Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1893-10-05

which he promised to return in few
days, and the two bidding each other
farewell. the captain went at once TO
New York and Charles boarded a train
for his home in New England city.
There seemed to be a deal of mys-
terry about the young man, even though
now mingling with the people among
whom he had been brought up. He
had frequent interviews with woman
dressed in black, and who never failed
to have a heavy black veil drawn over
her face She may have been young
or she may have been middle-aged.
She may have been beautiful or ugly.
Possibly Charles knew. No one else
could, unless it were the woman her
self She came mysteriously, and went
, with the casual air of unfamiliarity
with the outside world. No one except
| Charles seemed to care who she was,
! what she was, or whittier she went.
Charles at once obtained position
where he could learn telegraphing and
railway station business.
In his conversations with Louis on
shipbOard. Charles had heard his com
panion speak of his knowledge of tel
egraphy. What Louis knew, Charles
never tired until he learned the same.
In connection with his duties in the
telegraph office he became a diligent
student, and was soon quite as familiar
with questions of politics as had Louis
been.
For several weeks the woman in
! black was missed. Upon her return,
she and Charles held many interviews,
and, seemingly as if in somewhat con-
nected with these meetings, Charles
one day sent the following telegraph
dispatch:
Mrs. MATILDA PATTERSON +: have just landed
here and will start at once for home. May
reach you by Thursday, Was kidnapped, taken
to Calcutta; on the voyage home ship
wrecked, detailed tel unknown land for
nearly two years. Will tell you all when see
you. Love to Mary Hope you are both we'll
When the the messenger brought
the dispatch, Mrs. Patterson was lying
on her couch sick almost unto death
She was surrounded with loving friends
who sought to prove their devotion by
little acts of kindness, but neither kilt
nor kin were there to comfort her.
Vet Mary Nordrum had been to her
Mother Patterson all that child could
be. Their tears had mingled together:
their hopes conferred on the same OBJ
ject of atfliction, and the heart of one
knew no pain the other didn't expert
ence, except the mysterious secret
about Ma jOr Nordrum's will, which the
sick woman, for some strange reason,
refused to divulge.
Mary read the message first. The
trials and sorrows she had experienced
nerved her for any event, 40 matter
what it might be. For a moment she
was overcome by the glad news. Her
thoughts went out to Mrs. Patterson,
for she feared the effect of such joyful
tidings upon Louis mother. With
head bowed upon the poor sick WOman's
breast, and with arms tenderly en-
twined around her neck, Mary told her
adopted mother of the expected ar
rival of her son.
Mrs. Patterson listened unmoved,
then turned her head toward the wall,
as if she would be alone with her
thoughts. An hour passed. Then,
arousing herself and beckeoning Mary
to come to her bedside. she simply
said she prayed TO live long enough to
take her dear boy by the hand, place
it in Mary's, bless her children, and
commend her spirit to the God who
gave it.
Was her prayer answered?
Several days and nights passed, and
the hour of Louis expected arrival was
near at hand. A kind neighbor had
offered to meet Louis with a carriage
and bring him to his home.
During the day Mrs. Patterson APP
peared to sleep. Her eyes were closed
and she breathed naturally. Suddenly
she raised herself up in bed and looked
eagerly about the room. She was not
excited, but calm and self-composed.
Lifting her hand and pointing her
long, bony fingers toward the open
window, through which the setting sun
shone bright and clear she exclaimed,
in voice loud and distinct for one so
near the grave:
See there. Look yonder. What a
How grand. Watch it's golden rays
direction. Nearer and nearer it comes,
tended, and brighter and brighter
grows its glittering rays, and now it
seems to cover the land with new life,
new joys, new hopes, new expectations,
and brighter future
On and ON she went describing her
wondrOuS vision speaking as one in
spired. Suddenly she stopped and
gazed upon the wondering group. The
silence was then broken by the sound
of rafting wheels of carriage APP
preaching the house. The expected
one has come. The little group around
the bedside retire. all save the weep
ing girl, who has clasped her hand in
that of the dying woman, and the at
tending physician.
The door opens, a young man bounds
noiselessly in, rushes to the bedside,
kisses the pale cheek Of the emaciated
/ woman who lies their so quiet, so weak,
so calm, then affectionately embraces
the trembling girl, who stands notion
less and white as a statue of the purest
parean marble, and implants kiss
| upon her lips, which salutation she
| feelingly and lovingly returns.
The sick woman gazed first upon the
| young man then upon the young girl,
and, without moving a muscle or utter
ing word, closed her eyes. The sob
bling girl appealed to the dying woman
to speak to her, and beseechingly i'm
| plored her to give your children