The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-11-08

him to ask Myra t7 Le his wife
thrc ugh childlike faith in an appari-
ton But we women are made of diff
ferent stuff from men, and / could rely
on Myra to believe in anything that
had the appearance of being super
natural, especially IL 1t pointed to IL
mate. A few days before Hallow
cen, when she came to deliver milk to
me, said to her:
"Myra, are you going to try to get II
glimpse of your future husband on
Halloween
II haven't thought of doing So" she
replied consciously. You don't believe
in that. do your
"Why not? There are lots of queer
things in the world. Is it any more
wonderful that a girl should see the
man she will marry than that mes
sages may be sent through the air
without even a wire to conduct them?"
Il never thought of that"
IF l were you, coming as you are
to a marriageable age, would try
to get a glimpse Of him."
How"
| "Oh, at II o'clock on Halloween
night start somewhere. The first un
married man you meet you will mar
ry."
where shall l go?'
II have it. Go out on the water.
have a small motorboat, which l will
lend you. You can run it, can't your"
Eyes, ma'am."
"Well, come here just before II
o'clock. The moon will be nearly full,
/ will start you out on the water. You
will pass but one persona man in
boat. He will be your husband"
The innocent creatures face beamed
with pleasure. She regarded what
told her as probable, as l had myself
many years before considered it possi-
BILE that with a bit of wedding cake
under my pillow l would see my own
future mate.
"He will be working at something"
continued, but 1 can't just tell you
what. You shall see for yourself"
"Oh, dear!" she gasped, putting her
hand to her heart. do you really
mean itT'
Come at half past TO-"
The next afternoon l saw Ned, who
had just awakened from his days
slumber, and stopped to ask him how
many mackerel he had taken the night
before. He told me- and l led the con-
versation about through various
themes till finally broke away from
what was speaking Of, saying:
"By the bye, Ned, do you know that
tomorrow night is Halloween"
81 didn't know it," he said.
you don't believe in such things.
do you?'
Pm not child"
"Well, child or no child, on Hallow-
cen the girl you are to marry will ap-
pear to you while you are working
with your nets"
| He smiled with the look of one who
took but little interest in the matter
Of Halloween. but would not be
averse to seeing a sweetheart.
Remember" l added, moving on,
Il tell you your future wife will sail
past you tomorrow night"
Mermaid on a seashell?" he called
after me.
1 gave him no reply. All was work
| ing well for my plan. l only hoped
that the weather would be propitious.
for should it storm or the sea be bois-
ferrous all would be spoiled.
AS | expected, when Myra came to
me ON Halloween she was as be-
comingly dressed ,as her scanty ward
robe would admit. 1 had procured a
flower during the day, which l put in
her hair. and replaced her tawdry wrap
with a white sweater. The nights
are chill on Casco bay, even in sum-
mer. and in October they are cold. But
Myra had the warm blood Of youth in
her veins, and ! knew a sweater
would keep her perfectly comfortable.
Fortunately there was no wind, and
the sky was covered only by broken
clouds that rendered the heavens more
beautiful, lighted, as they were, by
| the moon.
| took my charge down to a stony
beach. where, there being only long,
| lOW OCcun SNSll, l. llOolCO II. clC
| got in, and as l pressed her hand at
starting l noticed that she was thrilled
with emotion. pushed off the boat
telling her to steer for the north point
of Ragged island. / could myself see
Neds boat between me and the point.
but Myra was so excited that she was
oblivious to it. AS l saw her sail out
into the moonlight sent a prayer after
her that she would find husband and
happiness,
OF her appearance to the fisherman
| learned afterward from himself.
Il confess" he said, ''that until l got
to work setting my nets l thought of
what you had told me, though l did
not dream of its coming to pass, but
AS soon as | was busy | forgot all
about it. Then l heard the explosions
of a motorboat Boats are rare out
there except in summer, and l won
dered who was coming. When the boat
came near me / looked up, and there,
her face lighted by the moon, standing