The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1913-02-25
ESTABLISHED 1876

stretching far to the north and to the
south. A few sails were standing ap
parently motionless far out on the
horizon, though one was trifie nearer
and by fixing my eyes upon it ! could
detect rocking on the waves which
were themselves undiscernable
Then there arose distant white
cloud bank. 1t grew In height and
density, and soon saw that it was an
approaching fog. Then the sun was
1immed, the air was dampened, and
The beautiful morning had changed
Still. after being enveloped in the
mist l continued my walk. | could
see nothing and could hear nothing ex-
cept light splash of spent waves
Notwithstanding that the sun had
ceased to CLINT on the water, that the
gulls had disappeared. that the all
was wet and chill. / felt that same ex-
hilaration | had experienced before the
mist came | thought of my friend
who had died on shipboard, and what
he had said about the higher beings
who were directing the current of our
ives, and what he had meant by the
words Il will send her.
/ saw something taking shape In the
fog, and almost before realized its
presence the form of a woman was
before me. Standing almost near
enough to touch her. saw Angela
Coming out of the fog. wearing on her
face sad expression. | could not for
moment determine whether she were
really Angela in the flesh, Angela a
spirit or Angela a creation of my Inn
agination. Then as she recognized me
her face lighted mp. smile took the
place of sadness. and she put out both
hands to me-
"Angelag' exclaimed. What do
you do hereT'
Walking on the beach. to be sure"
"Who sent your"
"Who sent me? What do you mean7"
''This is very strange"
"a coiuti,ie!lee. ! came down here
in the early spring to get rid of the last
cold breath of winter. just as all the
others have come, as you doubtless
have come There is nothing very
strange about it. though | admit we
might have passed our lives without
ever meeting again
Her voice lost something of joy at
this. I stood looking at her with a
sort of wonder. marvellous mean
ing came into the death words of my
friend-'T will send her" The people
not in the grave. but In the world
above us and about us. who are con-
trolling our destinies. had suddenly be-
come real things to me-not faith be-
ings, but demonstrated by Angela's
coming following upon the words. 81
will send her.
you are changed" she said with a
slight tremolo in her voice.
Il changed? How? What do you
mean?"
why, you seem to be so absorbed with
some one or somebody else that you
have no pleasure in meeting me again.
Are you thinking of sweetheart or a
wife?"
Her complaint recalled me to my
self drew her toward me- We were
under the dome of the heavens. beside
The broad ocean, yet the friendly fog
concealed US from mortal gaze. In the
midst of our transports it occurred to
me that the friend who had sent her
to me was contentedly gazing upon US.
Angela had changed from girl TO
woman She had never recovered any
more than from the parting and. as
she grew in individuality and indie
pendence, resisted the efforts OF her
mother to choose a husband for her,
and resolved. If she met me and were
free and unchanged. what had been
should be again.
Naturally the words of my dying
friend and the seeming fulfillment Of
his promise have had a lasting effect
upon me- | have drawn no absolute
inference from the circumstances. but
what he considered certainty ! have
come to consider probability. Two
facts contribute to this view-we can
not see human companion cut off by
death and realize consequent nonex-
jstence. and we must be guided by
something without ourselves. Why
should there be an infinite gap between
US and the great Creator7 May not
many grades of existence intervene.
each for its purpose?