Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1894-05-11
AMADMAN'S MYSTERY

l have seen a newborn baby in its
crib, with its eyes wide open, peering
into the life just opened to it. 1 have
heard persons wonder what the little
brain is thinking about, what it sees
and how its new surroundings affect it.
l know what life seems to a newborn
child, for | was but as a newborn child
when 1 awoke to life, and opening my
mouth cried out involuntarily to attract
the attention of the woman at the win
dow.
She arose from her chair and came
hur~iedly to me.
"Ah," said she in a sweet, low voice.
eat last you live. Rest now. Try to
sleep. You will get we'll"
l did not understand her words at the
time, but they filled me with a satisfied
feeling, a desire to close my eyes and
sleep. l lay half unconscious for some
time, teaching myself object lessons,
and o | could name the various arti-
Giles l saw about me. But, try as L
would, | could not remember my name
or anything about myself.
l became trong enough to get up from
my bed, and to sit at the window, and to
look out upon the snow covered ground,
and to watch the gray and the blue in
the ocean, and to walk about the room.
One mo ing 1 determined to see
whether the nurse knew anything about
me, so l called her to my bedside.
do you know my manner" l asked
her.
She looked at me in surprise and
wonder.
NO." she said.
"Well do you know anything about
me?"
She looked even more surprised.
"Nothing," she said, nothing, ex-
cept that two months ago some of oul
people found you ON the beach apparent.
ly dead. We have nursed you back tC
life. Don't you remember anything
about yourself at air.
! had to admit that | did not.
"Well, viii you tell me where am?'
l asked her.
"You are in the town of Astine, on
inc COUoI VI NOVA OCOllb, Sllt ltIllCu.
"Astinc, the word seemed familiar
to me-"Nova Scotia also familiar,
but l could not tell when or where
had heard the words before.
About a week after this occurred my
hurst came to me and told me that the
village doctor had said that 1 could 81
out for a walk. She offered to go witt
me. l gladly accepted her companion
I. ship, and together we walked out int
the cold, fresh, life giving air Ii down
toward the ocean.
We came upon an old ruined build
: ing.
) ''What is this?' | asked her.
'The ruins of the house where thu
Ayraults lived"
"The Ayraults-have you ever men
toned that lame to me bcfore?" | askeC
her suddenly.
mo" she answered. "Why do yol
ask?'
'Oh, l do not know, except that tn
nam sounded familiar to me, as if
had heard it many, many times. Why
even when you spoke it l thought-hoy
foolish of me-that you had spoken M,
name. Who were they?'
"They lived here for many years il
this old house. The son and mothe
We're drowned years ago. The father,
believe, is still alive. He lost his mind
and every now and then is seen wander
ing about here looking for his son, who
he says, will return to him some day
Why, look there! There he is now!'
But l heard no more that the wOma
said. l but saw AN old man, whit
haired, with wild eyes, staggering tc
ward me.
l looked at the sea
Once more the world became dark.
And then-maybe l dreamed, mayb
it was picture l saw, maybe it was III
y memory come back to me.
4 4 4
81 stood at the window looking OF
upon the sea, partly hidden from m
sight by a fine white mist, which l cOul
plainly see coming in, sweeping alon
before the wind over the water up til
hill toward the house. The sea roare
- sullenly, and the a dashed angril
, up over the roci.y beach, OCCASIONAL
tLo spray lCdllilS HlSucI lHdl tHo HIS
suspended for a second above it, spa
king in the moonlight.
81 opened the window, and as l di
so the thick mist, which had now con
up over the hill, came pouring into ii
room. Despite the cold l stood entranceC
amazed, looking out upon the wonderfI
- beauty of the night. The wind gre
f%iercer, the sea dashed the foam from i
. lins M nhnYn the blanket of the Will