Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1908-09-15
A Forbidden Inquiry.
fOriginal. l

my will yesterday and gave directions Chat if l die abroad my body shall be sent home to lie in the family lot at Avondale."
 ''Then l will weep there.'
 ~How longY'
 sFor my lifetime
 He hurried ashore and StJod looking from the end of the dock up at her, throwing her kisses which she threw back at him.
 A month later word was cabed from abroad that she had died suddenly of aeart disease while climbing a noun Jain in Switzerland. He remained for three days in Il stupor, then was about 10 go abroad where her mortal part was, when he remembered aer farewell words. 1As soon as tn. cool weather get in an oblong box was received from Switzerland and buried in Avondale cemetery He was not notified of the burial by her spinster cousin, her only relative, who gave as q reason that it weld be better he should not be pres ent. But as soon as he learned of the fact he went to the cemetery and stood uncovered by her grave, tears rolling down his cheeks. He had brought some plants to set out where their flowers ths next spring would hang over her grave. Some one had been there be- fore him on d similar errand. Flowers were strewn over the mound so fresh that they must have been cut but few hours.
 He spoke of these flowers to her cousin and asked if she had placed them. She had not and seemed surprised
 He was troubled. It is singular that we should be jealous in case of the dead.
 Every Sunday afternoon he went to the cemetery, and every time he found fresh flowers on the grave. They must have been placed there in the morning. The next Sunday he went at dawn and waited and waited till 10 o'clock for this rival for the dead At that hour d young girl came and stewed flowers on the grave. X great relief came to aim. He advanced and addressed his fellow mourner. She had been q friend of his former tiancee.
 Every Sunday morning these two met at the grave of one for whom they had a common love. He grew to look forward to the meeting not so much as melancholy event as q reunion with one who was filling the void in his heart. void which. if filled at all. can be done only by q living person. But this girl of flesh and blood was from the first constrained and her constraint had grown on her. When they met her eyes would brighten; but. looking down on her friends grave. she seemed moved by some inward emotion
 When winter came their visits were amitted by mutual consent till the spring should come. Their meetings were not. as before, on Sunday morn ings, but on Sunday afternoons. and were often prolonged until late in the evening. It was pleasater to sit by q warm fireplace than stand out in the cold cemetery, where the winds shriek ed through the leatless branches.
 He besought her to marry him. She refused. From the expression on her lace his words seemed to have had the effect rather of clodS falling on a coffin than of q great comfort.
 When the crocuses were Springing up she proposed that they % again to the cemetery. He sighed and consented. but at the appointed time Ac made ex- euses. She said. though with evident reluctance, that she would 90 alone So he went with her On the way she was silent and melancholy To see her one would have thought she was going to her own funeral.
 He carried the flowers to the grave. while she stood at the gate of the in closure He had strewu tNem when looking up, he saw a figure coming down the roadway. Sha&t"s his eyes with his hand to see more distinctly. he staggered back against the iron rail. The woman over whose %r&ve he had strewn fewerS-his lost love-was coming.
 She advanced with a slow step. q se- Yious expression on her face There was nothing ghostly ab,at her. On the contrary. she was plainly mortal. What astoniShed her betrothed most was that her friend appeared iu no way surprised at this return from the dead to the quick.
 This is a wrong I have one you" said the returned one. "&el I regret #, but laid the plan lons ..:r and re- solved that l would c#rsN it out. When we parted l peoding over your words tha, weep over my grave" IT 1.>.,ne pos sessed with a desire L. .narn how long you would weep for me or if you would be faithful to my memory. l gave out that I was dead and caused an empty oox 10 be buried here. More than that, I arranged for her" pointing to his fellow morrrer, Ito come here to meet you. have learned what it is better I should rot kuow-that the dead have no place in the hearts of the living that cannot be easily occupied