Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1890-04-03
AN EASTER DREAM.
BY VIENNA CALDWELL MELVILLE

BY VIENNA CALDWELL MELVILLE.
His face was indicative of grief rather
than hardness, certainly he did not look
like a criminal-a murderer-as as he re-
clined on the iron bed-stead supporting
his head with his hands. His figure
was good even in the hated stripes" !"
and the phenology of the closely shaven
head could hardly have been made to
read, "blocd-thlrsty !" "villainous!'
A curling blonde mustache shaded
lips closed almost fiercely one might
imagine, but his eyes-when occasion
ally opened-showed frank and blue
the bright, dainty blue too that one
sees sometimes in child's eyes.
He was very pale. with worn look
which comes from sleepless nights full
Of torturing thought
Gradually the arm supporting the
head relaxed and feeling of drowsiness
overpowered him. When little later
a cracked bell changed out somewhere,
he only smiled in his sleep; but quickly
it was followed by shrill voice calling
impatiently outside his grated door.
"No. 97!"
Springing up, he brushed his hands
hastily across his eyes, then stared for
moment in bewilderment at the cheer
less surroundings and the Indifferent
face of the keeper" who had unlocked
the door and stepped within the cell,
Where am II thought"
why, my lad, yer In the peniten.
shury sure enough; pears TO me you'd
not fergit it so easy" wa' the coarse,
-ok "a srk,
The vouth-for now that he yas risen
and turned his face more toward the
unsatisfactory light, looked to be still
in the early twenties--utters a bitter
invective of some sort; but deigns no
other reply.
A little latter he is tramping along
with the striped gang" as he mem
tally terms them, toward the chapel,
but he pays little heed to the services,
his mind is full of the dream of that
brief sleep. Again and again he lived
it through while the wheezy lite or
gan played and few rough voices
joined in an old Easter hymn, while the
gray haired chaplain prayed "for the
Easter presumably sermon one hour
in length.
He had dreamed of seeing pale, gen.
tie woman, ith soft curing locks of
silver above her refined brow, standing
out on tho hank of wide
smooth-howing river. Above her head,
like halo, shown a beautiful star
which he somcway recognized at once
as the "star of hope"
Mother" he had tried to say, but
sreech seemed denied him and he could
only smile in response to the look of
unutterable tenderness on her face.
A moment only he looked away
but when his gaze returned she
was gone, but the star remained.
Gan it mean anything?" he asked
himself continually.
"Some might think it an omen of
good coming on Easter MORN" he
thought, "but there is nothing that can
bring me happiness"
When the chaplain's monotonous
tones ceased he reused himself little,
but did not once raise his eyes until the
organ tones fell on his ear.
Could that music come from the poor,
tuneless little instrument? Surely
none but master hand could produce
1t; and looking up he beheld a vision
that made him start, flush to the
temples and then grow faint and cold.
He must be dreaming againl
But tits surely Pansy Moore" he
whispered, pinching his own arm to see
| il he we're awake.
1t was beautiful Easter solo that
she played and sang, her sweet rich
voice "full of tears" then at the close
the chaplain said that the young lady
had some papers and cards to distrib-
| ute.
Timidly, and with eyes suffused, she
moved about among them giving q tract
aud dainty card with Scripture inscrip-
ton to each, leaving the youth, whose
ewes followed her with burning, wistful
| glances, and his companion until the
last.
When sho paused there the color had
all vanished from the round cheeks. and
the long lashes persistently veiled the
brown eyes. Her hand trembled as she
handed him his, but she made no other
sign.
The dreary prison dinner followed
the service, but il was almost untasted
by the youth.
Alone once more in bis cell, Rail-
'ethen flung himself on the iron bed
stead and drew out Iii, treasures. oh
how precious they we're, for had they
not been touched by her fingers2
Frantically he pressed them TO his
lips ere he ever opened them. The
tract was entitled, "An Easter Mes
sage" the card was of pale olive tint
and on it was tiny white.robed
Graph holding dainty basket OF lille.
from among which peeped three pale
pink eggs. On her forehead she wore q
"star."