The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-11-03
Hunting a Grave.


ing. staying much later than usual
There WAS no man to escort me nome
and | was forced to go alone, Mary
sucsrcetcd that take the dog with me,
and | did so. 1t was ! o'clock "heh
! started, and it was bright moonlight
We farmers daughters are used 10
,,oinr ahorei alone in the country, and
[ didn't feel afraid. If there was IL
nudity in me it was rather due II super
stition than any real danger, Il super
Stitiqn that every one feels, more or
less. OF course | made figures out
of the Stumps aud patches of moon
light, but they always turned out
stumps and moonlight, and | was be
coming more or less used to them when
suddenly the dog set up howl and,
putting CHS tail between his legs, ran
off in the direction from which we had
come.
was the more aStOniShcd when ]
saw the object that had frightened him,
Il man. for had relied on the dog; Tor
protection proceeded on my way.
AMI the figure advanced slowly toward
me When We met | saw young
man about Twenty-Five years of age,
very handsome and evidently Il gentle
man. | was not unused to seeing city
folk IN the region, for We were near
the ocean. aud there were summer re
SORTS above aud below US, though the
season had passed, and the visitors
were mostly gene I felt no fear of
injury, for The man raised his hat
politely, though with apparent effort.
Whether il was the moonlight that
ShDue full in his face or not | couldn't
tell, but Ii. seemed 10 be very pale.
1t seemed 1850 that there was an odor
of the sea about him, but this may
have been borne on q light puff of air
that passed as | met him.
Can YOU direct me To the church
yard" he asked
"EolIow the road in the direction
you are going for about mile,
replied, and you will come 10 it. IT
lines the road. You can't miss it
For heavens sake. what did the
man want at the churchyard at that
time Of night?
do YOU know the hour he asked.
"a little past H."
Was he i'll. staggering about in the
road. or was there something the mat
ter with my vision: He seemed rath-
er to be swaying with Il motion sim
liar to that of waves. He looked at
the ohloon, and when the light came
again he was standing before me per
fectly tranquil, looking into my face
with a responsiveness | had never en-
countercd before
Il came out for Il walk he said,
from the ocean. thought I'd go in
land | heard there was Il church
yard near here, and ! wanted to see
it. But | don't feel equal to proceed
ing further. | think I'll 90 back,
Would you mind my walking with
you-t that is, as far us you COZ
He was 80 gentle. 50 dcfcrcntial. 81
spiritual. that | had nothing to fear
Indeed, his very presence throw over
me n singular spell. | gave the de
sired permission, aud we walked alOu.,
together
"Why did you wish to visit the
churchyard:' | asked.
'Wcll. there are peace and resi-
about churchyard. such Il contrast
with the living world. one day we
are Il part of the turmoil Of living be
ing>, with our ambitions. hates loving;
the next we are inhabitants Of i
dead city We speak neither to our
companions nor to the living The sun
and the rain fall on Us, the winds
rock the branches above us, but moth
ing disturbs us How different Il bur
ial at sea, There we sink to the bot
tom or drift into some cove in the
rocks. but If we are not far enough
beneath the surface we undulatc with
the waves that are rolling over us
now sucked partly out, now slowly
driven in again. never knowing what
is in store for US except that we must
drift. DRIFT, drift"
The last three words were almost a
wall.
We had by this time come to the
farm. | piticd my companion lie
seemed 50 miserable out in the night
as if he We're seeking n place TO rest
among the dead. | offered to awaken
my father and take him in for the
night, but he shuddcrcd and declined
Il must 90 back to the sea- he said
Leaning on the gate, | watched him
as he rctreate0. There was again about
him that sWaTin% | bad noticed before,
and l shifted the salt sea smell When
could soc him no longer | went in
and TO bed, but not to sleep AlI night
1 seemed to be rising and falling with
the waves and smclled The odor Of sea
weeds
In the morning | saw some people
coming up The road carrying 4 bier |
questioned them, and they told me that
the body Of young man who had been
while bathing during the sea
son had risen to he surface ana thos
Were taking it 10 tine rhurchyard for