Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-01-12

r We advanced for some time noiseless- ly and swiftly, then the ground suddenly became harder, and sometimes there was a grating noise, as if from loose peb- bles.
 Yet we rode on at a rapid pace, for we were coming nearer and nearer to the light, and, according to our calcula- tions, must reach it in ten minutes at the latest.
 It seemed strange that neither plowed land nor fences appeared in the vicinity of the house, but it was possible that these signs of habitation were on the opposite side, while the front over- looked the open moor.
 The light burned steadily and bright ly in the midst of the raging gale. was riding in advance of my men,
 with my eyes fixed intently on the flame.
 whose brightness grew still more dag
 zling account of the darkness.
 Sudenly,I started so violently that al-
 most unconsciously refined my horse back, thus stopping the riders behind me. With dilated eyes and hair fairly
 bristling with terror gazed at the white
 robed form of woman who had ap4
 peared out of the darkness, waving me back-my mother! Really, and in bod
 fly form, the mother who had been sleep-
 ing three years in German cemetery at home.
 I saw her distinctly-e every line of her
 dearly beloved face, her eyes, her lips
 her figure in the white shroud, just as
 had gazed at her for the last time in de-
 spairing grief-my mother. Now she suddenly stood before me in the midst of the darkness of the night in the enemys country on the lonely
 moor.
 ''Mother!" I cried, mother"
 The corporal seized me by the arm in
 horror.
 For heavens sake! Captaini" Then the strange apparition faded
 from my sight. Again, with every sign
 of the most intense anxiety, she mo-
 toned: Back! Back!" Then the thick darkness again surrounded me.
 I sat in my saddle utterly incapable of speech. I felt my horse tremble un- der me as drew it back snorting.
 Captain"
 sHaekert-didn't you see anything? ?''
 gasped, at last.
 ''No captain. What?"
 sAnd did the rest of you see nothing?" ,'sNo, captain they answered, in evil dent surprise.
 drew myself up resolutely.
 Halt! Not another step! Some dan- ger Is threatening us. Haekert, hold my horse!" sprang to the ground. Let
 me go few steps forward "sis s4Sssassss Loose pebbles creaked under my feet,
 and heard one roll along the ground and then rattle as though it was falling into some deep chasm What was the meaning of that? As I stood irresolute, hesitating to move another step forward the. moon shone brightly through the clouds and looked into the yawning depths of q stone quarry upon whose opposite side lantern had been hung. A trap set for us by the Franc-tireurs! A chill ran through every limb. Two steps more and we would have beer
 crushed at the bottom of the chasm. Lleaned back upon my horse. Wheel! We are on the edge of a
 stone quarry!" said, in a low tone, and my brave men, who had seen the dan
 ger at the same moment, turned their horses.
 Then shots rattled from the opposite side of the stone quarry. Bullets whis- tied over our heads; one struck my cor poral's carbine,, but he had already raised it to his cheek, and we, too, fired. Twice we fired into the darkness. The moon was again hidden. We no longer
 saw the foe and now dashed through the wind and rain to the shelter of the
 woods.
 Not until later. when we had rejoined our own troops in safety, did the mem ory of what we had experienced over whelm me with its full power. opened my pocketbook, gazed at my dear, dead mothers picture, pressed my face upon 1t, and wept like child have never found any explanation of the mysterious ghostly vision except that, during her lifetime, had always been my mothers favorite child, over
 whom she had extended her loving pro- | e-