The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-07-03
HIS REApPEIRAN0E,

Il . q . = r a = t. - T. Z
Two ApssicAn yeomen, . more inquiss
| ing faoe than exists among agTiculturists
II any other region, had bean neighbora
fSom childhood upward.
Peter Prince had remained unmarried,
thss superintcndence Of the conoerns Of q
farm which falls 10 petticoat government
being under The management Of sister.
John Homer bad taken wife 10 rule over
his butter and cheese, his children and
perhaps himself. Notwithstanding this
dissimilitude Of condition, the friends CON-
tinued their ancient attachment. smoked
their pipes together, talked Of past times
and speculated Oh the future.
Horner was Of more irritable tempera-
mont than Prince, and his anxiety to pry
into the secrets of tho world unknown
was proportionatcly greater. One even
Ing, when the subject was under discussion,
no thus addressed his friend:
"PSter, though you mock at ghosts
and the notion Of the spirits Of the de-
ceased returning to visit the friends they
have left behind and the scenes which were
dear to them when in the flesh, have
nesor heard from you Or any other person
an argument which convinced me of the
impossibility Of such visits, or even Of the
1mprobability OF the souls Of the departed
being permitted to hover about places and
persons deservedly dear to them, and Of
F appearing and giving n salutary warning,
either by signs or words, Of approaching
death and the necessity of due prepare
tion."
Peter Prince laughed, and after knock
ing the ashes out Of his pipe he thus nd.
dressed hts friend:
"Give mo the tobacco, John. ! never
said 1t was not so. ! only say cannot
: comprehend how II can be. Give me q
coal Of fire. cannot reach the tongs."
There may and certainly do exist q
great many things beyond our limited COM
prebension," said John, landing the tongs.
True, true" rejoiDed Peter after few
whiffs. II may believe much that cannot
Z. comprehend, but cannot believe In that
which oontradicts all / know. But we
have talked this matter over often enough,
and we shall know no more Of II until we
have passed from this to another state Of
existence"
Until one or other of us has left this
world" said John very solemnly. "Then
perhaps the privilege may be granted"
Homer paused.
:. What do you -meanpo asked Prince.
~ am thinking" said Horner very de- Z
liberataly, t'that as one Of us will probably
be removed before the other and have the
knowledge so thirst otter given to him
he might be permitted to return and i'm.
part it to his friend"
Every well, John Homer" said Peter,
laughing. II promise that If go first l
will come and tell you all about it II
can, and, john you must promise tho
same neighborly office in regard to me If
1t is your first turn
II do!' said Horner solemnly.
Here we drop the colloquy and proceed
to the denouement Of our story with as
much brevity as possible, being convinced
that breyity Is the soul Of etory as we'll
as Of wit.
Peter died in the presence of his friend,
If not in his arms, and with bis character
istio hardwood, almost with his last
breath, after recommending his sister to
Horner's care reminded him Of the en-
gagement they had entered into, conclud-
ing:
sit is my turn to know first, and I hero
solemnly renew my promise"
The death Of his friend was heavy
blow to Horner. He became melancholy.
His thoughts dwelt upon future state
more than ever. He feared that he and
his friend had been wrong in entering up
on such contract. He looked to see
spiritual visitor or to hear from the world
whose secrets he had so daringly asked to
have displayed to him. He feared now what
he had so earnestly wished. Solitude be- |
came irksome to him, and he dreaded |
sleep, excepting that in the night, when
spirits wander until the cock growing calls |
them to the prison house, the ghost of his |
friend would announce the fatal secret of |
his condition and summon him to partlci-
pate. John fell sick and disclosed to his |
wife the compact he had entered into with |
Peter.
Now, Mrs. Horner was woman little |
given to speculations Of any kind. She at
tended to her duties, worked hard, soold-
ed sometimes harder; went to church reg /
ularly and had little anxiety respecting an
other state of being. She laughed at John,
and, it is said, called him and his friend
Peter a couple of old blockheads for max
ing such dangerous agreement. We |
shall SEQ whether she or her husband was
right.
Horner's illness made it necessary to |
seek his bed long before tho household
cares of his helpmate permitted her to
think of rest. Suddenly be heard his name
pronounced sOlemnly, and THRICE John
Horner" was repeated. The curtains were
lrawn aside, and there stood Peter in flow
ing robes, unlike his former guise, and
much changed even In countenaDce, but
still 1t was Peter Prince. Horner gazed
lpon his former friend and tried to ask
or the important communication, but no
,ould only say:
"Speakp
He thon saw the vision bend toward tho
1oOr, and, rising, pronounce the lnysteri-
JUS words:
st might have been better 1t might
lave been worsen'
Horner started up in bed, exclaiming,
Stay, tell me more!" but the vision was
zone, and he saw his wife, standing, with
bowl in her hand.
"As live, saw him!" exclaimed tho
lex man.
"Saw who?" asked Mrs. Horner.
"Petcr Prince!'
"NonsGnse!'
GAS plain as see you. He stood just
7hero you now are. "
"Well, what did he say9" said the DAME
Gle called thrice: John Horner? John
[orner John Hornerr He bowed low,
nd, rising, said: 1t might have been bet
II. 1t might have bocn worsep"
"Ha, ha, hal" almost shouted his wife.
l called you three times before could
lake you open your eyes, and, finding
rat had knocked over the tea stopped
IT tho bowl and exclaimed, on seeing that
was not broken: 1T might have been
ettcr. 1t might have been worse'"-
ew York News.
She Said Too Much.