The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-11-08

coming on. and my life was a blank until
daylight returned 20 the east
When consciousness came back. found
myself In q small street of the AdelDhi.
looked around me. l recognized at once
the locality. Out OF this street opened the
one in which, that morning long ago, 1 had
found the baths. An irr asistible impulse to
see them again took possession of me. Per.
haps in them at last should find final ex-
tlnction. After the events of Yesterday
oblivion would be bliss, oblivion. Yes. it
must be that mercy would be in the baths
vouchsafed to me at last.
"Adelphi Lethe Baths, y read under the
mean pediment. The door stood open as OF
old Not a soul was in view. l entered i,
fired with the hope Of death. Everything
there was as if but day had gone by.
Here were the bath, and taps, and table
and chair. threw myself into the latter.
A sensation as Of ease came over me. I
began TO feel death descending upon me
like soothing melody, when was reused
by the opening of the door.
L looked round. A broken-down squalid
man In tattered clothes, s.ooped with pre-
mature age, came in and shuffied toward
the door leading into the garden.
As this loathsome figure passed me,
started up with cry. Surely l had seen
that face before! Surely this was the i'm
poster who had posed to my Ethel as her
NNA0
The figure went between the curtains
hanging in the doorway. 4 hastened toward
the door for a closer look at him. As
reached the curtain l saw the figure coming
back toward me.
/ stood still
He stood still.
stretched forth my arm
He stretched forth his arm.
With extended arm l advanced toward
him.
With extended arm he advanced toward
me.
Merciful powers of heavena What was
thisl
There was no doorway l was standing
in front of mirror! Twas surveying a re-
Election of myself!
OF myself Why, the beard Of the refiec.
ton was long and grey, and the face was
round and the clothes were hanging in tat.
ters.
This, the reflection Of myself, was the
loathsome figure had seen!
l put my hand TO my face. My face now
was roundl l now discovered board upon
my chinl I looked at the beard. 1t was
grey! glanced at my clothes. They hung
In tattersl thrust my hand madly into
my pockets No money No watch |
sought in my bosom. The case with the
miniatures was gonei
With a scream l spraug back from the
glass and fed into the street.
l rushed onward, needless OF where l
went. Under the horror of this second
transformation, l must have had a blind
instinct that must find my child. With
out designing 10 consciously, I took the way
she was going when she faded out of nv
sight the evening before.
When l noticed my surroundings again
l was on tho Embankment. Here after
twenty years l met her, the child lost that
morning In June. Here my dainty Ethel
lay cold aud stiff, with the water of the
river dripping from her poor, scanty cloth
ing. The portrait of her father in the
pinchbeck setting was clasped in her right
hand. The portrait was that of the man
had not known a while ago when he entered
the bath. The portrait l now knew for a
likeness of my present self! The portrait of
my present self, and of myself that is TO be
until the day l diel The portrait of the
wrecked and ruined father clasped in my
daughters sweet young dead hand.
THE END.
NExT WEEK:
The First IlStdLLment of q NeU Story