Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-10-12
AN Apparition.
forigina,.1

GERS were chatting In front of a tent.
II saw Harding today" said one OF
them, Lieutenant Ian Paul. 81 hadn't
seen him since we were graduated Mt
the Point ak years ago. didn't
know he was with this army. | sup
posed lie was With General TAYLOR.
We were roonlmatcs ut the academy
and used to have lots of talks after
taps. Harding was full of queer IDEAS.
Before we parted we had made an
agreement. common with youngstcr
chums, that whichever of the two died
first was TO appear IL possible to the
other"
81 wonder how fellow would take
such visitation rs that" remarked
one of the party.
Harding would take 1t coolly
enough put in another. lie isn't
afraid of the devil"
$50 long rs he didn't believe It su-
pcrhuman. But surprising him to be
convinced that it was?"
Paul, YOU might try him some time.
You'd have VI fine chance, considering
your agreement with him"
"ld have to get killed first or he'd
have 10 think I'd been killed." added
Paul carclessly, and the subject was
dropped.
At the capture of the City of Mexico
Lieutenant Paul was reported killed.
He had simply got detached during
some hard fighting and was taken prs-
oner, but before lie could be sent to
fbn t,n Of Il
he was left TO his own sweet will
Being within the Mexican lines. he
needed TO watch his chance TO rejoln
the American army. He was success
full and about o in the evening appear
ed before some OF his brother officers,
much to their astonishmcnt.
"'l'his would be good opportunity
for You TO appear in spirit form to
Harding" suggested one of them
lies sure you're dead"
$50 1t would" said Paul 81 believe
I'll try It,"
The Others, pleased nj the prospect
of some amusement, concealed Lieu
tenant Paul till midnight, when. hav-
ing challed his face, tangled his hair
ana daubcd wound over his heart
" iiH D'ilN Jui't, nv Idit ltutN W up
pear to his friend. Harding had got
up his tent ana was occupying It, The
tent flaps We're thrown back. the light
of full moon streaming within the
canvas. To avoid mishap one or the Of
ficcrs accessory TO the experiment had
during the evening gone into the tent
while Harding was not there and re-
moved Hnrtlng's pistol, replacing il
with another loaded with blank car
tridges.
An hour before midnight Harding
was lying awake thinking of the
friends lie had lost during the day
especially rcgrettlng Paul. OF whom
he was very fond. He was sinking
into drowslness when n zephyr slowly
waited cloud like IL pun OF smoke
before his tent, and In it and partly
concealed by it was the figure OF his
friend When the cloud drifted on it
left the apparltion standing facing the
moonlight. 1t was looking straight
ahead on vacancy. white us death
eyes hollow. hair unkcmpt and red
smudge on the left breast. There was
not the slightest movement
Harding raised himself upon his ell
bow and looked. He had long ago got
over any belief III the return of
those who have died, If he had ever
had any such belief, but this appear
nnce of one he felt reasonably sure
was dead In this CHASTITY fashion stag
gered him. He felt no fear, though an
indefinable horror began to creep over
him. sort of paralysis He would
have been relieved lat the slightest
movement. sound. anything to break
the spell. 1t was the uncxpectedness
OF the manner of his friend Keeping
his appointment, if indeed such 1t was.
He had expected Paul to look Mt him,
TO speak to him. But here was fig
IRE Turned aside, the face CHASTITY in
I the moonlight, MS impassive as
statue
I Harding was simply lost in hor-
riblc wonder. lie hpd no desire to
speak to the apparition or whatever 1t
was. He would not have known what
to say II he had such desire All the
while something like chill from
sepulcher was creeping over him. If
any one afterward had asked him how
long the apparition lasted. he would
have said not less than fifteen or TWEEN
ty minutes by the watch. Yet up to
this point not more than ninety sec
onds had been licked
Then came the only change In the
figure that was made during It's stay.
The dawn Of smile appeared on the
face. Imperceptibly 1t broadencd till
glastly grin extended from ear to
ear.
Paul heard moan from within the
tent and immediately strobe away to
some of his comrades who were wait