Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1897-04-29

lLt enc. Icaught glimpse Of his face
at the window Of a carriage where he
sat alone, and my heart seemed to stop
beating. A moment later be stood be
fore me. 1t was Harberton He was ex-
actly as remembered him. There was
nothing in his appearance or manner TO
account for the dread Ill me. We eX-
changed greetings, but no word passed
between us. We traversed the leafy lanes
as in dream, but they and myself were
yisionary-he alone was real. And all
the time the memory of the telegram l
had omitted to send kept recurring to
my half paralyzed brain.
Il knew II could not he Harhcrton,
vet felt convinced it was none other.
Dull wonder whether or not mother
would Sc as did ran through my mind,
but was IN reality too stupeticd to lie
capable Of anything like consecutive
thought.
The path We trod led through the
orchard into the rese garden, whcrcon
the low windows of my mothers sum-
mer parlor opened, As we entered the
garden sho saw uS-saW h1m-and
waved her thin hand In welcome And
Harberton or what | took to he Har-
berton. who till then had done nothing
but make me dread has presence, waved
in return eourteously. almost gayly
Il can tell you how that day passed.
It seemed like long drawn out night
mare. | kept saying to myself: | am
asleep. | shall awake soon. Harbcrton
sat in my mothers cool, darkcned room,
talking of me, as / gathered while pac-
ing restlesslv within and without, OF
smoking in a chair outside the window.
She seemed to speak anxiously abou,
my futpre-I suppose like most only
sons reared by mothers, l had been
rather wild-and he appeared TO reas-
sure her She was quite soothed and
happy i'll his company. l moved about.
/ would go to the stables to speak to the
men or wander aimlessly about, but
there was ever that awful sense of all
being an illusion. fancied | must be
mad, and feared the sound of my own
voice.
1T was perfect day, still and halmy,
the air being heavy with the fragrance
of the roses. but to me it seemed end
less. Still, II came to close at last In
the cleaning Harberton babe mothe,
farewell She blessed him as they part
ed, l standing dumbly by, and he, hold
ing her hand, said gently, with his old,
soft drawl, Il shall return soon.
"Harberton went as he came. through
the byways carpeted with moss and
overhung with hrler roses, still holding
no speech with me, who followed dog
like. Midway down the lane the even
ing haze caught radiance from a shaft
of the sunset, and into the glory Of it h.
passed alone Fer a moment | dared nm
enter When l did, he Was gone.
We'll. in a short tim WIS able &c
laugh at the occuirence as al suId
Mother seemed to feel happy III some
sort Of deluslen. ! didn I care to ridl.
cule. She n,yer asked me to send fcl
Harterton acaIn. She always >Aid.
'Whon It Is time. he VIII ecme.
"Shc got more fragile daily. One
night she looked so ethereal that. fear,
ing 10 leave her, | s,nt the nurse To ted
and staid III her room. All was hushed,
and | must have dozcd of, to lie reused
by mother Voice saying gladly: oh,
you have come fer me! That Is So good
Of you'
Tho light If the harvest neon filled
the room. cclip>ing the feoblo glow q
the night light.
'Moiher had raised herself to a sit.