The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1890-11-29
MYSTERY OF A DREAM.

l anu about to write the story of the
one great mystery of my life. l have
told the Story to many people, but with
one exception they have all looked very
incredulous. Many shook their heads,
and not a few acted as if they thought
me a trife demented. There is one.
however, who is now sitting near the ta-
bic at which am writing that believes
my story implicitly. Indeed Ediena,
my darling wife, knows full well that
the story which / am about to write is
true.
cannot tell when the knowledge that
l loved Ediena Wyldmere was first re-
vealed to me. We were children to-
gether, and as we grew older we seemed
like brother nd sister. Even then she
was all the world to me, 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 10 Ediena was as fair and pure rs
the most spotless thing under the sun. l
almost worshiped her then, but 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
hocked around her was one Cyril Stay
thornc, the tall, proud Iaristocratic mas
ter Of Staythorne hall, which had been
left him at the death of his wealthy fa-
! ther.
l will not deny that | soon grew jeal-
Gus of many of these fawning and fiatter-
ing suitors, and Of Cyril Staythorne in
particular. Most beautiful young ladies
are naturally trihe inclined to he firts,
and Ediena Wyldmere wasno exception.
Not but that she loved me rs truly and
! dearly as ever, but never had l made a
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, u carpenters son, and this
fact alone in the eyes of her parents dis
qualified me rs a son-in-law Our
Saviour was carpenters son, but this
fact has not caused the calling to he
deemed more lofty than il 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 Staythone. 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 Staythornt
himself by her side. l cannot describe
our next meeting. How much was tC
blame for what followed / now know
but then thought l had just cause fol
what l did. Hot words were uttered
and for the first time we parted il
anger.
The next day l left the quiet New
England town where twenty-one year
Of my life had been spent, A passengel
train bore me away out into the world
was going anywhere that / might ge
away from the hateful spot that ha,
always known as home, where so MANI
happy days had been spent with the on
from whom thought fare had separat
ed me forever.
sought and obtained employment il
great city, the crowded streets an,
, hurrying rush Of which seemed yer,
strange aud unnatural to me, tried t
forget my old home and E,Iiena, but
soon found it impossible 70 do So Striv,
as might TO tear her image from IN,
bosom her fair, sweet face was almos
a always before me. Stenly / Tough
against the power that seemed 10 b
drawing me back to her, Many nigh
did awaken and sit bolt upright in tn
darkness of my little room, with ne
plaintive cry sounding in my ears.
"Oh, Jasper, come back to inel'
1t always seemed very real but l rea
sOned myself into thinking that it wa
all imagination. now know that many
many times she uttered that very cry.
One day an accident happened to me
| was passing along beneath the spC
where repairs were being made on
building when a falling board struc
me senseless. was picked mp and ca
ried to hospital, but when recovere
consciousness dad not know my ow
name. My mind did not seem derangeC
couid remember events and people, bJ
| could not recall the name Of a sing
person whom l knew. They told N
that had been severely injured an
that doubtless as improved my memor
would serve me better
For several days lay there, gradual
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