Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1902-05-01
PSYCHE.

deed-had died and left him a widow
er, all soul alone, as old-fashioned pee
pie picturesquely say.
Poor Fernand! He had loved hi
wife so truly, so deyotedly. She hal
been all In all to him-his mind, hi
strength, his spirit-everything; ant
since she died, a year before, life hal
not seemed worth the living.
But one thing had saved him from
that utter desOlation that tends TOWARD
self-destruction. In happier days
when the two young married lover!
had furnished their tiny home, they
had bought, with many tremors anC
much laughter at their extravaganza
the large cheval glass before which
Fernand was standing now.
"You must always have a Psyche in
the houst to remind you Of me, II
should die first" she had said, hall
seriously, half in Jest. And II I do
80 before you, you must seek me there
every night at midnight, and l will
come to yOu.'
Was 1t overweight imagination,
merely, or was it something superna.
tural3 Each night at IL, since his dear
wife had died, Fernand had stood be.
fore the glass, and each night he had
seen her beloved image, family and
mlstily, within its depths. She had
smiled at him, smile full Of love and
comfort, smile which seemed to ap-
peal to him to be patient in his trouble,
and to convey to him a promise Of q
meeting soon In a place where there
should be no further parting; and for
the last twelve months Fernand's
whole life had centered round those
few short moments at the Psyche
when he could commune with his dear
wife's soul.
1t was Z o'clock. He reused himself
as the clock struck, and remembered
that his neighbois, Maitre vertbois, the
lawyer, and his daugter Irene, were
to dine with him that evening. he
could hear their voices In the ball be-
low at that moment and be must 20
down and receive them.
"Au revoir-till midnight, my loved
one" he murmured as be left the room
and went downstairs to greet bis
guests.
The dinner was a pleasant one. No.
body could long withstand Maitre Vert
bois' jovial flow Of anecdete, and Irene,
with her pretty Wild rosebud complex
Ion and a quiet happiness which seem.
ed to pervade the atmosphere, was a
girl whose presence In the house gave
Fernand a feeling Of peace and rest
fulness.
"rhere is one thing, mon cher"
Maitre Vertbsis said, az the men stroll.
ed round the little garden after dinner,
smoking, you shouh sooA think Of
marrying arain O. vaI knovp a.
Ferpand wayed thu sneeestio, ABIDE
with A look Of sad displeo s,,re mon hin
pale face, "you are incessola BE Nut
Nrnand, my dear fellow, It n bad fof
man to live alone tn long and "a
young a man a. you are-well win
saw no more II II disnleases you Let
us 20 in And ash Irene tn sinr to M y
And Irene sang Her voice was
sweet and symnathetic like her whole
being and when the lawyer and Mia
nrettv daughter rose IN % Fernand
wondered at the rapdity with which
the evening had nassed Err the frat
time since his wifes death he had NOT
listened for each stroke of the clock
which shouh bring him nearer mid.
n,oht and his tryst with psvche
At the hotton Of tho On rden Irono
suddenly remembered that she had lert
her tichu In the drswinc.room
81 think II ia on the nisno-or on the
so,o narhans" she soid az E.rrond
wv" p,ihap.' sne 'siu' 40 manu-
as wel, On and loot mvso,f sho odd.
cd folIowinv him into mo horse
what was q fhat bannsnad nsvt
and how aid y hannong