Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1891-09-29

New York at total cost Of SIC, 900, half
Of which went TO the stablemen.
Miss Mignonette accompanied her
treasure, and on her arrival at her su-
perb mansion on West End avenue had
It unpacked and artistically displayed In
An aesthetic, well lighted upper room
which she had converted into sort Of
museum for the exhibition Of her trophies
collected while travelling. Here she
spent hours daily admiring her treasure,
examining and re-examining the surface,
which variously resembled corals and
stalagmites, honeycombs and cells Nor
lid she tire. On the contrary, SO great
grew her fascination that at last she was
held by it as by "a spell-as bird might
be hypnotized by "a snake. She would
walk and walk around it, sing to IL, in
iite poems in its honor and call 1t by en-
learing names
One day Miss Mignonette read Won
lerful account III veracious newspaper
concerning II frog which had been found
alive in a marble block. She was startled.
| What if her cone contained some ami
mal-a bear--a snake-goodness-what!
This girl had some sense. She actually
reasoned. She felt that II 1t contained
anything the mysterious object must be
something higher. nobler than she, to 30
rascinate her.
Should she smash it and Cad the mys-
tery2 MOI Why spoil forever her idol?
Again and again sho caressed 1t, but
always one end Of it. Suppose the end
coward which she was 30 irresistibly
drawn were the head?
Miss Mignonette, after reading the
frog story, grew SO crazed with the pos
nble romance OF the situation that she
1t last became possessed with the belief
that there was "a man inside. What If 1t
were true? He could not bo dead, no,
only in trance. He must be young and
handsome. Yes, he must DC the idol of
ner dreams. for whom she had searched
the world. Her future lord had been
found at last. Dame Nature had granted
her prayer and in the most romantic
way ever conceived, yea, inconceivable
even TO the widest nighted novelist, had
anablod her to find her lover In stone.
She would break the seal, the long seal
that had hidden him from the world.
She would dress to receive him. There
should be no one else present. He should
wake from his long dream from the in
visible world, should open his eyes on
uer loveliness, should awake to life and
tho world In her arms.
She arraycd herself gloriously. Her
lark hGi: was arranged with white
bands about IL. \ simple flowing gown
II white enveloped her form, and over
It was tho faintest white fabric Of illu-
ion, so delicate as TO deceive the eye.
1 Her brown eyes, large and long lashed,
homo with joy. Her feet were incased
( in tiny sandals. The nails Of her delicate
1 fingers shono pink hued, like the shell Of
4 pearl. She was arrayed at last. ready
with endearlng terms to receive her
I lover from his case Of stone. Incan-
( descent lamps shed soft, mellow glow
over the room, on tho cone, enhancing
he glorious beauty of the girl.
With sharp chisel she began TO In
lent crease on the entire length Of tho
ono Gradually the crease deepened.
Often 6ho placed her ear TO tho opening,
trying to catch somo sound. some move
ment. The opening arrived at n depth
where the como could be split open with
out injury TO the inmate. Size inserted
several chisels and with hammer gent
.y began tho splitting process.
As the tomb began to open she paused.
She was scared. Tho man would really
% as in death. How could she revive
hin unless he Immediately came to lifei
Suppose he were completely dead. What
could she tell the authorities that which
they would believe and not convict her
as L lnurderess?
Gradually her courage came back. She
would save him somehow. Had not ma
ture granted her prayer and sent her a
husband in the most mysterious, ro-
mantle fashion? Surely the power which
sent him to her 10 be rescued would en-
able her TO restore him 10 life. She gave
several taps and the cone divided in
twain.
In the morning they found her In the
museum in dead faint. She did not re-
yive for many days. Beside her were
two halves OF the cone Of silicious sintcr.
The occupant, which lay beside her, was
the limbless trunk Of DECD tree.-Wil-
liam II. Ballou In New York Evening
Telegram.