St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1892-01-07

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leave The next day, he was too
busy to call, but wrote note of in
quiry as to Annie's condition. He
received the following reply:
Mr.. Lee: Dear Sir-It was not
until some hours after you left, that
Annie began to regain consciousness.
She looked wild ly out of her eyes.
Her glance was freezing. She recog-
nized me. softened her look, and
stretched out her arms toward me.
l lifted her up. She looked blanklv
around the room for brief space.
Then she seemed to remember where
she was. for terrible black frown
settled over her features. She
trembled from head to foot. She
whispered: %, take me out of this
room; l cannot live here We re-
moved her at once to my chamber.
OF course / did not think of retiring.
l sat all night by her side. She slept
few minutes now and then, but her
sleep was troubled. She would
start, as If some horrible fend were
after her. Once, she said: Leave
me, and I'll keep my promise.
Again, she asked: What have to
do with the dead p This morning
she seemed almost herself again. 1
dare not ask her what the cause of
it all was. l must wait till she tells
me- | know it was something terri
BILE. Come and see us as soon as
you can. Very truly yours, Ellen {.
Warren"
This note certainly did not clearup
matters very much in Mr.. Lees
mind. Two days after the strange
occurrence, he called at the house of
Miss Warren. She was able to see
| him, but the conversat ton was perfect
lv general, and he did not stop long.
When he rose to take his leave, he x-
tended his hand to Annie. However
strange it seemed to the rest, she
laid her closed hand in his. He
pressed it gently. Frail fingers open
ed, and released small slip of paper.
| Mr. Lee had occasion to reach for
! his handkerchief No word was
said; no glance exchanged. The
! family had seen nothing save the
little eccentricity on Annie's part,
which they interpreted as a result of
her recent shock.
When Mr. Lee gained the street, he
took out the little slip of paper, and
found these words:
Call Thursday evening, and l will
tell you a strange story"
You may be sure, Thursday even
ing found Mr.. Lee in the Warren
parlor on time. Annie met him I'M
tremendously as usual. This time.
they went to the library. Two
large easy chairs stood, accidentally
or otherwise, in close proximity to
each other. Without a word or
gesture, both were soon seated.
Annie began:
"About three months ago, a cousin
of mine came to spend some time
with US. A few months later he
was taken severely i'll. He felt that
he would never recover. His PRESENT.
ment held good, for he did not rise
from his sick bed. A short while be-
fore his death, he wished to speak
with me. l sat down on the bedside,
and told him we were alone. His
life had been strictly religious. In
deed, he had been fitting himself for a
dying request to make of me. 1t
was that | should take his place
across the sea. Twas deeply thought
full. He asked me to promise quick
ly, for his time was short. l did
promise, and very soon after he
passed to another sphere. He was
only a cousin to me, but was dread
fully lonesome without him. | seem
ed to see him going around in a
particular brown suit of clothes he
used to wear. l always thought OF
him in that dress For long time,
l fully intended to keep my promise,
but of late my health has assumed
such a delicate state, that dare not
undertake so great an enterprise. |
think it would be very unwise in me
to offer my services as a missionary
in my present health. Someho w,
very recently, my cousin has been in
my mind great deal. / cannot &C
j count for it. You know, or perhaps
you do not know, he died in my
room Mr. Lee, l am not super
stitious, and l never was. You
know something, a very little OF
what took place last Saturday even
ing. After lighting the gas in my
room, faced about, and carelessly
looked around. [ have tried to