Smyrna times., 1893-05-10

ola mill was RUNNING and the custo
mers were coming and going as O
. TITS like old times" the peopl,
often said, "to see the old mill runnino
again.
But it was far from the old times tc
Lem. Ihen he was strong and happv.
looking forward tC a bright future
Now he was tired and disappointed
man, the future he had cherished living
wrecked at his feet.
The people found Lem accommOdat.
ing and generous as of old, but he was
no longer the jOVial, social man thew
had known in the years past. He was
taclturh in the extreme, conversiny
with no one save when necessity com.
PEELED him. He saw nothing of the
DagIeys and he asked no one Questions
concerning them, and, as it happened
no one mentioned them in his presence.
ferhaps the people suspected that he
would not be pleased to have that
name mentioned.
Thus several days passed, Lem never
gong away from the mill except at
night, when he walked down the road
by Judge Dagley's house. On these
rambies be took care that no one
should see him going and coming in
the darkness like IA ghost. He found a
melancholy pleasure, perhaps, in look.
ing at the old house where he found
by. , s0"'
One night he made his usual walk
ana stood at Judge Dagley's gate, look
ing over intO the lawn. when there
suddenly glided into the path from the
/ eVergreens an appartion that stilled
the beat Of his heart, and caused a
sensation of GOODNESS TO steal over him
What he saw was woman, dressed in
white, slowly going toward the house
There was but little light and he could
but dimIy make out her form whose
movement 1t was. He could not. under
the circumstances, be mistaken in
Laura 1t was she, he knew. but not
as she was when he saw her last
lie saw sorrow, trouble and disaDpoint-
ment written in her mover, ents.
lie watched until he saw h enter
the House, then he turned awav feel.
ing such sensation as he never felt
before in all his life. He did not he
IleVe IN anything supernatural. vet he
seen spirit 1t could not be I,aura
III the hesh that had passed before his
eyes that night. But two or three
weeks had elapsed since he saw her in
81. Louis, rosy and happy, and so great
a change could not have come over
her so soon. %
lie walked back to the mill and
Stood quietly on the platform in front
OF the great doors, too deeply engrossed
IN thought to notice the flight of time.
AT last he broke oil with a shiver
passed into the mill and lay down on
his bed y"
The next morning he was found
there, burning with feverand delirious.
a doctor was summoned, and when he |
came he shook his head gravely, pro-
nouncing LENS recovery doubtful.
The trouble is more Of the mind |
than the body" he said. Medicine
can do but little good"
Lem talked continually in an inco-
herent way, and though the doctor
held his ear close to the unconscious
mans lips he could understand but one
word he uttered, and that word was
Laura" Over and over he smoke
that name.
His trouble is connected with her y
the doctor said, and her presence alone
can save him"
Days passed and consciousness came
to Lem, and he opened his ewes and
looked about him. His first glance
rested on familiar face yet strangely
altered "a face that had been with him
IN al MS wanderings--in sickness and
IN health. 1t was Laura's face. sad
dened and pale now, but Laura's face
sun, and though for a moment he
doubted her reality he soon compre
hended that she was still in the flesh.
For long time he looked at her
reading the story of her sufferings.
then he said softly, Laura :"
she sprar up and would have left
the room, bat he held her hand and
would not let her go AYE, you are
flesh and blood" he muttered. You
are real"
Then he drew her close to him as if
TO KISS her, but remembering himself
be desisted, saying:
Il forgot. You are the wife of
another"
The wife of anotherP" repeated she
- AYE, yes. You are his wife
l 1homPson's. l saw you with him ut
81. Louis-saw where he registered at
The hotel, j. p. Thompson and wife. I {
never forgot it. {
After awhile a ray of light began to !
dawn on Laura's mind. She saw a
great mistake had been made by Lem. I
Ind she understood how part oft had q
come about. 5
Lem" she said, unwittingly calling I
lim by his first name, "my sister mar. 7
led Mr. Thompson and it must have {
)een she whom you saw in St. Louis. Ii
she and l are twins and we used to be 5
10 much alike that our own family D
'ould hardly tell us apart. You never 5
aw her, for she married before we ,
'ame here to live and she has visited
Is but once, and that was the time you q
vent away" )
Lem opened his eyes and stared v
'lankly at Laura. He understood it 2
low. 1t was Laura's sister and hus- :
.and he had seen that night in Judge v
)agley's parlOr, and he thought it q
aura and another lover. All heav-
ms what mistake he had made and
What years of bitter suffering that mis-
AXE had wrought for both him and "
aura. With a very humble heart and n
very contrite spirit he told Laura of
lis mistake and of everything attend.
ng it. J.
II was a fool, Laura, he added, ever b.
doubt you for an instant, but | bl
'as SO sure it was you saw that night. al
did you great wrong, but | have b,
uttered for it-sulfered bitterly. And
never ceased to love you. Ifyou can gi
1rgive me little that is all l can ask. &
Will you Laura? Will you try to for lie
i've me a little 2"
Laura laid her hand on LENS fore nj
cad and looked down into his poor. al
'asted face, saying softly: T.
u forgive you everything, Lem. be
'rgive you everything because love
ou."
Two months later Lem was well. w
nd then one day there was a quiet ,v
edding at Judge Dagley's house. w.
he bride and groom still bore some %
aces of the trials through which thew II.
ad passed, but the light of new hap sb
mess shone in their faces, showing N
lat the night was passed and that dc
ew and glorious day was breaking nc
yer their lives. 81,
pa