The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-09-12

she sank back, gaspcd once or twice and
never moved again.
OF course l thought then and do to this
day that she was looking round the room
for me, and that she had died feeling I
had brokcn my faith with her. A bitter,
never failing regrctl
L have given this light sketch of tho
feelings which existed between me and my
poor friend (bcfore narrating the circum-
stances of her supernatural visit to mc),
just to emphasize the facts of the alluring
fascination, tho intense affection, which
existed between us during her lifetime,
and which, firmly believe, have lasted
beyond her grave.
Quite - years after hcr death my Door
IL, with what motive know not, I'M
less it may havo beon us I sometimes
fondly hope, to assure mo that she under
| stood and sympathizcd with my sorrow at
my having failed her mt tho moment of her
extremity, appeared to me. She came
once but never again. 1t occurred thus:
had boon suffering all day from brow
ague and had gone clrly to bed, but not
to sleep. All tho evening had been kept
painfully awake by that same church clock
which have mentioned above
1t seemed to me to strike oftcner louder
and more slowly than any clock had ever
had the misfortune to como across. or
course my ailmcnt of the moment caused
tho clocks vagarics to appear peculiarly
painful, and bore tho annoyance very
rcstlcssly, with my faco turned pcttishly
to the wall, but when tho midnight hour
began to chime l felt as though L could
bear 1t no longer. AIuttcring an impaticrt
exclamation, L turned in my bed, so us to
face tho room, and looking across it, 1
saw my poor II standing close to a
screen between mo and the door. LOOKING
ut me.
She was in her usual dress. wearing
what WAS then called II ''cross over
which was tied behind, while her bonnet,
which she was always i'll the habit of tax
ing off as she camc up stairs was as usu-
al, hanging by the ribbon on her arm.
She had smilo on her face, and dis
tinctly noticed her lovely little white ears,
which were always my admiration, and
which wore only half covered by her soft
brown hair.
She stood, minute it seemed, looking
at mo, thon she glidcd toward me, and 1,
hait apprchcnsivc that sho was about to
throw herself on my bed, exclaimed, Jump
ing up in sitting posture:
Dearest, what brings you here so lato?''
With deep reverence be it spoken, but rs
soon us these words wcrc out of nv mouth
l was irrcsistibly reminded of those spo-
ken, holy writ tells us, by ST Peter ut
tho awful moment of the TRANSPORTATION!
Awed and dazcd Mt tho sight of tho spirit
ual visitants wc are told nc uttered words
mot knowing what he said These
words of minc also seemed D leap to nv
lips, with but little meaning in them. if
any.
Ass soon, however, ms my voice had ceased
the apparition Disappeared and remain
cd some moments motionlcss
ono OF the most curious features of tho
case is that, although was very especial
ly restless and awake at tho moment of
tho appearance i recognized my friend so
completely that l forgot also to recognize
tho fact that she had died, or rather it
happened too quickly for ne to bring that
fact to mind. Indeed it all took place in
such flash, in such moment of time, SO
much quicker than can tell it, and she
looked SO exactly like her we'll known self
that till she had disappeared really be-
lleved was seeing her in the flesh OF
course, ms soon rs had time to reflect L
remembered and realized what it was I
had seen.
was not frightened, but 1 felt colder
than had ever felt in my life and.I have
never felt SO cold since, but tho moisture
seemed to pour Off my body. L called no
one to my assistance All L realized WINS
that God had permitted mo to see her once
more, and that perhaps he might send her
to mo again. But he has not done So and
probably now he never will
lay awake all night aftcrward hoping
for, and, / think, almost expecting, her
again, and after tho day had dnwned I
fell asleep
Before telling my story to any one and
drcading unSpcakably all the doubling
and sarcastic speeches which such narra-
ton would inevitably call forth, 1 sent for
my doctor, an old and trusted friend, and
after making him talk nationally to me
for some time asked him whether he CON
sidcrcd me in an exalted state, or whether
L had ever betrayed any historical tend
cnclcs. He treasured INC heartily on these
points and then asked my reasons for such
questionings.
L thercupon opened my heart to him,
and no neither ridiculcd nor disbclicycd,
but, on the contrary, told mo another case
of tho same kind which had lately happen
cd to friend of his but he strongly ad-
eylscd mo to keep my own counsel at pres
cnt, which did for some time, and kind
ly added that he not only did not look
upon me as % lunatic, but simply rs n wo-
man for whom one corner of the curtain
which guarded the unseen had been lifted
In conclusion L repeat L am ready to
vouch for the truth of every word here set
down, and also, should it be required to
give names, in private, to satisfy those
who doubt. Strand Magazine
"A South Sea Island Bride.
DIR. John G. PntOn ,oiScionor, 20 tlo