The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1890-12-12

hospital The last night of m stay in
the hospital arrived, and at very early
hour | sought my couch and was soon
fast asleep.
am not naturally a dreamer, but am
very sound sleeper. 1t did not seem
that dreamed that night. but suddenly
! found myself in a familiar spo. l.
was night, and a Thunderstorm was
rapidly coming on. The black heavens
were scanned with fire, and deep
thunder roared like an enragcd monster.
] was standing on the old bridge which
spanned a winding stream not far from
my boyhood home. Suddenly q fash OF
lightning showed mo Edieua hurrying
along the bridge.
Startled and amazed that she should
be there at such time, I was about TO
make my presence known, when another
fash showed 4 second person on the
bridge Plainly 1 saw his dark.
mustached, evilly-handsome face, and
plainly l heard Ediena's cry OF surprise
and fear as he confronted her midway
on the trestle. Then through the dark
ness hoated his triumphan exclama-
ton:
'Ah-ah! Ediena Wyldmere, have
you now! Twice l have asked you TO be
my wife, only to meet with refusal and
scorn- Tonight swear you shall con
sent 10 marry me, or you meet your
death in the waters of Crooked river!7
Then came another flash OF light that
showed my darling struggling in his
vile clasp. To my ears came cry that
stirred every drop of blood in my veins:
'rOh, Jasper! Save mel save me.'
In an instant l leaped forward and
tore her from his arms; at tho same
time 1 dealt him terrific blow that
sent him reeling against the railing Of
the bridge. The rotten guard gave way.
and fiinging up his arms, with the look
of unutterable horror on his face plain
" revealed by the vivid glare, he ut
tered one wild cry and plunged down
ward into the dark water. Edicna ut
tered one joyful cry:
Jasper, Jasper!"
Then she sank unconscious at nv
feet From that moment l knew no
more until / awoke in the morning to
find myself in the hospital And in the
morning my memory was fully restored
to its natural condition. I found that
knew my own name and the names Of
my friends. That day left the hos
pital.
l remained in the city week, and
during the entire time my strange
dream-if dream it was-worried me
constantly. Was Ediena in trouble?
Did she need my protection?
As = final result, one night boarded
a swift train, and in the morning I
stood by my darling's bedside. She was
just recovering from brief but severe
illness As she clung to my hand and
shed tears of JOY, she sobbed reproach-
fully:
''Oh, Jasper! Why did you leave me
there on that bridge after rescuing me
from Cyril Staythorne's hands?"
What do you mean?" / hoarsely
gasped, scarcely able to credit my ears.
Then she described = scene Just as !
had witnessed and taken part in in my
dream. She finally said:
Il was over 10 Mabel Gray's, where l
intended to spend the night, when the
thunderstorm came up. l don't know
why did 1t, but 1 re solved TO return
home, and ! started out despite the
protests of both Mabel and her mother
! met Staythorne on the bridge. He
seized me in his vile grasp and called
for help. Then you came and snatched
me from his hands, at the same time
hurting him OF the bridge l caught
one glimpse OF your face as it was re-
yealed by the Lightning, and then l
tainted. When l recovered conscious
ness it was raining and was alone on
the bridg ge."
"And Cyril Staythorne?" / asked
WAS found the following day floating
a corpse on Crooked river"
Ny story ends here. have already
told you that Ediena is my wife. ! can
not explain the mystery Of my dream.
| can only write the question that have
asked myself thousand times:
Was it = decentralization u. Patten,
in Yankee Blade.