The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1891-03-18
LOVE AND MYSTERY.

LOVE AND MYSTERY.
A reflection of light flashed for an
instant across my eyes, and / awoke
with start. Great heavens! l had
been sleeping. My lamp was out and
the room quite dark. Whence, then,
the light that had aroused me?
Full of fearful apprehensions and
misgivings. and cursing 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
pletely hidden by masses of thick
clouds; and with feeling of great re-
lief, plainly saw my light burning
upon the grave.
was about turning to relight my
room-lamp when the sudden flashing
of dark-lantern arrested me-doubt-
less the same light whose previous re-
Election had awakened me. A feeling
of dread, that / could not conquer,
stole over my frame, as, peering into
the darkness, I discovered that Though
my light was burning, it was not upon
the grave upon which 1 had placed it;
but, as near as could judge, four or
five yards distant; and then, my eyes
becoming used to the gloom, 1 saw fig
ures in the cemetery, busy in accom-
plishing the very thing I was watching
to prevent, and I bitterly repented the
folly with which I 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 miserably incompe-
tent to make it. The startling sud
denness of the discovery seemed to
have completely unnerved me, who
was so Wanting and fearless, and I
truly acknowledged that my fearless
ness was the result of faith in my Sc
curity, and not inherent bravery. Still,
something must be done; and resolv-
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 a most beauti-
full young lady, in her 21st year. ac-
complished, admired and in every way
lovable.
She was to have married young
civil engineer named Walter Stafford,
a manly, handsome fellow, who came
to our town about year previous on
railroad business, and had afterwards
taken up permanent quarters with us.
I hardly know, though, whether I
should say she was going to marry
him, for there was really no positive
engagement made public. but then
every body could see that they were de-
votedly attached to each other, and it
was an understood and uncontradicted
fact that they were soon to be united;
and, indeed, they seemed we'll matched
in every respect.
One morning, without any previous
and to the astonish-
ment of the whole town, young Stat
ford left our place and did not come
back, and the Generals beautiful
daughter grew pale and wan, and in
one short month after his sudden de-
parture she was laid beneath the sod.
Of course many rumors were set
afioat by people who knew nothing
whatever of either party to account
for Stafford's abrupt departure. Some
said he was already married, and the
General had discovered the fact; 9TH
ers, that he was swindler; still others,
that he had quarreled with the testy
old General on politics Ohey were
well known to differ), and had been
kicked out 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
never heard word concerning Walter
Stafford.
Great, indeed, was the grief through
out 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. hel
early decease was at once connected
with Stafford's disappearance.
The lamentations up at the house, no
pen can describe.
The General insisted that she should
be buried in an elegant wedding dress
and a gorgeous diamond set, which nc
one had seen before. he placed himself
upon his daughters corpse. whisper
ing, as he did so. MY wedding gift
child"
Folks said that the loss had crazeo
him; but crazed or not, this he did
and Tom Bicycles and myself were en-
gagged to watch the grave until tht
monument he designed to raise wa!
finished and placed over the sod.
Feeling confident that in our quie
place nobody would disturb the grave
and having a great confidence IN my
own bravery and resources. If they did
I proposed to Tom to watch alternate
ly, one night and he the next, in
stead of both together as we ha'
agreed.
The result of this double-dealing 20,
know.
No wonder, then, that the knowl
edge of my wrong-doing added to tn
feeling of fear that possessed me; ant
no wonder that my fear and drea'
were redoubled when saw, upon com
ing into the cemetery. that three me-
were at the grave and that they had al
ready made considerable progress il
excavation.
The night wind blowing freshl
through the trees chilled me to tn
hone. felt as if were paralyzed.
made a desperate effort to cry aloud
but found myself unable to do so.
managed, however, to draw slowl..
and silently nearer to the grave; m
limbs trembling beneath me, whe
suddenly 1 stumbled over a noun
and my tongue unloosened. and l u
tered a sharp cry.
In an instant the men had seen m
and. jumping from the grave before
could rise, l was seized, dragged fol
ward. anG the light of the dark-lanter
was turned upon me.
A man who had been sitting upon
stone away froir the others came quicl
IL forward; I glae ced up, and reco.
nized him with eyes Nnd tongue at tt
same time.
..Ctoffordni