The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-12-27
MYSTERY OF A DREAM.

1 am about TO write the story of the
one great mystery Of my life. / have
told the story to many people, but with
one exception they have all looked very
incredulous. Many shook their heads,
and not few acted as if they thought
me trihe demented. There is one,
however, who is now sitting near the ta-
BILE at which | am writing that believes
my story implicitly. Isdeed Ediena,
my darling wife, knows full well that
the story which / am about to write is
true.
cannot tell when the knowledge that
I loved Ediena Wyldmere was first re-
vealed to me. We were children to-
gether, and as we grew older we seemed
like brother and sister Even then she
was all the world to Inc, and how dear /
was to 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 time we mingled
our tears in childish grief. AS the years
rolled away our affection for each other
grew steadily stronger and deeper.
At 19 Ediena was as fair and pure as
the most spotless thing under the sun.
almost worshiped her then, but l was
still young and no thought of marriage
entered my head. So beautiful maid
en- could not long avoid attracting ad-
miring suitors, and among those who
flocked around her was one Cyril Stay
thorne, the tall, proud, aristocratic mas
ter of Staythorne hall, which had been
left him at the death of his wealthy IA
ther.
l will not deny that soon grew jeal-
Gus of manyof these fawning and fatter-
ing suitors, and of Cyril Staythorne in
particular. Most beautiful young ladies
are naturally trile inclined to be firts,
and Ediena Wyldmere wasno exception.
Not but that she loved me as truly and
dearly as ever, but never had | made
serious declaration of my passion, and
for time she enjoyed the attention be-
slowed upon her by those who had been
smitten by her rare charms of grace and
sweetness.
| was poor, carpenters son, and this
fact alone in the eyes of her parents dis
qualified me as n son-in-law. Our
Saviour was a carpenters son, but this
fact has not caused the calling to be
deemed more lofty than it was nineteen
hundred years ago. Ediena's parents
were on the outlook for good match"
for their daughter and they looked with
favor upon Cyril Staythorne. They
were too wise to come out openly and
request Ediena to have nothing further
TO 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 as one day |
saw Ediena seated in Cyril Staythorne's
handsome carriage, with Staythorne
himself by her side. cannot describe
our next meeting. How much l was to
blame for what followed l now know,
but | then thought had just cause for
what l did. Hot words were uttered,
and for the first time we parted in
anger.
The next day left the quiet New
England town where twenty-one years
of my life had been spent. A passenger
train bore me away ont into the world.
l was going anywhere that l might get
away from the hateful spot that had
always known as home. where so many
happy days had been spent with the one
from whom thought fate had separat-
ed me forever.
l sought and obtained employment in
great city, the crowded streets and
hurrying rush of which seemed very
strange and unnatural to me. tried to
forget my old home and Ediena. but |
soon found it impossible to do So. Strive
~ I might 10 tear ilr image from nv
bosom her fair, sweet face was almost
always before me. Sternly / fought
against the power that seemed to be
drawing me back to her Many a night
did l awaken and sit bolt upright IN the
darkness of my little room. with her
plaintive cry sounding In my ears.
"Oh, Jasper, come back to me-
1t always seemed very real, but rea-
soned myself into thinking that it was
all imagination. l now know that many,
many times she uttered that very cry.
Que day an accident happened TO me
was passing along beneath the spot
where repairs were being made on
building when a falling board struck
me senseless. was picked up and car
ried to hospital. i'Ut when recovered
consciousness ] dld not know my own
name. Ny mind did not seen deranged. 4
L could remember events and people, but |
l could not recall the name Of a single |
person whom l knew. They told me
that l had been severely injured and
that doubtless as l improved my memory
would serve NE better.
growing better physically, but IN no
way improving mentally. Try as I
might l could not recall names. Ire
membered my home. Eliena. Cyril STAY
thorne, everything: but 1 could hot
speak the name on a single place or per !
son, although scores of times / seemed |
on the point Of doing so.
Finally. had 50 tar recovered that ] /
was informed that on the following day 1
was to be discharged from the hospital. /
The last night OF my stay in the hospit4
arrived, and az a verv early hour 4
sought my couch ana was SON fszf
asleep.