The Washington critic., 1889-01-25
FROM THE SILENT SHORE,

The dangers of practical jokes have
been often illustrated. The case in view
will show how the happiness of two lives
may be blighted by what is called o prac-
tical joke.
Florence Percival was expecting her
lover on the morning train, and her an
gush can better be imagined than de-
scribed when he did not arrive. They
were to be married the next day, and as
the hours passed the poor girls despair
made her i'll.
The train had only been delayed few
hours in the storm, but "A young cousin
of Miss Percival's, who happened to be
at the depot when the train came in,
thought it would be great joke to give
Florence scare, so he rushed into the
room where she was lying and exclaimed:
"Well, Florence, Frank McAllister has
been heard from at last. The trains
smashed-.-forty persons killed and he
among them"
With fearful scream Florence fell
PROSTATE on the floor and when they
| brought her back to consciousness she
did not even know her own lover, who
was bending over her in anguish.
1
| her mind the doctor suggested as last
resort that Frank should go into the
next room and sing some of the familiar
songs that Florence used to like. The
young man at once complied.
"Who is that singing2" asked Flor
ence. starting up and looking around
suddenly and earnestly. "1t sounds
like the voice Of my dear Frank, who is
now In heaven"
This remark was made the first time
the experiment was tried.
81 know that is my dear Frank s voice."
she repeated. please let me GO to him."
ut does sound like Frank singing"
the doctor finally said; but | do not see
how we could hear him If he is already
in heaven. think he must be nearer
than that"
Similar experiments were repeated fire.
quently, occasions being selected when
Florence was most quiet and not liable
TO he too much excited.
After few trials the patient began to
ask for the singing At length one day
when the patient was sitting up in her
chair, and more quiet than usual, the
familiar notes of ''rhe Last Rose of Sum
mer" sounded out clear and distinct.
Florence Immediately joined her own
voice to that OF the unseen singer; then,
as If forgetting that she had ever i'm
agined that her lover was dead, she
sprung from her chair-the doctor grasp
ing her arm at the same instant-and,
fixing upon him an earnest and intelli-
gent look, exclaimed:
doctor, that is my dear Frank He
is in the next room! Why does he not
come in here?"
DIR. Redfeld persuaded her to sit down
and let him go and SEQ if he could find
him.
go in at once" directed the doctor,
"but in a perfectly natural way; do not
show the least excitement
Ten minutes later the doctor entered
quietly.
"Why, DOCTOR" Florence exclaimed,
"here is my dear Frank He has come
at last. We were to be married to-mor-
row, you know"
"Yes, Florence" said the doctor, "but
you have not been very well lately, and
it will be better to defer your marriage
for few days"
"But you will not 90 away, Frank,
until our wedding" said Florence, anx-
, iously,
, mo, indeed" said her lover, the tears
: starting to his eyes, "and we will be
! married just as soon as you are we'll
! enough for us to go on our wedding
tour"
: No allusion was made at that time to
what had occurred, but after some days
in answer to her questions, she was
gradually permitted to learn the whole
Y truth.
Her recovery was rapid. Although
Q possessed Of highly wrought, nervous
o temperament her constitution previous
! to this sad affair had been good, and hei
: health was soon restored, leaving no trace
: of the mental disturbance and injury she
n had suffered.
r The marriage took place soon after hei
: complete recovery.