Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-04-16

landing that if | was fortunate enough
to miss all the confederate bullets and re-
turn alive we would celebrate the event
with wedding. Finally my letters SEEM
ed to go astray and at last Roxy cease1 to
write. In the same company with myself
was an old schoolmate of mine. Hank
Browne, and be was also very fond of
Roxy, although ! did not know it then.
One day after we had received our mail
ne asked, looking from letter he was
reading, Il say Doris have you, heard
from Roxy Sheldon lately?" No" l
answered, mot for three months. ''Well.
then. here is news for you. Sister Anna
writes that old Mr.. Sheldon is dead and
that Roxy has married book agent and
gone to Kansas"
Il told myself that this explained her
silence and so | nursed against agents in
general the bitterness that came into my
life and when he war was over, instead of
returning to my old home, where | would
have learned the truth, set my face west
ward. For twenty years I have lived a
lonely life, never once looking at her pic
ture which lay at the very bottom of my
trunk.
And the little tintype I gave you to
enlarge explained Mrs. Doris, lis one
he sent 10 me in the second letter after he
went to var and always"
And when | saw the copy | knew she
had al least tender memory of her old
fame, so | went to the address you gave
me and | pleaded my own case so well
that we were married at noon the next
day"
What do you think of such haste Miss
Pifton? No time to bake a cake. much
less to order wedding dress, Mrs. Doris,
said signing softly.
When you are married, Miss Pifton, y
said the lawyer, spreading both hands as
if to pronounce blessing, my wife may
get all the pretty filings her soul delights
in, but for a middle aged pair like US
who have waited 20 years, p plain gold
RIM and the parson fills the bill nicely,
and the quicker the better
81 am very grateful for the impulse
which prompted me to show you that
particular portrait, although l did not
Dorris," said Belle, ''and | trust you both
may live beyond the youthful span in
order to atone for so many years of lone
liness.'
There was great light of love and
tenderness in Mrs. Dorris's blue eyes as
she rested her hand on.her husband s
shoulder, remarking roguishly, s,"Frank
has decided to give you dozen photos
to be enlarged and if any Of your friends
are book agents, send them around to his
office, as we will want a nice library in
our new home"
INWARD SIGHT.
1t has happened to me sometimes, on
my first meeting with strangers, as
listened silently to their discourse, that
their former life with many triaing cir
cumstances Herewith connected, or fire.
quently some particular scene in that life.
has passed quite involuntarily, and as, it
we're, dreamlike, yet perfectly distinct be-
fore me. During this cine | usually feel
so entirely absorbed in the contemplation
of the strangers life, that at last | no
longer see clearly the face of the unknown
wherein undesignedly look, nor distinct
y hear the voice of the speakers, which be-
fore served, In some measure, as a COM
mentary on the text Of their features.
For long time held such visions as
decisions of the fancy, and the more so as
they showed me even the dress md motlnOs
of the actors, rooms, furniture, and other
accessories. By way of d test, once, In a
familiar family circle at kirchburg, re-
lated the secret history Of seamstress who
just left the room and the house. | had
never seen her before in my life. People
were astonished and laughed, but were not
to be persuaded that | did not previously
know the relations of which I spoke, for
what had uttered was the literal truth.
On my part, ! was no less astonished that
my dream pictures were confirmed by the
reality. | became more attentive to the
subject and when propriety admitted it,
| would relate to those whose life thus
passed before nae the subject Of my vision,
that might thereby obtain confirmation
ratified, not without CONSERVATION On their
part. "What demon inspires you? Must
again believe in possession?" exclaimed
the spiritual Johann Won Riga, when in
the first hour of our acquaintance | re,
lated his past life to him. We specuIated
long on the enigma, but even bis penetra-
ton could not solve it. | myself bad less
confidence than any one III his mental
jugglery. As often as [ revealed my Wis
ionary gifts to any new per- sons, | regu-
larry expected to hear the answer-''It is
not So" felt a secret shudder when my
auditors replied that it was true, or when
their astonishment betrayed my accuracy
before spoke. Instead of many, I will
mention one example, which preeminent-
ly astonished me. One fair day, in the
city of Waldshut, entered the Vine
inn, in company with two young student
f0resters. We were tired of rambling
through the woods. We supped with a
numerous company at the table hOte,
where the guests were making very merry
with peculiarities and eccentricities of the
Swiss, with Mesmer's magnetism
Lavater's physiognomy, etc. One of my
companions, whose national pride was
wounded by the mockery, begged me to
make some reply. particularly to a hand
some young man who sat opposite to me.
and allowed himself extraordinary license.
This mans former life was at this moment
and asked whether he would answer me
candidly if | related to him some of the
most secret passages OF his life, | knowing
as little of him personally as he did of me?
That would be going a little farther, |
| thought, than Lavater did with his physi-
ognomy. He promised if | was correct in
my information, to admit it frankly.
then related what my vision mad shone
and the whole company were made ac-
quainted with the private history of the
young merchant; his school years, his
youthful errors, and lastly with the fault
of his principal. [ described to him the
uninhatited room with whitened walls,
where to the r ght of the brown door on
| silence prevailed during the whole narrative
| v-,ic l, I aloUa oooaoin,,7lI,- IL