The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1904-10-27

my husbands name. william Pfeiffer,
Ind that the paper was Denver one.
There was but one william Pfeiffer in
Denvor-and he was my husband. And
read--feeling nothing. Then I read
again, and the world, my world, went
from under my feet. for the man who
had fallen dead In the camp at Nome
was Wallace, Williams brother, and
not william himself. william had
been left behind on the road by his
more energetic brother, who Ind push
ed on for succor through the worst
storm and under the worst conditions
possible even in that God forsaken re-
gion With the lost one In mind, the
one word that Wallace uttered In sight
Of rescue was William. It was Wallace
who had fallen dead. and while William
might have perlshed also, and doubtless
hnd, had no certainty Of It. And my
wedding day was set for Thursday.
"why didn't tell Cora? why d.inp
I tell your Pride held my tongue; be.
sides, had had time to think before
Aaw either Of you, and to reason bit
and feel sure that II Wallace had been
spent enough to fall dead OH reaching
the camp, william could never have
survived on the open road for Wal
lace was the stronger of the two and
the most hardy every way. Free
certainly was. Some later paper would
assure me of this. But for three nights
did not sleep.
"The caprice which had led Inc to
choose the old Moore house to be mar
ried in led me to plan dressing there
on my wedding morning. 1t was early
when we started, Cora and l, for
Waverley avenue, but not too early
FOR the approaches to that dreadful
house to be crowded with people, eager
to see the daring bride. why should
have shrunk so from that crowd can
not say. trembled at sight of their
faces and at the sound Of their voices,
and IL by chance head was thrust
forward farther than the rest cow
cred back instinctively and nearly
screamed. Did I dread TO recognize
too familiar face? The paper l had
seen bore a date six months back. A
man could arrive here from Alaska in
that time. Or was my conscience
aroused at last and clamoring to be
heard when 1t was too lateI On the
corner of \ street the carriage sudden.
ly stopped. A man had crossed in
front of it, I caught one glimpse of
this man and instantly the terrors of
lifetime were concentrated into one I'm.
stant Of agonizing fear. 1t was William
4 I Il, Al
gait. He was gone in "A moment and
the carriage rolled on. But knew my
doom as well that minute as l did an
hour later. My husband was alive and
he was here.
"You were waiting at the curb when
l arrived. and | remember how my
heart stood still when you laid your
hand on the carriage door and con.
fronted me with that light on your
face had never seen disturbed since
we first pledged ourselves to marry. In
terror | seized the hand which seemed
my one refuge In this hour of mortal
trouble, and hastened into the house
which for all its doleful history had
never received within it's doors heart
your hand with mine and smiled. Oh,
God. If you could have seen what lay
beneath that smile! For with my
entrance beneath those fatal doors a
thought had come. remembered my
heritage. | remembered how had been
told by my father when was very
little girl presume when he first
felt the hand of death upon hiin-that
II ever l was In great trouble-very
great trouble, he had said, where no
deliverance seemed pOssible-I was to
open little golden ball, which he
showed me, and take out what should
find inside and hold 1t close up before
a picture which had hung from time
immemOrial In the southwest corner of
this old house.
'Ie could not tell me what should
encounter there-this l remember his
saying-but something that would as
sist me, something which had passed
with good effect from father down to
child for many generations. Only. II
would be blessed in my undertakings,
must not open the golden ball nor en-
deavor to find out Its mystery unless
my trouble threatened death or some
great disaster. Such trouble had in
deed come to me, and, startling cOinci
dence, ! was at this moment In the
very house where this picture hung
and, more startling fact yet, the golden
ball needed TO interpret it's meaning
was round my neck, for with such jeal-
ousy was this family trinket always
guarded by its owner. Why, then, not
test their combined effect? l certainly
needed help from some quarter New.
er would William allow me to be mar
ried to another while he lived. He
would yet appear, and | should need
this great asslstance--great enough to
be transmitted from father to son--as
none Of the MOores had needed 1t yet
though what 1t was did not know and
did not even try to guess.
yet when got to the room did not
drag out the filigree ball at once nor
even take more than one fearful side
long look ut the picture. In drawing
OF my glove had seen his ring-the
ring you had once asked about. II
was such cheap affair, the only one
he could get In that obscure little town
where we Were married. lied when
you asked me II 1t was a family Jewel,
lied but did not take it of, perhaps be-
cause 1t clung so tightly, as II In re-
membrance Of the vows 1t symbolized
But now the very sight Of It gave me q
al. II