Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1890-01-03

| HIS 10 my HIsI udppy iHouicho. ~
it real? You have changed, Frances
ca. You were never so beautiful a.
this. Have you come TO taunt me?'
II am Francesca-your Frances
ca she said. But other changes
have, indeed, come to me. | am mt
longer a girl | have wealth anc
power She leaned toward him
fragrant and irresistible. Edward
do you care for me still?' she whis
pered.
"His self-control forsook him.
would give my soul for youl" he said
"What look-what n smile she
gave him! Come with me, then
said She Come to my home; We can
not talk here. There no one will in
terrupt us. Come. Edward
"He hesitated. My guests will ex.
pect-you know | am
"She laid her soft fingers on his
hand.
Never mind them. What are
they to us? Let this be proof that
you care for me-to leave them and
come with me. Are you afraid?'
lie rose TO his feet.
Let us go, he said.
"He was reckless. But the dining
saloon was now empty. The guest
had gone to the drawing-rooms and
the bands We're playing waltz.
How the music sung and throbbed!
They passed out into the hall TN
noticed. No one seemed to heed
them. Francesca was now enveloped
in "A long pearl-gray cloak, lined with
swans-down. He had his hat and
coat. Her hand was on his arm.
They decended the stairs, treading
on roses. The door opened before
them, and they went out. Her ear.
rage stood at the bottom of the
steps. Snow was falling; but in II
moment they wers seated side by
side in the carriage, where it was
warm and perfumed. Edward Dav-
entry could have believed himself on
heaven. He felt the gentle touch of
her arm and shoulder. He saw tho
darkness of her eyes and hair, the
pure bloom OF her face
He loved, she loved him; what
was the world compared to that? The
carriage rolled along swiftly, on easy
springs. They were leaving all things
all care and trouble-behind. He
bent to kiss her cheek; but she put
up her hand with restcoquetry.
Not yet, Edward" she murmured.
WHIT! wait!,
"At length the carriage stopped:
they were at her home. They alight
ed; he followed her up the steps, and
into the softly lighted hall. AS the
door closed behind them she turned
to smile on him-a smile of love and
invitation. She went on into an in
ner room, pushing aside the heavy
curtains that hung in the doorway.
Here all was warm, sumptuous,
luxurious, softly lighted. In the
middle of the room she turned upon
him with an enchanting gesture.
"Now-the kiss!" she said
ellis lips were almost on hers Sud-
denly she lifted her two hands to the
sides of her face, and her whole face
seemed to come away, as one removes
Il mask. Beneath was disclosed a
bare, grinning skull, with fragments
of earth and mold clinging to it. A
cold damp scent of death emanated
from it. Something seemed to burst
in Daventry's head. He uttered an
awful scream, and fell to the floor
senseless."
The doctor stopped and relighted
his pipe. Mye fell on the skull be-
side him.
"What does this mean? faltered.
Is that ALP"
"a mere hallucination, of course"
said the doctor, chuckling. Daven-
try's brain had given way on that
evening, as | had warned him it
would. He imagined he saw this
woman, and he followed the specter
into the street. An odd coincidence,
by the way: he was found the next
morning, nearly frozen to death, and
quite mad-wherc do you SUPPOSED"
"Where?" said shuddering.
"Why, in deserted house on the
other side of Harlem, which had pre-
viously been occupied by this same
francesca. HOW ne SOU tnefe no
body knows. But he raved about
this hallucination for years after
ward; and when he died, the other
day, he shrieked out with his last
breath that he was being kissed by a
skull"
"Who was Francesca | asked.
why do you ask?' THAT is her
skull. And this ring of mine is her
ring. What does name matter?
1t is only within the last fifteen years
or SO that have borne my present
name. | was married some forty
years since. | lost my wife early.
She left me daughter, but she died /,
too, when she was nineteen years old.
Have glass of wine. New York
Ledger