The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1890-03-28

just let him do itand stood like dumb block
while he walked out of the house-oh, Nancy!
so slowly and unwlllingly 1t wasn't a bit like
his step! didn't stir to go to the window,
where had always stood every morning to
kiss my hand to him when he went down to
the Office. But l watched him from away
back in the room where he couldn't see me,
and saw him go down the path and stop un-
der the honeysuckle at the gate to look up at
the window. When he didn't see me, his
face turned absolutely dark-the most awful
thing and he rushed off down the street
with never glance behind him. That was
our first parting We parted under thun-
der cloud, Nancy | have lived in the heart
of it ever since. Ifyou had not come think
! must have gone crazy, thinking and living
it all overl'
My sympathy quoted her somewhat,
hope, but am afraid The battered platitudes,
of which, as is the case with most young
lings of inexperience. / had great store,
wrought more specifically. Pausing for
breath and reply, at length, | discovered
that she was asleep.
Chilled and chagrined, 1 laid her from my
arms upon her own pillow. Something slid
from her lax hand. 1t was her husbands
miniature, glass and setting warmed by her
passionate holding. / thurst it impatient
ly under her pillow. The cut was not dan
gerous, l reflected, with judicious fatuous-
ness, when the patient could slumber under
the surgeons hands.
l was aroused in the morning by shower
of kisses upon my lips and eyelids. In the
slow awakening from the slumbers of health
and youth, l dreamed that l was walking
through vista of honeysuckles that bobbed
dewily against my face, and opened laughing
eyes upon Augusta's countenance. She wore
white gown, bound at the waist with blue
sash, Franks favorite color; the honey
suckes were in her belt; the breath and
fragrance and refreshment OF the May morn
ing were about and in her. | had oversight
myself by a matter of two hours, and break
fast was ready. Augusta sat at the open
window and chatied while dressed.
81 am quite another creature to-day" she
said blithely. "You have wrought a won
derful cure upon me, DR.. Nancy. l am 60
ing to follow you prescriptions put useless
regrets behind me, and behave like rational
Christian in future. l have been thinking,
too, over the possibilities of Franks getting
back on Friday, instead of Saturday. | feel
almost sure that he will be here tomorrow.
This is Thursday, you know. ! can imagine
how he will thank you when he hears what
good advicey you gave me-"
. Could remind her that she had dropped
asleep before I reached the application" of
my homily? She was still chatting, when,
fully dressed, I Joined her at the window and
put my arm about her. A white jasmine,
tackled along the window frame, cast graceful
streamers from one side 10 the other. Smil-
ing happily and roguishly, Augusta pulled
down a spray bearing as many five-pointed
flowers as leaves, coiled it rapidly into
wreath, and laid it on my head.
"And you shall wear starry crown" she
chanted, gayly. .. ar
Think the gate latch clicked. KNEW we
both looked out at the same Instant.
Frank Deane was just entering the yard
Have said that he was handsome man l
had always thought so, but never believed
he could be so royalty beautiful asnow,
framed in the honeysuckle arch of the
little gateway. His face was alight with
happiness and love; his eyes eagerly sought
the window, and, as low exclamation of
rapture escaped the figure beside me, he
smiled, tossed his hand into the air in glad
greeting, and bounded quickly up the walk.
Augusta flew into the hall to meet him. 1,
left alone for moment, saw him, solomnly
aver, as he sat his foot upon the lower step of
the porch, the flash Of the may sunshine upon
his blonde head, uncovered in knightly rever-
ence before his wife.
Then, u wild shrek of terrified anguish
rang through every corner of the cottage.
reached Augusta as she rteled back, fainting
MY arms-not her husband 's-received her.
The porch was vacant so were the path and
the trellised gateway. The radiant presence
that had glorified all three an instant before
had passed into thin air when the wife sought
to graspit.
Frank Deane, as few old Virginians still
living will remember, died suddenly-it was
said of heart disease-in Richmond, at the
very hour and minute in which we believed
that we saw him come in at the wicket gate.
Perhaps the Society of Psychical Research
may announce the existance and define the
operation of the law of mental influence which
enabled the released spirit to project a smu-
lacrum of his physical presence upon the in
auguration other who loved him passionately,
and longed inexpressibly for the assurance OF
his forgiving love.
"God let him come to lift the cloud" tie
widow said to her dying day. Ia.
We dare not step, even with unsanded
feet, upon the scored awfulness OF that
ground. a.., s..-.
His love was so mighty that he made her
believe that she beheld lin with her bodily
eyes, say psychical savans, reverent in faith
to what they cannot explain.
But what, then, was it that saw P-Maraan
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