The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1903-01-29

ShlTcr SmuuE u(r
/ nc was hClS an Instant before: now
ne was gone. How? Net through the
! door. Tor that Vas still clNS"d | uDrupd
! II ana looked out into the hall. No ono
was in sight ! looked around the room
again; no one there. lie had not gone
through the vi dow. for tho shutters
! were still closed, and the dish Of nan
sizes still stood mdiSturbcd on the sill
II dropped brcathlcss and trembling
INTO my chair. What did it mean?
| something Oh the side of the table
Whcrc Frank had stood. caught my eve
looked closer; il was y rose. ! picked
II up. II was fresh. its stem still wet
ana an exact counterpart in color and
form Of those in the jar. bul was sure
that there had been no rose on the
1aDie when sat down. What did this
| mean! ltad Frank dropped Il there as
a token? Then | remembered the mes
sage which had promised to deliver.
Il left the house at once without
having seen or spoken TO any one. and
went directly to the home where
| Franks widow lived. AS | rang the bell
! she opened the door to me.
Oh Mr. Forster she said. J felt
sure you would come. BCSS is i'll. and |
am so anxious about her
Il followed her into the room where
the child lay in her crib in Il fcvcrish
Slumb"r. the losc-iluSh Of her cheeks
turned to burning rcd. her hands
not. her breath laborcd: and as |
looked at her my heart grew heavy
with forcbCdinG. II must be true, Her
latnor had called her to come TO him,
ana | must tell the mother.
"Shc must have seen something
strange in my face and manner, for she
turned TO me with a quick apprchen-
sion OF coming trouble paling her face
what is it. Mr.. Forster? DO YOU
ihiAk she is
"llcr voice failed her. and she sank
on her knees by the child and moaned
q my baby, must YOU 20 too?'
Ihon she turned to me and said in
low voice. MIR. Forster, | almost be-
licvo that Frank has called her to
come to him. for this morning as she
Jay quiet and Thought she was asleep,
she suddenly opened her eyes and lifted
up her hands, calling out in such
glad, pleased way, Papa! Papa.
Papa She looked as if she saw him
What do you think? Did shc?'
Il told hcr then as gently as could
what | had seen and heard. and gave
her the message that had been given
10 me by something that had worn
Franks face and spoken with Franks
voice.
She looked al me steadily while |
tod hcr all. and when | had finished,
all sue said was, 'Bcss will go too
And sh" did. 1t was only a few days
Before lit;Ic Boss died. and we laid her
hE !cr father who had so loved her.
and who had com" back from that 'un-
ilnown bound to rall her TO him. With
in ycAr Mary had followed them.
'Nnw, Miss Evans, what Was it stood
before ne in tho solitude OF my room.
wearing the living Scmblanrc Of my
dead friend. and speaking to mo in his
own wc!l-knowu voice? Was it IA dream
an illusion? | AIN sure il was neither
| If ever | may believe the evidence of
my senses. then | must--I do believe
| that it was Frank himself drawn bacl;
from that misty borderland' by love
stronger than death itself; and this be-
lief has been great and comforting
assurance to me-"
They sat silent, Dicks face grave.
! his look abstractcd from outward
things.
The birds were flying westward to
the woods where their nesting places
were. All the air was full Of golden
glory. Across the swelling water
shinmcring path led away TO the red
heart Of the sinking sun. A fresh breeze
out of tho northeast sent the long
waves running to the shore to break in
curling foam-frinccs on the pebbly
beach.
Out Of the shadOwy depths along the
horizon line grew a white sail. return
ing.
See! she said. pointing to it. Then
she held out her hand to him, smiling
gently thank you."-The Criterion.
Ina