The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1891-03-26

IOk l. AND VI lSIERl.
4 reflection of light flashed for an
instant across my eyes, and | awoke
with start Great heavens, | had
been sleeping. Ny lamp was out and
the room quite dark. Whence, then,
the light that had aroused me?
Full OF fearful apprehensions and
miSgivings, and cTrsing my weakness
in giving way to the allurementS of
Morpheus, | CROPPED my way to the
window. The night had grown per-
fectly black, and the moon was COM
plctcly hidden by masses of thick
clouds; and with feeling of great re-
lief, l plainly saw my light burning
upon the grave.
| was about turning to relight my
room-Iamp when. the sudden flashing
Of a dark-lantcrn arrested me-doubt-
less the same light whose previous re-
lection had awakened me- A feeling
Of dread, that | could not conquer,
stole over my frame. rs, peering into
the darkness | discovered that though
my light was burning, it was not upon
the grave upon which | had placed it;
but, rs near as | could Judge, four or
five yards distant; and then. my eyes
becoming used to the gloom, | saw iig-
ures in the cemetery, busy in accom-
plishing the very thing | was Watching
to prevent, and bitterly repented the
folly with which | had decided to
watch alone.
But there was no time to be lost in
foolish thoughts or vain regrets. action,
and immediate action, was called for;
but felt myself miSerablv incompe-
tent to make it. The startling sud
denness Of the discovery seemed TO
have completely unneryed me, who
was so yauuting and fearless. and |
truly acknowledged that my fearless
ness was the result Of faith in nv Sc
Curity,and not inherent bravery. Still,
something must he done; and resoly-
ing to do that something, without,
however. having the remotest idea
what it was to be. | softly crept down
stairs and out into the cemetery.
General Laing's daughter had been
buried the day before most beauti-
ful young lady, in her 2lst year, ac-
complishcd, admired and in every way
loyable.
She was to have married a Young
civil engineer named Walter Stafford,
a manly, handsome fellow, who came
TO our town about Il wear previous on
railroad business. and had afterwards
taken up permanent quarters with us.
/ hardly know, though. whether |
should say she was going to marry
him, ior there was really no positive
engagement made public, but then
every Body could see that they were de-
yotcdly attached 10 each other and it
WAS an understood and uucoutradcted
fact that They were soon to be united;
aud. indeed, they seemed well matched
in every respect
Oue morning. without any previous
announcements and 10 the aslonish-
mcut of the whole town, Young Stat
ford lelt uUr place and did not come
back. and the Generals beautiful
daughter grew pale and wan, and in
one short month after his sudden de-
partUro She WAS laid beneath the sod.
Oi course many rumorS were set
a!loat hy people who knew nothing
Whatever OF either party to account
for Stafford ; abrupt departure. Some
said he was already married, and the
General had discovered the fact: 9TH
crS that he was a sWiua.Cr; still others,
that he had quavrelc,l with the testy
old General on politics Qhey were
well known to diter). and had been
kicked on; OF the house; but whether
any of these charges were true, or
what really was the truth. nobody
knew, for the Generals family kept
very quiet about the affair, and we
ncvc" heard word concerning Walter
Stafford.
Great, indeed. was the grief through
ont the town when it became known
that Miss Della was dead. for she was
beloved BY all, high and low, and
though always in delicate health, her
early deceaSc was 1T once connected
with Statford's disappearance.
The lamentations up 1T the house, no
pen can describe.
The General insisted that she should
be buried in an elegant wedding dress,
and gorgeous diamond set which no
one had seen before he placed himself
upOn his daughters corpse. whisper
inc, rs he did so, My wedding gift,
child
Folks said that the loss had crazed
him: bat cUaLed or not. this he did;
and Tom Bi@@ics and myself were en-
gagged to watch the grave until the
monument he designed 10 raise was
finished and placed over ;he sod.
Feeling confident that in our quiet
place nobody would disturb the grave,
and having 4 great confidence in my
own bravery and resources. if they did,
| proposed TO Tom to watch alternate
ly, one night and he the next. in
stead of both together rs we had
agreed.
The result OF this double-dealing you
know.
40 wonder then. that the knowl-
edge Of my wrong doing added to the
feeling of fear that possessed me. and
no wonder that ny fear and dread
were TedoubIeI when | saw. upon COM
ing iutO tic cemetery that three men
were at the grave and that they had al
reaf., made considerable progress in
excavation.
The night wind blowing freshly
through The trees chilled me to the
haup | felt as II | Wpre naralyzp