know my presence is a
thing of i'll omen. l can be no ones
wedding guest since l have learned
the worth of presentment."