Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-04-24

door Of the nAin bailding and tried Key
In the lock and entered ia.
The place was dry with dust. and dust
,oiietl ieueafh her feet as she climbed the
stairs. and spiders crawled along the baius-
trades and up the walls Sue passed the
lie chamber and the little chamber aud
stopted az the lincn closet Opening the
door she saw piles Of clothes and sheets
and towels aud pillow eases, once white,
but now powdered gray, a. though snow
Of that hue had fallen on them.
She lowered her lantern md beheld
arros. the sill stain Of blood. and within,
on the floor, deeper one, bin she did not
,hndder; indeed, n SMILE crossed her face
a piiiiul tender smile.
''poor little Martha Pennyr' she said,
and without quivcr W cry she entered
IN aud shut the door behind her 4 small,
round window. high up IN the wall, let 10
q little CLEAN u moonlight, u broken pane
admitted breath Of air; hnt amid the
wooden blankets at the further end moths
bnrrowcd. She could sec their tracks, aud
. curious smell that Fingers ia moth eaten
wool male the air heavy. Already her
lanterns light attracted insects that came
through the broken pane above to intter
about II. she closed the slide. and now
looked like very ghost herself-all white
In the faint moonlight.
She listened intently Soon she heard
the sound of door closed carefully, feet
upon the stair.. feet In the passage without
the door. Some one hegsn TO pace slowly
up and down.
'"Maftha. said q voice; 'Nfafthar' Then
there was silence. Then again. Martial
Marthaf'
It was n mans voice which spoke. Now
II went oui
They say your ghost haun,s this house.
Ihaye come here 70 often and heard moth.
Ing. seen nothing Martha, give me some
Sign that you hear me-"
This widow lifted her hand and tapped
lghily on the door.
Their was aiittle cry without. then "Nfar.
thu came again, and now the widow spokci
"Yon call Martha. She j. here. For once,
and once only, she j. permitted to listen 10
you. Who are your
The man who loved you-Jaok Parker"
replied the voice. MAY see you. Martha
angel Martha-nny see youw
III you swear not To movc-not TO try TO
touch me" aid the widow.
II swear" replied Jack. Ia a choking
voice.
The door Of the linen closet moved
slowly. The man on his knees In the pas.
sage without saw white draped figure
with long bralds Of hair hanging below it,
waist.
My Godr' he painted. no see you
again, MarthaW
liam Martha Penny. replied the widow.
In soft whisper. "why have you called
mef'
TO ask your forgiveness" the man ~.
piled. without Il am lost Ia this world
and the next. Speak 10 me. sweet angel.
tell me that you know that did not XIII
you with intent 10 do 40. let the world
think what Il will. Tell me you know ID
was not so-that you knew Il even when
You fell there. where you stand now-tell
me 10 and save my soulW
"when fell. the faint voice whispered,
"when the blood gu.hed from the wound
you gave me believed that you had shot
me purposely. In this belief lost my
consciousness. Yes. when seemed to die
! thought you had killed me-"
"liut nowp asked Jack
"oh, unhappy man." replied the spirit,
might after night have board your
means; night after might have heard you
swear by all that II holy 10 your Innocence.
l do not doubt you now. lie ut peace. W.
shall meet again. and forgive you"
With acry the man fiung himself upon
tho iioor. aud great sobs burst from his
bosom.
at lastf he gaspcd. "at last. oh, dear
angel, nj last. oh. God be pralsedr'
Tho white figurr came nearer 10 the
fallen man II bent over him.
Jack, Il said In more earthly tones, II
am NJ glad that you did not mean To kill
me. Poor boy. you werr always handling
that revolver rcckl.s-ly, hut you know you
threatened me. ! loved You. Jack, but |
could not marry you your mother was No
proud. and yet she had been - good 10 me,
poor little orphan. 80 ! sworr TO myself
that ! would go away and never see you
again pnles, she called me back. That II
why refused you, Jack. that il Why
Thrilling and chilling. Jack lifted him.
toli on his elbow and stared into the yelled
face.
Certainly ! am really mad at last" he
said.
hut the voice, now even more distinct
and full Of earthly tenderness, went oni
NO, Jack, no. you are quite sane, quite
tane Remember how the body OF poor
Martha Penny was spirited away. Have
you never thought that perhaps she waA
not dead, though that stupid old doctor, In
bis dotagc, declared her soi Jack, poor
Jack, she was alive. Hut when she came
10 herself the horror she felt that You
should murder her wa, very great. And
yet she did not wish To give any evidence
that would send you to prison. She re.
solved 10 fly. The old negrcss helped her
away, and He'd to cover the act Jack,
nun no ghost, ] am alive, I Am flesh aud
blood. Touch my hand, give you leave.
Foor Jack, poor fellow. how you have suf.
icred all these years"
AS they suffer IN llades," he said, and
humbly put his lipa to the hem OF her robe.
II worked hard for awhile. then good
old man married me- she went GU. ale
was Kind US father, and ! have a It'll.
boy. am widow now, aud came hack
to see the old place. live In the wing that
the agent had 10 let, and night after night
! heard you through the partition. weeping
anu praying forgiveness Of my ghost, swear.
Ing you did not mean TO harm me- And
! meant that you should only think my
ghost forgaye you. But IL could not
help telling the truth. dear Jack, once
Jaw you "a near me and so broken hearted
Then indeed Jack grew holder aud dared
10 touch her hands and TO lift them 10 hi,
lips. lie was thankful aud humble. ns
though heaven had youchsafed him a Wis.
Ion OF angels, and hr left her at her door ~
lie might have parted from one. hut after
all ,hc was living woman, he a man who
loved her, and en-. the autumn leaves fell
they were wed.-Mary Kyle Dallas in Fire
aide Companion.
Sublime conld.nee In III. walter.
In these days Of popular cyniclsm ~