Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1910-04-30
The Girl With the
Birthmdrk
A Curious Experience While
Nomentarily Unconscious.
By F. A. mitchell.
Copyright, 1910, by American Press
Association.

|
birds or a ringing i'll my ears. There
were occasional voices about me, hay
ing mellow sound. as if spoken on a
| quiet day after fall of snow or on
a balmy morning when the air is full
of moisture.
| While was wondering where | was
and how | happened to be there a girl
came out Of the mist and stood before
me. She seemed as much surprised
| to see me as | was to see her. Her
face was that of saint-far complex
ion, hair and eyes. There was but one
blemish-a small red birthmark, shap-
ed like a rose leaf. on her neck. 1t
was rather an imperfection than a
blemish.
"Where are Wc?' | asked.
81 don't know" she replied.
| 81 hear the sound of waves"
"Then we must be on the seashore"
"And birds singing"
| "That would Indicate that the beach
is lined by woods
''Wherever we are. we We're evident
| ly sent for each other"
at would seem so" She lowered
her eyes.
"You were certainly sent to be with
me- What would become of me alone
in this dense mist without the power
| to find my way ont of it With you
l shall be happy even here. You are
very lovely"
"You do not say beautiful"
"But you are beautiful"
| "No; can't be that"
"Why:"
because of this" She put finger
on the birthmark.
"Do you know" | said after brief
pause, that | like you so we'll as you
are that | would not have even that
changed?"
GLOW good of you to say that, You
say it to make me feel less dissatis-
fed on account Of my defect You do
not mean it."
Suddenly the mist was gone. 1t did
not melt away; it vanished. We were
standing upon beautiful bay. For
miles on either hand the beach curved
in semicircle. Back of us the shore
rose till it mingled with mountains
The waters of the bay We're of differ
ent colors. Near us. where 1t was shall.
low, it was pale green, beyond a
deep blue and beyond that silver. On
this silver an island rested, rising from
its base to a height on which the sun
shone golden. We stood looking out
at the view. ! was entranced. and
turning my eyes upon my companion,
| saw that she was equally wrapt.
81 feel said. that | must go out
| on the bosom of that sea"
There is boat" she replied
chained to stake"
Lowering my eyes to the verge, l
saw skiff rising and falling with the
languid swells.
The next scene of which l was cog
infant or at least remember now was
pulling along under great cliffs that
formed the island.
"There Is cave" said my compan-
ion, with a waterway for an en-
trance"
Turning the boat, | pulled for the
cave. The rocky roof over the water
way just grazed our heads as we made
the entrance, Inside we found our
selves within cavern, its roof hung
with stalactites. The light coming
from the entrance tinged the vaulted
roof with ever changing colorS. Now
it was blood red, now pale blue,
now sea green, now white.
1T is from the changing of the wa
ters outside" | said. "A changing
sky changes the bay, and the changing
bay changes the hues in here"
"It is all change" she said sadly.
Il wish something In the world were
| fixed"
l dropped my oars and, seating my
self beside her, took her In my arms.
81 wish this would never change" l
said, "for | have found my love"
kissed her. She put her arms about
me, and it seemed to me that l had
| thrown off something that had trou-
bled me, some great evil that had over
hung me, and l had passed to con
valescence of perfect happiness.
Alas, while supremely happy in this
| Itil my i''S H''P
ping through my arms and saw her
floating over the surface of the wa
ter toward the mouth of the cavern
At that moment both the water and
its rocky dome were pale blue. They
tinged her garments with the same
hue She looked back at me with an
expression of indescribable melan
choly. l called to her not to leave me
but she floated on, passed out through
the mouth of the cavern and was gone
seized the oars to follow and
| dashing under the low arch that sep
arated me from the outside, In another
moment was under the greater vault
of the heavens.
All was serene as when we entered
. the cavern, but my love had vanished
Then came n sensation OF being
tossed to and fro, up and down. as
though | were on stormy sea. II
was merely a consciousness Of feeling
There was no communication with the
outside world There were voices ir
the air What they said did moi