The herald., 1894-05-16
AMADMAN'S MYSTERY


into the life just opened to it. l have
heard persons wonder what the little
brain is thinking about, what it sees
and how its new surroundings affect it.
/ know what life seems to q newborn
child, for l was but as a newborn child
when l awolke 90 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
hu1-iedly to me.
"Ah," said she in a sweet, low voice
cat last you live. Rest now. Try to
sleep. You will get we'll"
I did not understand her words at tho
time, but they filed me with satisfied
feeling, a desire to close my eyes and
sleep. I lay half unconscious for some
time teaching myself object lessons,
and soon could name the various arti-
Giles | saw about me- But, try as L
would, l could not remember my name
or anything about myself.
| became strong 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 III
the ocean, and to walk about the room.
One morning l determined to SEQ
whether the nurse know anything about
ane, so | called her to my bedside,
do you know my Manner 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 our
people found you on the beach apparent
~ dead. We have nursed you back to
life. Don't you remember anything
about yourself at all?'
l had to admit that did not
"Well, will you tell me where I ami?
/ asked her.
"You are in the town of Astine, on
the coast of Nova Scotia, she replied
"Astine, 1.-THE wcrd seemed familiar
but | could not tell when or where
had heard the words before.
About week after this occurred my
nurse came to me and told me that the
village doctor had said that / could go
out for walk She offered to go with
me- l gladly accepted her companion
ship, and together we walked out into
the cold, fresh, life giving air and down
toward the ocean.
We came upon an old ruined build
ing.
"What is this?" asked her.
"The ruins of the house where the
Ayraults lived -
"The Ayraults-have you ever men
toned that name to me before?" l asked
her suddenly.
No." she answered. 'Why do you
ask"
''Oh, l do not know, except that the
name sounded familiar to me, as if L
had heard it many, many times. Why,
even when you spoke il l thought-how
foolish Of Ine-that you had spoken my
name Who were they"
''They lived here for many years in
this old house. Tie son and mother
were drowned years ago. The father, 1
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"
Bat | heard no more that the woman
mid / but saw an old man, white
barred with wild eyes, staggering to-
ward me.
looked at the sea.
Once more the world became dark.
Aud thsn-maybo dreamed, maybe
il was picture | saw. maybe it was my
mu1pory come back to me.
=; :. =
Il gtood at the window looking out
upon the sea, partly hidden from my
sight bya fine white mist, which l could
plainly see coming in, sweeping along
before the wind over the water up tho
hill toward the house. The sea roared
sullenlg, and the waves dashed angrily
up over tine rocky beach, occasionally
the spray loaping higher than the mist
suspended for second above it, spar
king in the moonlight
81 opened the window, and as / did
so the thick mist, which had now come
up over the hill, came pouring into the
room. Despite tho cold I stood cntranced
amazed, looking out upon the wonderful
beauty Of the night. The wind grew
flercer, the sea dashed the foam from it's
lips up above the blanket OF the white
mist. The moon for moment shoEo
down upon it, transforming it into SO
much fiery silver. Then the foam sank
again down deep into the mist.
Suddenly there came a boom, fol-
lowed by a glare across the heavens.
81 knew what that meant.
"A vessel ashore, / cried, in that
surf ON those rocks God have mercy on
those On board.
'There caIae loud knocking at my
door.
'Wha is there? I asked.
Tits 1, came the voice Of my father.
Open, beg of you
IT went to the door, raised the latch
and admitted him. My mother was with
him. They were fully dressed.
'Boomp came through the white
mist from the vessel pounding upon thu
beach