Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1894-09-30

! standing here, have seen him. They
\ tell US heNs dead, but they lie. Here In
! this house, be stood, aud looked az
him with my own eyes, and here be Will
stand again"
at was only one OF your visions,
/ Dan" said Hattie gently.
1T was a vision surely" said the old
/ weaver, "but 10 was a true vision. l
know il. AMI Mr.. George was with
him, toe"
Hattie tottered and dropped into
chair. She no longer tried 10 argue
him out OF his strange belief. she only
wanted 20 hear more.
TEL me about It, Dan" she said
family.
The old man went back to his loom.
He sat down In his usual corner' out
/ out OF the dark peat-smOke his race
seemed TO shine as though il caught
/ the light from the sun outside.
cit was on the night they got away "
he said.
Hattie's heart fell at that.
$50 long ago, Dan" she said. with
/ shiver.
THE night after the lugGer was
\ wrecked I mean" said the OLD man, or
\ rather betWiXt five aud six O'Clock IN the
morning. l didn't go 20 bed that night
no, nor the night before, neither-lt
wasn't likely, considering all that was
/ haUpsning. Well, l was sitting here at
the loom, working away az times, and
/ fretting about the poor lad on the
/ wreck-out in the wild sea yonder-
when CHANGED TO lift up my eyes, and
/ then / gave a great start, for there ne
/ was himself, standing right against the
I door. lie had not come in through it,
/ Miss Hattie, for it was closed 20 keep
/ out the wind and the rain, but there
/ was my Ben without any mistake
/ There was no hat on him, and the
water was dripping from his clothes
ana running out OF the tops or
| his boots: took notice too Of big cut
on mis- right hand, though he did not
seem 10 mind it himself. The thing
coming upon me 50 suddenly l was
| frightened for the moment and dropped
nv eyes; when I raised them again TO
| look-to make sure they had not been
| deceivlng me-who should be standing
/ by Ben's side but Mr.. George, dripping
wet, too They stood there, maybe,
while you would be counting ten; then
| l heard Ben's voice saying, 'HOuP on,
| CATER. hOup on till we get back l
looked again, and both was gone.
| That's the gospel truth I'm telling you,
Miss Hattie, though the neigH6ors
won't believe il. -
There was silence in the cottage for
| some time after he had ceased speaking.
The impression OF distance which his
voice always conveyed had never been
80 strong as during his closing SEN
/ fences, aud somehow or other the light
seemed 20 be- fading from his face, so
that 10 was Gs II he was going farther
and farther away into 4 dense mist.
The effect was so weird, so uncanny,
that even Hattie, DreOCcupied as she
/ was with his strange narrative, could
not help noticing il and shiveriRg.
But, Dan, she said presently, scarce
ly above a whisper 81 thought when
people appeared like that IL was a sign
OF death. What makes you think they
are alive?"
WHATS that you're saying, Miss
Hattie?" he asked, with bis hand TO his
ear There's so many voices talking
at once can't rightly hear YOU"
Still more frightened at his odd fan
cies, she repeated her question.
Didn't he tell me TO 'houP On?' de-
manded the old man. Didn't he say
he was coming back, and Mr.. George
with him? My Ben never tour me lie
ia his lie, and this thing he has tout
me is true"
After a pause Hattie said "Aud it
makes you happy to believe it, DAMP
Again, with his hand 10 his ear, he
made her repeat the question. AT first
BIO thought she meant TO cast some re-
Election upon his son, and he was an
CRY.
would Ben come to me and tell me
a lie?" no demanded. ben, who never
lied to me before, aud never will. He
said he was coming back, and come back
he will Be sure Of that, Miss Hattie. ="
But when he understood her moaning
his voice changed and he said YEARLY:
Makes me happy to believe it? don't
/ know about that. l am right g ad TO
think that the lad is safe, but l can't
hOu' on much longer, as he asked me
10 do. It's only tn QUIZ loom as keeps
me here l hOup on TO 10 and wait for
Ben. But he must come QuiCkly,Or the
darkness will be here before him. IS it
dark with you, Miss Hattie?'
you are tired, Dan" she said, strug-
Cling with her voice. Il have been
wearying you. You have not had
much sleep lately; you must 20 to bed
as soon as | have gone, and get to sleep,
aud give up thinking. l will run away
now so that you may lie down az once.
Goodbye, Dan; l will be sure TO come
and see YOU tomorrow Aud Hattie
went swiftly OUT
She was so agitated by what she had
seen and heard, that, instead OF return
ing home Immediately, she sought out
a retired nook and sat down upon
/ rock. There was no definite idea In
her mind as yet, her thoughts were in
such a whirl. She only wanted 10 De
quiet for a time. Afterwards, per-
maps, strength and greater clearness of
vision would come 10 her.
! While she sat there, woman went
by and, crossing the marsh, entered the
weaver's cottage. In few moments
she ran out again with a scared face,
and beckoned frsutically 20 another
woman who was standing lower down
the glen. Advancing toward ore an
other they met on the path. After a
few brief whispers, both walked toward
the cottage aud disappeared through
| the doorway.
Hattie, very frightened, rose hastily,
and went after them. Softly entering
the cottage she saw that the old weaver
had fallen across his loom. He was
I stiU holding on to it, still waiting fer
| Ben. But his dim eyes would never
| rest nnon bis son again. for he was dead.