Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1898-10-06
Granite Monthly:

liz the tlnSmlth poet OF PunkVllle,
sat in the mellow twilight that
heralded the approach OF a perfect Oc
tober evening, wrapped in tobacco
smoke and reflection. AS he was wild
over about to make his second matri-
monial venture in three days the sub
iect of his meditations is not hard to
surmise. AS he sat in one chair with
his feet resting upon another, his rud-
dy iovial face glowing with moOn-like
radiance through the riffs in the feecy
clouds OF smoke, he seemed the person
ification Of good humor and content
ment
IL feel sure" he said aloud, that she
has a pleasant disposition, and that"
he added emphatically, lis everything"
"Ahemm
Mr.. Rayne's feet came to the floor
with bang as he swung around in his
seat and stared in open-eyed astonish-
ment at the corner of the room from
which the sound proceeded. There, sit
ting bolt upright in high-backed chair
was prim looking little woman clad in
gray travelling suit and closely veil
ed. AS the atmosphere cleared be gaz-
ed long and searchingly at the trim fig
ure which had strangely familiar look.
his visitor appeared to interpose no OBJ
stacle to his sight. While everything
about her from the gray plume on her
hat to the tip of her neatly buttoned
boot was clearly and sharply defined,
all objects beyond her seemed as dis
tinctly visible as though nothing inter
veued. The rounds in the chair in
which she was sitting, the low stand in
the corner behind her upon which we're
a brush and a comb and copy of
"Pennib's Rhyming Dictionary and
the figure OF the wall paper beyond,
we're all IS plainly to be seen as any
thing in the room. While Mr.. Rayne
was revolving this somewhat remark
able circumstance in his mind, the lady
raised her veil revealing piquant face,
with particularly sharp nose and chin,
pair Of swapping, black eyes, and a
rather firmly set jaw, with nameless
something about it that suggested that
it was so adjusted at the socket as to
work with great ease and rapidity. The
face of the man which up to this time
expressed nothing but surprise and be-
wilderment now became ashy pale, and
the cigar fell from his nerveless fingers
to the floor
THE devilp' be calculated.
mo" said his caller, speaking in a
voice which had a singularly explosive
quality, you are mistaken, l assure
YOU. 1t is none of your. blood relations.
1t is merely your wife"
Mr.. Rayne furtively pinched himself
to ascertain whether or not he was
awake and finally decided the question
in the affirmative. He passed his hand
across his brow as though trying &c
clear the cobwebs from his intellect.
Then he took another look at his visit
or and heaved detected sigh.
"You do MT seem really overjoyed tx
see me-" remarked the woman with {
queer and decidedly unpleasant, little
smile.
II do mt understand" began Mr.
Rapne, in a voice which he vainly strov'
to make steady, how 1t is that you
that you"-and here something seemed
to choke him and he coughed two o
three times and subsidized.
II suppose you are trying to say tina
you do not understand how got here,
said she.
He nodded.
well, l do MT suppose l could maxi
you understand even if you possessed
the sense of ordinary men which yoI
DO MT There are many things which
people never can understand while the!
remain in the flesh and in fact Their
are lots of things which they have N
business to understand However,
don mind telling you that ever sine
/ departed from the body l have beef
trying to find some way in which coul'
hold communication with you. / coulC
see you going right on in your natura
idiotic way and acting more like q con
summate donkey than any other human
being ever could, and / was powerless t.
prevent il or even tell you what
thought about it. 1t was simply mad
dening. | ascertaIned that there wert
those among US who possessed the pow
er of revealing themselves TO thei
friends in the flesh, although most o
them could do so only under certain
favorable Psychological conditions anC
then generally in an imperfect manner
/ determined / would learn their secret
You have perhaps noticed that when
make up my mind to do thing gener
ally succeed in the end. l sought GU
the wisest Of those who had this wond
erful power and they became my teach
ers. To make long story short ] sue
decided beyond all expectation, and an
here vary much at your service"
Mr.. Rayne groaned.
''Were you wanting anything In par
ticular, PhWbe?' he asked presently, II
sp.ritless tone.