Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1890-12-16
MYSTERY OF A DREAM.

am about to write the story OF the
one great mystery of my life. / have
/ .old the story 20 many people, but with
)ne exception they have all looked very
mcredulous. Many shook their heads,
| and not few acted rs if they thought
ne a trife demented. There is one,
/ however. who is now sitting near the Ia
/ ole at which / am writing that believes
my story implicitly. Indeed Ediena,
ny darling wife, knows full well that
/ he story which ! am about to write Is
/ rue
/ / cannot tell when the knowledge that
T I loved Ediena Wyldmere was first re-
vealed 10 me. We were children to-
gether. and as we grew older we seemed
like brother and sister Even then she
was all the world 10 me, aud how dear |
was 10 her her own sweet lips have told
me "A hundred times. Our joys and sor-
rows were shared together, As happy,
thoughtless children we romped and
laughed, and many a time We mingled
our tears in childish grief As the years
rolled away our affection for each other
grew steadily stronger and deeper.
At 10 Ediena was as fair and pure a.
The most spotless thing under the sun. !
almost worshiped her then, but | was
still young and no thought of marriage
uttered my head. So beautiful maid
"a could not long avoid attracting ad-
miring suitors. and among those who
locked around her was one Cyril Stay
horne, the tall, proud, aristocratic mas
Ter Of Staythorue hall. which had beer
left him az the death Of his wealthy IA
her.
will not deny that soon grew jeal.
lus Of many of these fawning and flatter-
ny suitors, and Of Cyril Staythorne in
PARTICULAR Most beautiful young ladies
are naturally a triflc inclined to he tlirts,
and Ediena Wyldmere was no exception.
Not but that she loved me rs truly and
learly as ever, but never had ] made a
serious declaration of my passion, and
for time she enjoyed the attention be-
slowed upon her by those WIG had been
smitten by her rare charms OF grace and
sweetness.
was poor. "A carpenters son, and this
fact alone in the eyes Of her parents dis
. laualihed me as "A son-in-law. Our
saviour was carpenters son, but this
fact has not caused the calling 10 be
deemed more lofty than it was nineteen
hundred years ago. Ediena's parents
4. were on the outlook for good match
for their daughter and they looked with
favor upon Cyril Staythone. They
were too wise 10 come out openly and
request Ediena to have nothing further
20 do with the poor carpenters son. but
IN divers ways they did everything they
could to separate us and TO install Stay
thorne in her favor.
| shall never forget the feeling of rage
and despair that seized me rs one day
saw Ediena seated in Cyril Staythorne's
J handsome carriage. with Staythorne
himself by her side. | cannot describe
our next meeting. How much | was "a
, blame for what followed | now know,
but then thought had just cause for
what | did. Hot words were uttered,
and for the first time we parted in
anger.
u The next day left the quiet New
i England town where twenty-one year,
a Of my life had been spent A passenger
= train bore me away out into the world
5 was going anywhere that l might get
n away from the hateful spot that had
n always known as home, where so many
happy days had been spent with the on'
= from whom thought fate had separat
n I'd me forever,
sought and obtained employment II
a great city, the crowded streets ant
hurrving rush of which seemed very
= strange and unnatural to me. l tried u
D forget my old home and Ediena, but
soon found it impossible TO do so. Strive
as might to tear her image from IN!
y; bosom her fair, sweet face was almos
always before me. Sternly | Tough
against the power that seemed to b
drawing me back 10 her. Many nigh
lid awaken and sit bolt upright in tn
r darkness of my little room, with he
plaintive cry sounding in my ears.
"Oh. jasper, come back to meT'
10 1t always seemed very real, but rea
soned myself into thinking that it wa
d. all imagination. now know that many
many times she uttered that very cry.
One day an accident happened to me
q. was passing along beneath the spo
where repairs were being made ON
building when "a falling board struc
90 me senseless. was picked up and cal
90 ried TO a hospital, but when l recovere
SO SO consciousness did not know my ow
90 name. Ny mind did not seem derangec
I could remember events and people, bu
could not recall the name of singl
90 person whom | knew. They told III
90 that | had been severely injured an
90 that doubtless as improved my memor
would serve me better.
For several days lay there, gradual