Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1893-01-19
A STRANGE STORY.

cor Mary! AS ! watched her sit
tNtG by the window day after day,
careful never to go where CLEAN
from the water could catch her eye,
as / saw her pale face bend over
her work and heard her subdued tones
to the children, | knew that the past
was ever with her. and that she was
hourly living over her dreadful sor-
row.
A few friends of us had found a
little nook on the lake shore that
exactly suited us. Far from the gay,
madding crowds which wander up
and down the country and are fast
spelling the natural beauties of our
land, this lovely spot seemed to have
waited for our coming.
We soon built a numbee of cosy
cottages and came down from the
city to take possession, installing our
household divinities, the babies, the
nurses and children Of all sorts and
sizes, and before long were as much
at home as the birds and squirrels
whose quiet we invaded.
Mary and Frank Hunter we're the
young married couple Of our party,
Fot exactly bride and bridegroom,
however, for they brought with them
rolllcking baby boy. Never were
there two gayer, livelier mortals, and
so devoted to each other; so we'll salts
fed with life were they, that it was
like enjoying perpetual sunshine
merely to have them with us. Full
of fun, and with as many projects as
pair of schoolboys, it was not long
until the two were at the head and
front Of all our arrangements
Oh, what gay times we used to
have! Especially when our small
fleet of canoes were scattered over
the lake, and fitting like white
winged birds over the smooth and
Shining surface.
" But one night the placid water
burned into a mighty cauldron, full
~ 4 seething foam that dubbed and
tossed as from the fathomless depths
of Inferno. Out on the shore we
hL 1dled together, all our little fair
weather community, eagerly watch
ing if, perchance, we might catch
some glimpse OF the laggard boats.
One by one they slowly came to port,
ana all the time the wind moaned,
and the wave dashed up against the
murkY sky.
Hurrying up and down the shore
poor Mary flew, wringng her hands
in agony, her clothes drenched with
the spray, her pale face and cleaning
eyes turned to the darkening water.
In vain she cried and called her hus-
band by name. All the other boats
had by this time reached the shore,
but no tidings came from Frank. All
night we waited, the men and the
fisher people working hard to find
some clew to his whereabouts. At
last, Just when the cold light of early
morning lifted portion OF the nights
black pail, broken boat came float
ing up and was thrown upon the
shore, right at her feet, as the poor
wife stood waiting She had ceased
her wailing and stood silent as one in
a dream.
When daylight came we gathered
round her and tried to draw her from
the scene, but she gazed at us as one
who hears not single word Tear
less now, and overcome with grief,
she seemed a pale image OF despair.
we tried to cheer her with the hope
that overtaken with the storm, her
husband had found refuge in some
nelgnDoring port; but as the next |
DAY passed, and no tidings came in re-
Spouse to all her inquiries, even that
belief no longer remained TO us.
All through the second day and the
long, long night poor Mary waited,
while plying neighbors searched in !
vain for the missing one. Her self
control was wonderful as the hours
passed by. Only her compressed Inns
and the wild agony in her lovely eyes
revealed depths of her despair
Days passed and still the search went
on, until at length all hope persisted
save in the bosom of the stricken
WIFE She could--she would not
give him up, although the boatmen
who spent their lives on the lake as
sured her it was useless TO fancy anv
man could have escaped alive from
the fury of such dreadful storm.
Weeks went by, and no tidngs
came to cheer her or settle the cues
ton of his tate.
In the early autumn our party was
scattered, and the cottages on the
lake shore were left deserted. Oh
now hard poor Mary begged that she
might be left there to await her hus-
oanps comingl Poor young creature,
OF course we could not leave her alone ;
IN That wild spot 1t was the bright.
est' gayest place in the summer {
Time, but unspeakably dreary when ,
tne gloom of winter settled down
upon it. W."
We urged her to come with us hut !