The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-04-10

you before II is too late.
Last night | dreamed about you. Miss
Fairlie | dreamed that / was standing In
side the communion rails OF church:
on ono side OF the altar-table, ana the
clergyman. with his surplice and his
! prayer-book. on the other
After time. there walked toward us,
down the aisle OF the church, man and
I n woman coming TO be married. You
were the woman. You looked so pretty
! and innocent In your beautiful white SILK
dress. and your long white lace veil, that
/ my heart felt for you and the tears came
into my eyes.
They were tears OF pity, young lady.
that Heaven blesses: and. instead of fall
ing from my eyes like the everyday tears
that we all OF us shed. they turned INTO
two rays OF light which slanted nearer
and nearer to the man standing at the al
tar with you. till they touched his breast.
The two rays sprung In arches like two
rainbows. between me and him l looked
along them: and I saw down into his In
most heart.
'"rhe outside OF the man you were mar
rying was fair enough TO see. lie was
neither tall nor short-he was a little be-
low the middle size. A light, active. high
spirited man--about hNe-and-forty years
old. TO look at He had a pale face and
was bald over the forehead. but had dark
hair on the rest OF his head. His beard
was shaven on his chin. but was let to
| grow OF fine rich brown. on his cheeks
and his upper lip His eyes were brown
| too, and very bright: his nose straight
/ and handsome. and delicate enough 70
| have done for a woman's. His hands the
/ same. He was troubled from time to time
| with a dry hacking cough; and when he
put up his white right hand TO his mouth
| ne showed the red scar OF an old wound
across the bnck OF g. Have dreamed OF
/ hn lDhf EnOyy hest.
lie: and you say II was deceived or not
! Read next, what I saw beneath the out
slde-I entreat you, read, and proht
"'I looked along the two rays OF light;
and saw down into his inmost heart. IL
was black as night: and on II were writ
ten, In the red flaming letters which are
the handwriting OF the fallen angel:
without pity and without remorse. He
has strewn with misery the paths OF 9TH
ers and he will live TO strew with misery
the path OF this woman by his side. L
read that; and then the rays OF hght
shifted and pointed over his shoulder. and
there behind him stood a fiend, Laughing.
And the rays OF light shifted once more,
and pointed over your shoulder; and there
behind you. stood an angel weeping. And
the rays OF light shifted for the third
time and pointed straight between you
and that man. They widened and widen
| cd thrusting you both asunder. one from
the marrlage-service In vain II was
gone out OF the book, and he shut up the
leaves and put ~ from him In despair.
And I woke with my eyes full or tears
and my heart beattngN-for believe In
dreams
Believe. too. Miss Fairlie-I beg OF
you, for your own sake. believe as do
Joseph and Daniel and others In Scrip
ture. believed I'm dreams.
'Tnauire into the past life of that man
with the scar on his hand, before you say
the words that make you his miserable
wife don't give YOU this warning on
my account. hut on yours. have an In
terest I'm your well-being that VIII live
as long as draw breath. Your mother :
daughter has a tender place IN my heart
for your mother was my first, my best
my only friend"
There, the extraordinary letter ended
without sigma ture OF any sort.
The handwriting afforded no prospect OF
clew IL was traced on ruled lines
In the cramped. conventional. copy-booh
character technically termed small
hand" II was feeble and faint and de.
faced by blc;s. but had otherwise nothlns
TO distinguish it.
THAT Is not an ilriterate letter" said
Mlss Halcombe and St the same time
90 IL surely too incoherent 90 be the letter
OF an educated person IN the higher ranks
OF life The reference 20 the bridal dress
and veil and other little expenses. seen
90 point TO IL as the production or some
woman. what do you think. Mr.. Hart
rght7'
II think 80. too. It seems to me 90 be
not only the letter OF n woman. but 81 q
woman whose mind must be--''
"Deranged7' suggested Miss Halcombe.
1t struck me In that light. too"
did not answer. While I was speak