The Bottineau courant., 1912-12-20


romantic, you know"
mildred is practical. don't think
she will ever die for love-"
wanted no girl for wife who had
| given up some one she liked better.
The dialogue continued for few min
utes later, and I heard every word.
"Ethel hasn't been treated right. She
was taken in, given a home. brought
| up in a refined way. and provision
should have been made for her.
"Oh, she'll be all right There's a
rich man ready to marry her the mo-
ment she says the word
"Why hasn't she taken him before
this?"
Nobody knows"
l felt like putting in the words Tex
cept the Dead" but couldn't, and, be-
| sides, I wouldn't If could.
The speakers fell to talking of the
| approaching Christmas festivities, men-
| toning how sad it would be for those
in the house Of mourning. l had no
idea how long it would be till Christ
mas, but heard one of the ladies say to
the other that it was "the day after
tomorrow" Persons were continually
coming into and going from the room
in which lay, and 1 heard some one
say, speaking Of the funeral. "Why are
| they so long about it., and why don't
| they have it over with before Christ
| mas!
l knew it was Christmas eve by the
remarks of these persons. I was much
days passing and l lying there like a
log.
Then l began to wonder if by an
effort of the will might not pull my
self out Of my peculiar condition.
I have always been a great believer Of
occurred to me that if l could bring
! myself to believe that could throw off
my paralysis l would be able to do So
OF course my condition troubled me
Indeed. was in danger of being bur
led alive. determined to make an
effort of the will to regain an active
condition.
l commenced on Christmas eve by
driving all thought or fear of inter
ment out Of my mind. After awhile
| began to think that l could move my
muscles, though 1 didn't try. l fell
asleep feeling less troubled and awoke
| in the morning refreshed as l had not
| felt since / had lost muscular power
l remembered that it was Christmas
morning. and was still apparently
corpse.
The door opened. and Ethel entered
Casting a glance at the sunlight COM
ing through window. she moaned:
"Oh. what Christmas-the brighter
without. the darker withfn!'
She came to the bed and stood look
Ing down upon me. She did not speak.
but l could interpret her thoughts from
her expression. She looked at my cheek
and seemed surprised. wondered if
she did not see tinge of color in it.
She started for the door as though to
call some one, then stopped, hesitated
and came back to me. Kneeling beside
me, she took my hand. She must have
felt some warmth In 1t, for she began
to rub 1t. felt current, a nerve cur
rent, current Of life passing from the
hand that held mine and coursing up
through my arm to my heart. For the
nrst time since had been stricken l
had power. My hand began to tighten
on hers.
She gave low cry. but l did not
know If it sprang from joy or fright.
She made as il to rise, suppose to call
others, but held her. Then l made an
effort to speak, but could only whisper:
"Put your arms about me-"
She did so.
'Lay your cheek against mine."
This, too, she did. felt the life COM
ing back to me. l made no effort for
awhile, permitting the vigor l was
drawing to accumulate. Then l spoke
again. . ~
"Dear heart, the life you have re-
called is gift to you on this blessed
Christmas morning."
The food Of hope, joy, love, that we'll
ed up in her rushed to me and spread It.
self through my being. Within a few
minutes more could move any muscle
I chose. And was there. on Christ
mas day, restored, with the girl whom
| knew loved me and for whom there
had been born in my heart an equal
passion.
Mildred married the man whom she
had discarded for me-or, rather, for q
fortune. II that fortune had been vest
I'd in me to do with as i liked would
have settled a part Of it on her. Icame
back from the dead on Christmas morn
ing, and on the next Christmas morn
ng our first child came to Ethel and
ne from out the great ocean Of life.