Catoctin clarion., 1890-04-24
No. |


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 hold
ing. / thrust it impa,iently under her
pillow. The cut was not dangerous, 1
reflected, with judicious fatuousness,
when the patient could slum5er under
the surgeons hands.
Was aroused In the morning by
shower of kisses upon my eyeids and
lips. In the slow awakening from the
slumbers Of health and youth dream
cd that 1 was walking through vista
of honeysuckles that bobbed dcwily
against my face and opened laughing
eyes upon Augusta's countenance. She
wore white gown, bound at the waist
with blue sash, Frank favorite color;
the honeysuckles were in her belt; the
breath and fragrance and refreshment
of the May morning were about and in
her. / had oversight myself by mat
ter of two hours, and breakfast was
ready. Augusta sat at the open window
and chatted while dressed.
II am quite another creature today
she said, blithely. "You have wrought
a wonderful cure upon me, Dr. Nancy.
lam going to follow your prescriptions,
put useless regrets behind me, and be-
have like a rational Christian in future.
| have been thinking, too, over the
possibility of Franks getting back on
Friday instead of Saturday. l feel
almost sure that he will be here to-
morrow. This is Thursday, you know.
I Can imagine how he will thank you
when he hears what good advice you
gave me-
Could I remind her that she had
dropped asleep before l 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 to the other.-
Smiling happily and roguishly. Angus.
ia pulled down spray bearing as many
FIVE pointed flowers as leaves, colled it
rapidly into wreath and laid it on my
head.
"And you shall wear a starry crown -
she chanted, gayly.
I think the eate-latch clicked. I
knew we both looked out at the same
instant.
Frank Deane was just entering the
yard.
Have said that he was a handsome
man? l had always thought so, but
nev>r believed he could be so royalty
beautiful as now, framed in the honey
suckle 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, be smiled, tossed
his hand into the air in glad greeting,
and bounded quickly up the walk.
Augusta flew into the hall to meet him.
|, left alone for a moment, saw him, 1
solemnly 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 knightiy reverence before
his wife.
Then, wild shfiek Of terrified an
guish rang through every corner of the
cottage. l reached Augusta as she
reeled back, fainting. My arms-not
her husband s-received her. The
porch was vacant; SO were the path
and the trellsed gateway. The radiant
presence that had glorlfied all the
instant before had passed into thin air
when the wife sought to grasp it,
Frank Deane, as a few Old virglnians
still living will remember, died sudden
ly-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 existancs
and define the operation Of the law of
mental influence which enabled the
released spirit to project simulacrum
of his physical presence upon the
inauguration of her who loved him pas.
sionately, and long lnexpressibly for the
assurance of his forgiving love.
"God let him come to lift the cloud"
the widow said to her dying day.
We dare not step, even with unsan-
died feet upon the sacred awtulness Of
that ground.
His love was so mighty that he made
her believe that she beheld him with
her bodily eyes, say psychlcal savans,
reverent IN faith to what they cannot