The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-04-27
A SHORT STORY
His disappearance


turists OF any other region, had been
neighbors from childhood upward.
Peter Prince had remained. unmar-
ried. John HorneF had taken a wife.
One evening Hofner thus addressed
his friend:
"Peter, though you MOCK at ghosts
and the notion Of the spirits Of the de-
ceased returning to visit the friends
they have left behind and the scenes
which were dear to them when In the
flesh. 1 have never heard from you or
any other person an argument which
convinced EIe Of the impOssibility Of
such visits or even Of the improbable
ity of the souls OF the departed being
permitted to hover about places and
persons deservediy near to them and
Of appearing and giving a salutary
warning, either by signs or words, Of
approaching death. and the necessity
Of due preparation"
Peter Prince laughed, and after
knocking tile ashes cot Of his pipe he
thus addressed his friend:
'Give me the tobacco, John. 1 never
said it was not so. only say can
not comprehend how 1t can be. Give
me a coal OF IRE. 1 cannot reach the
t0ngs"
There may and certainly do exist
great many things Beyond our limited
comprehension, said John, handing
the t0ngs. when one or other Of us
has left this world perhaps che privi-
lege may be granted" Horner paused.
What do you mean?" asked Prince.
81 am thinking" said Horner very
deliberately, that, as one of us will
probably be removed before the other
and have the knowledge 1 so thirst aft.
er given,to him, he might be permitted
to return and impart it to his friend"
Every well, John Horner," said Peter,
laughing. ~ promise that IL 90 FIRST
1 will come and. tell you all about it II
1 can, and, John, yo1 must promise the
same neighborly once In regard to me
IL it is your first turn"
81 doP' said Homer soIemnIy.
Here we drop the colloquy and pro-
coed to the deRsuemeRt Of our story
with as much brevity as'pOssible, being
convinced that brevity Is the soul Of a
story as well as Of wit
Peter died in the presence Of his
friend, IL not inshis arms, and with his
characteristic hardihOod, almost with
his last breath, after recommending
his sister to HOrner'sfeare reminded
him Of the engagement they had en-
tered into, concluding:
cit is my turn to know first, and I
here soIemnly renew my promise"
The death Of his friend was a heavy
blow to HOrner. He became melan-
choIy. His thoughts dwelt upon tu-
ture state more than ever. He feared
that he and his friend had been wrong
in entering upon such a contract. He
looked to see spiritual visitor or to
hear from the world whose secrets he
had so daringiy asked to have dis
played to him. He feared now what
he had so earnestly wished. Solitude
became irksOme to him, and he dread
ed sleep, expecting that in the night,
when spirits wander until the cock
Growing calls them to the prison house,
the ghost Of his friend would announce
the fatal secret OF his condition and
summon him to participate. John fell
sick and disclosed to his wife the COM
pact he had entered into with Peter.
Now, Mrs. HornGr, was a woman lit
tie given to specul6tions OF any kind.
She attended to her duties, worked
hard, scolded sometimes harder; went
to church regularly ara had little snx-
iety respecting another stats Of being
She laughed AZ John and, It IL said,
called him and,hls friend Peter a cou-
pie Of old blocaheads for making such
a dangerous agreement. We shall see
whether she or her husband was right.
Horner's illness made it necessary to
seek bis bed long before the household
cares of his helpmate permitted her to
think of rest. Suddenly he. heard his
name pronounced solemnly, and thrice
''John Homer was repeated. The cur
tains were drawn aside, and there
stood Peter in flowing robes, unlike
his former guiSe and much changed
even In cOuntenance, but still it was
Peter Prince. Horner gazed upon his
former friend and tried to ask for the
important communication, but he could
only say:
Speak"
He then saw the vision bend toward
the floor and, rising, pronounce the
mysterious words:
1T might have been better. 1t might
have been wOrsey'
HOrner started up In bed, exclaim-
ing: Stay! Tell me morev' but the
vision was gone, and he saw his wife,
standing, with a bowl In her hand.
"As l live, l saw hIml" exclaimed
the sick man.
"Saw whoT' asked Mrs. Homer.
Peter Primer
'NOnsensew
"As plain as 1 see you. He stood
just where you now are"
wen, what did be sayY' said the
dame.
He called thrice: John Horner!
John Horner! John Hornerr BE bow
ed low and, rising, said: 1t might have
l.