The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-09-14


who were Oh board TO bid friends good
by to 20, ashore.
t'Adet sweetheart 1 shall count the
ho,ns tlIl you return" -.
"Are you sureT'
Certain"
"And suppose never return"
Il will go and weep ever your grave"
you won't have TO go. / have no
mind 70 be buried over there. ! made
my will yesterday and gave directions
that is | die abroad my body shall be
sent home to lie in the family lot at
Avondale."
Then l will weep there"
GLOW longy
"For my lifetime"
He hurried ashore and stood looking
from the end OF the dock up at her,
throwing her kisses which she threw
back at him.
\ month later word IVES cabled from
abroad that she had died suddenly OF
bcart disease while climbing noun.
tain In Switzerland. He remained for
three days in stupor. then was about
TO go abroad, whore her mortal part
was, when he remembered Ger farewell
words. As soon as ih, cool weather
set In an oblong box was received from
Switzerland aud buried in Avondale
cemetery. He was not notified Of lie
burial by her spinSter cousin, her only
relative. who gave as a reason that it
would be better he should not be pres
cnt. But as soon as lie learhsa Of the
fact he went TO the cemetery aud stood
uncovered by her grave, tears rolling
down his checks. He had brought some
plants TO set out where their flowers
the next spring would hppg over her
grave. Some one had been there be-
fore him on similar erraud. Flowers
were strewn over the mound so fresh
that they must have been cut but a
few hours
lie spoke Of these flowers TO her cousin
and asked il she had placed them. She
had not and seemed surprised.
Iie was troubled. II is singular that
we should be jealous in case OF the
dead
Every Sunday afternoon he went TO
the cemetery. ana every time he found
fresh flowers on the grave, They faust
have been placed there in the mcrnng
The next Sunday he went at dawn and
waited and waited TN 10 o'clock for
this rival for the dead. At that hour
young girl came aud strewcd flowers
on the grave. A great relief came to
him. lie advanced and addressed his
fellow monrner. She had been a friend
OF his former nancce.
Every sunday morning these two
met at the grave of one for whom they
had II common love. lie grew to look
forward to the meeting not so much as
a melancholy event as reunion with
one who was filling the void In his
heart, Il void which. II filed nj all. can
he done only by living person. But
this girl Of flesh and blood WIS from
the first constrained and her constraint
had grown on her When they met her
eyes would sfighten. but, looGing down
on her friends grave. she seemed
moved by some inward emotion.
When winter came their visits were
omitted by mutual consent ill 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. 1t was pleasater 70 sit by a
warm fireplace than stand out In the
cold cemetery. where the winds Shrek
cd through the leaflcss branches.
r.. faarntrrItt h,t 10, l,f ft,. 4 Ita
refused From the expression on her
face his words seemed to have had the
effect rather of clods falling on
coffin than of great comfort.
When the crocuses were springing up
she proposed that they go again TO the
cemetery. He sighed and consented,
but at the appointed time he made ex-
cuses. she said. though with evident
reluctance. that she would go 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.
lie carried the flowers 10 the grave,
while she stood at the gate of the in
closure lie had strewn them whon.
looking up. ne saw a ngure coming
down the roadway. Shading his eyes
with his hand to see raorc distinctly, he
staggered back against the iron rail.
The wonan over whose grave he had
strewn lowers his lost love-was
coming.
She advanced with n slow step. So
rious expression on her face. There
was nothing ghostly about her. ON
The contrary. she WIS plainly mortal
What astonished her bctrofhed most
was that her friend appeared In no
way surprised at this return from the
dead 10 the quick
This Is wrong | have done YOU"
said the returned one "and l regret
H. but laid the plan long ago aud re-
solved that would carry il out
When we parted began brooding
over your words that you would weep
over my grave" Then ! became pos
sessed with a desire 10 learn how long
you would weep FOR me or il yon would
he faithful to my memory. J gave out
that was dead aud caused an empty
box TO be buried here. More than
ihat I ARA psrn,l for herr" Dointin- 10