The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-03-22

cicd that to his account lay the fever and
dclrium which had come upon me and
had me taken care Of II was two weeks
since the day last In my memory. / read
that in the paper. There, also, I read
this Paragraph:
"The body found In the woods Mt -
has been identified by the garments and
some personal pcculiarities as that of Cas-
per Athwold wealthy citizen, who has
been missing many days. His funeral
takes place this morning"
dropped the paper in amazcment. My
own namc-thc record of my DEATH Then
burst into bitter laugh. l understood
IT, The bcggar whom l had clothed had
died upon the road. He 1t was who was
that day to be buried under my name.
At first 1t seemed merely u cruel joke.
Then the memory of my will and the let
ter written to Kate Norman flashed upon
me. must reach home and prove myself
living man before it was too late.
Weak as / was, / arose and dressed my
self, and giving my address TO the land
lord, left the hotel for the depot, but l
reached it only in time to find the train
gone Another hour or SO must pass.
They were ages to me. She should not
read that letter while l lived.
At last was off-fairly on my way. In
the dark of the evening l alighted at the
depot and hurried homeward.
There l should find my servants, and,
probably, the lawyer, who would find 1t
his duty to secure everything for the flu
| ture hcircss.
They would not, hoped, read the will
so soon. Yet ii was customary. If this
had been done, how should l act, how
speak2 Only little space lay between the
depot and my home. The railroad en-
croachments had been my mothers great
est troubles in the last years of her life.
! Now this fact enabled me, ill as 1 was, to
reach the house without delay. 1t was
dark, and met no one.
In moment knew why. They had
assembled in the parlor to hear my will
read-for, through the Venetian shutters
long bars of light fell across the porch,
and looking in, unseen myself, saw Kate
Norman, with letter in her hand, glide
through the opposite door. The will had
been read. Before 1 could interpose she
would have read the letter also.
What should l do-return as / had
come change my name, dwell where nc
one knew mep 1t seemed that this were
better than to return to the gaping town
folks nine days wonder. Worst of all tc
meet Kate
l turned from the window and hurried
away, but 1 was still very, very weak and
soon my strength gave way. 1t was just
as l reached the churchyard. The road
was bare, with no resting place upon it,
but within the gates the soft grass tempt
ed me- and the willow branches seemed to
nod welcome.
l cast myself down in the long grass
The crickets chirped all about me. A birt
somewhere gave a shrek now and then.
/ felt my blood on fire. l could MOI
stop thinking. l could not give tired ma
ture her way. / was weary and worn be
yond all description.
l heard the church clock strike 8. l
startled me to think an hour had flowI
when the same clock struck 10. liftet
up my head to listen and saw a fgur
gliding up the path-a woman's figure.
1t came straight on and cast itself OF
the grave by which l sat-the grave be
meath which the beggar lay whom the,
had taken for myself-cast itself upon it
sobbing wildly.
The shadows hid me. 1 gazed unsec
y upon the mourner. Who was itf Som
one who had mistaken the spot, no doubt
She lifted up her head. In the moonligh
l saw her face 1t was Kate. Had pit
: brought her there9 Could pity make
= woman weep so? l drew nearer. Sh
!. spoke. 1t was my name she uttered.
u "Oh, Casper" she cried, ''shall l neve
hear your dear voice? Can l never te
you how 1 loved you? Oh, Casper, Cas-
perl"
: Silence, with the cricket's chirp amid il
u and the Bird scream. Dawn broke upo
!, my soul. Then l stood beside her, hold
= ing her close and fast.
"Do not fear, do not tremble," l cried
at is living Casper who comes to 20
and no ghost. Oh, Kate, Kate, you CAV
tender words to the clay you though
T. mine! Will you bless me with them liN
:, ing?'
:, She hid her face in my bosom and woul
IS not look up-would only cling to me wit
l. her soft, white hands and sob.
X And there we stood alone together ami
n the graves, content to stand there, he
e hand in mine, her check upon my bosom
until the blessed evening time lengthene
@ itself into eternity.
But at last she told me this, that of IA
|, men l was to her the BEST and when
wonderingly, asked her how l might dar
!, dream that this could be, she made onl
. the woman's answer, Because l loN
Il you"
In the moonlight, on that happy nigh
u we went forth from the old graveyard int
&c the world of life, hand in hand, as W
e have gone together ever since.-Londo