The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1894-04-14

pleasant continental fashion with
which one always salutes bis hotel
companions The gentlemen halted
at once.
Pardon me, sir" said he, "but
may l ask il you can direct us 10 a
short walk, easy and pretty, IL possi-
ble:"
Certainly" answered, and l Of
fered TO lead them myself TO the val
ley through which the swift river
fows-a deep, narrow cleft between
two great decl.vities, rocky and
wooded.
They accepted, and as We walked
We naturally discussed the virtue Of
the mineral waters They had, as l
surmised. come there on his daugh-
ter's account
'She has strange malady," said
he, 1.-THE seat Of which her physicians
cannot determine. She suffers from
the most inexplicable nervous symp-
toms Sometimes they declare her
Ill OF heart disease; sometimes OF
liver complaint again OF spinal
trouble. At present they attibute it
TO the stomach-that great motor
and regulator Of the body-this pro-
team disease OF tn usand forms,
thousand modes OF attack. IL Is why
we are here. i, myself, think it her
nerves In any case il is very sad"
This reminded me of his own jerk
ing hand.
1T may be hereditary" says l,
''your own nerves are little dis
turbed, are they not?'
"Mine:" he answered TRANQUILITY.
mot at all; l have always possessed
the calmest nerves" Then, suddenly,
as il bethinking himself:
'For this" touching h S hand, 'is
not nerves, but the result OF shock,
a terrible shock that l suffered once
Fancy it, sir; this child OF mine has
been buried alive"
could find nothing To say; / was
dumb with surprise.
Yes" he continued. "burie alive:
but hear the story, IL is not long.
For some time past Juliette had
seemed affected with disordered ac-
tion OF the heart. We were finally
certain that the trouble was organic
and feared the worst One day it
came, she was brought in lifeless-
dead. She had fallen dead while
walking in the garden. Physicians
came in haste, but thing could be
done. She was gone. For two days
and two nights watched beside her
myself, and with my Cwn hands
placed her in her Coiiin, which / fol-
lowed to the cemetery and saw placed
in the family vault This was ia
the country, in the Province OF Lor-
raine.
1T had been my wish, TO that
she should be buried in her jewels,
bracelets, necklace, and rings, all
pre- ents that had given her, and in
her first bal dress. You can inn
agine, sir, the state Of my heart In
returning home. She was all that l
had left my wife had been dead for
many years. l returned, in truth,
halfmad, shut myself alone in my
room and fell into my chair dazed,
unable to move, merely a miserable,
breathing wreck.
'Soon my old valet, Prosper, who
had helped NE place Juliette IN her
coffin and lay her away for her last
sleep, came in noiselessly to see IL he
could not induce me TO eat ] shook
my head, answering nothing. He
persisted:
Monsieur is wrong; this will
make him i'll. Will monsieur allow
me, then, TO put tim to bed?'
mo, no, answered. Let me
alone
"He yielded and withdrew.
"How many hours passed / do not
know. What "A night! What night,
1t was very cold; my fire of logs had
long since burned out in the great
fireplace, and the wind, wintry
blast charged with an icy frost,
howled and screamed about the house
and strained at my windows with a
curiously sinister sound.
"Long hours, l say, rolled by. /
sat still where 1 had fallen, pros
trated, overwhelmed: my eyes wide
open. but my body strengthless,
dead: nv soul drowned in despa r.
Suddenly the great bell gave a loud
peal
II gave such a lea1 that my chair
cracked under me. The slow. solemn
sound rang through the empty house
/ looked at the clock.
lit was in the morning. Who
could be coming at such an hour?
Twice again the bell pulled
sharply. The servants would never
answer. perhaps never hear it. |
took up candle and made my way
TO the door. / was about to demand:
"'Who 5 there?' but, ashamed OF
the weakness, ncrved myself and
drew back the bolts. My heart
throbbed, my pulse beat ! threw
back the panel brusluely, and there,
in the darkness. saw shape like
phantom, dressed in white.
81 recoiled, speechleSs with an
guish. stammering:
"Who-whG are yoS?'
"a voice answered:
l..