Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1890-12-05

way improving mentally. Try as I
might, / could not recall names. re-
membered my home, Ediena Cyril
Staythorne, every thing; but | could
not speak the name of a single place or
person, although scores of times
seemed on the point of doing so.
Finally, had so far recovered that
was informed that on the following day
l was to be discharged from the
hospital. The last night of my stay In
the hospital arrived, and at very early
hour sought my couch and was soon
fast asleep.
l am not naturally dreamer, but am
q very sound sleeper. 1t did not seem
that l dreamed that night, but suddenly
! found myself in a familiar spot. II
was night, and thunderstorm was
rapidly coming on. The black heavens
were scanned with fire, and deep
thunder roared like an enraged monster
was standing on the old bridge which
spanned winding stream not far from
my boyhood home. Suddenly flash Of
lightning showed mo Ediena hurrying
along the bridge.
Startled and amazed that she should
be there at such time, was about to
make my presence known, when another
flash showed second person on the
bridge. Plainly | saw his dark,
mustached, evilly-handsome face, and
plainly heard Ediena's cry of surprise
and fear as he confronted her midway
on the trestle Then through the dark
ness foated his triumphant exclama,
ton:
"Ahah! Ediena Wyldmere, l havs
you now! Twice have asked you to be
my wife, only to meet with refusal and
scorn. Tonight swear you shall con
sent to marry me, or you meet YOU
death in the waters of Crooked riverlp
Then came another fash of light that
showed my darling struggling in hill
vile clasp. To my ears came cry tina
stirred every drop of blood in my veins
"Oh, Jasperl Save mel save mel'
In an instant / leaped forward ant
tore her from his arms; at the same
time | dealt him a terrific blow tina
sent him reeling against the railing O
the bridge. The rotten guard gave way
and flinging up his arms, with the lool
of unutterable horror on his face plain
ly revealed by the vivid glare, he ut
tered one wild cry and plunged down
ward into the dark water. Ediena ut
| tprnl ppa iOUfnl opu.
Jasper! Jasper!"
Then she sank unconscious at m
feet. From that moment l knew n
more until awoke in the morning t
find myself in the hospital. And in tn
morning my memory was fully restore
to its natural condition. / found that
knew my own name and the names c
my friends That day l left the hos
pital.
remained in the city week, an
during the entire time my strang
dream-if dream it was-worried m
constantly. Was Ediena in trouble
Did she need my protection?
AS final result, one night boarde
swift train, and in the morning
stood by my darling's bedside. She wa
just recovering from brief but sever
illness. AS she chung to my hand an
shed tears of Joy, she sobbed reproacl
fully:
''0h, Jasperl Why did you leave m
there on that bridge after rescuing n
from Cyril Staythorne's hands?"
What do you mean?" l hoarsel
gasped, scarcely able to credit my ear
Then she described a scene just as
had witnessed and taken part in in m
dream. She finally said:
81 was over to Mabel Gray's, where
intended to spend the night, when tt
thunderstorm came up. don't kno
why did it, but resolved to retur
home, and started out despite IL
protests of both Mabel and her mothe
| met Staythorne on the bridge. I
seized me in his vile grasp and | Gale
for help. Then you came and snatche
me from his hands, at the same tin
hurting him off the bridge. l caugl
one glimpse of your face as it was r
vealed by the lightning, and then
tainted. When recovered consciou
ness it was raining and l was alone {
the bridge"
"And Cyril Staythorne?" asked
WAS found the following day foatil
a corpse on Crooked river"
My story ends here. have alreaC
told you that Ediena is my wife. CT
not explain the mystery of my dreal
| can only write the question that ha
asked myself q thousand times:
Was it dream?-William G. Pate
in Yankee Blade.