The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-10-23

shoulder. A colo breeze crept over my
check, like a breath from the grave.
1 turned my eyes, and there before me
In the cold moonlight stood Will-my
husband.
With a wild incredulous cry of delight
and rapture. | flung my arms about him
only to grasp empty air! No one was
there! Will was gone!
I fell to the gallery floor and lay there
like a dead woman.
When | opened my eyes, the was
shining down upon me, just as calm and
cold and imperial as ever. | struggled
to q sitting posture and gazed wildly
about me. What did it mean? | was
not at all superstitious, yet | felt that ]
had seen my husband that night, just as
truly as | had ever beheld his face in my
life.
The next day-no letter, and the next,
still no letter. Oh, the anguish of hope
deferred! A
The time had come now for me to 60
to Long Beach, as / had promised him.
I would keep my word-no matter how
hard it might be, / would go there. II
he-if that hideous prophecy had really
come true-at all events, | would keep
my promise-my last promise to him.
So I went. Oh. the long, dreary, inter
minable days, with only the monotonous
waters before me, the blue, blue sky and
golden sunshine always the anne. II
made my heart faint and sick. / had
written and written letter after letter.
Still no response. ! felt that he was
dead. And no one could tell me, be-
| cause how could his friends in the far
distant north know aught of the south.
ern woman whom he had secretly wed
ded? And SO the dreary, endless days
| dragged by, and l still lived, heartbroken
and helpless. will never more laugh
| at superstition, never.
Last night | saw him again. l had
gone down to the beach in the moonlight
and walked slowly and sadly up and
| down the white stretch of sand at the
waters edge. All at once l saw another
shadow mingle with my own upon the
moonlit beach. | came to a halt ant
saw at my side-Will.
| WIN d VIII CEy L dLtcIuptCu W SAdok
his arm, but there was no one there.
went back to the house and passed
the night in pacing up and down the
floor like a mad woman.
Today is his thirtieth birthday, OF
would have been, but | feel hat my
darling is no more; that the visions
have seen were warnings sent me of hi:
fate. Would Will have ceased to write
me-me-his beloved one-if he wer,
alive? | believe that | shall see tn,
phantom once again, and then-then-
shall go, too, for l feel that it is hi
spirit that has come back for me-.
So I have been sitting here in the morn
ing sunlight thinking of the past. Car
one wonder greatly that my pen lies idl
and utterly refuses to produce the low
tales of others? Is not my w love stor.
as sad a one as | can ever write?
| hear the sound of wheels and glanc
Iistlessly from the open window at m.
side. A carriage has stopped before tn
gate. Two men are assisting a third +
alight. They are bringing him slowl
up the walk to the house. He is evi
IDENTIFY very i'll. Why does my hear
throb SC weakly? | am too weak t
stand-to take a step forward. Oh,
will not allow myself to be deceived b.
mad, vain hopes!
They reach the house at last and az
sist the feeble form up the steps of tn
broad gallery into my presence. Oh
plying heaven! 1t is Will-Wnl, pal
and spectral, a weak, frail invalid, bu
Will all the same. 1t is some time befor
fully recover from this trance of happ
ness, and then the truth is made known
He had been very i'll with brain fever. N
one could write to me because they kne'
nothing of me or my address, and he wa
raving in delirium. AS o o as he wa
able to attempt the journey he had Sc
out to return to me.
1t was all ended now-that drear
separation. Upon his thirtieth brit
day, oh, so happy and hopeful, my Wi
had come back to me. never to leave II
again!
II shall never more laugh at any on
for being superstitious," | said the ne1
day. gazing into the deep, dark eyes {
the loved n o happily restored to m
Thank heaven that my superstition
fears were not realized"
have never been able to account fl
that strange illusion. To this day ! Cal
not make up my mind what it was thu
| had seen.
But it was not Willis ghost, and tn;
is all | care to know, after all.-Toront
Mail.