Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1914-09-24

| hnOWu 10 tdkt-tue iOWest price any
man could haul person for at the
Corners, and hold up his head. she got
into the vehicle with great glee. AL
ready her depression had dropped
from her and the quick blood of youth
bounded again in her veins.
AS she alighted from the bus she
paralyzed Bill by dropping a dollar in
his grizzled paw and declining to take
the change he reluctantly counted out
for her.
Then she tripped into the old tav-
| ern and was assigned to her great,
barn-like room from which she
emerged almost Immediately and took
a walk across the old fields filed with
so many beautiful memories, and away
down by the creek, where her hap.
piest moments had been spent
where she had won the one true love
of her life--and lost him. 1t was a
delightful and melancholy afternoon.
Somehow his presence had seemed to
be actually beside her and all the ten
der moments of the old courtship had
required over and over again as she
passed the spots where they had
taken place. Once or twice she had
turned and spoken to him as though
he actually we're beside her.
Arriving back at the tavern. she
threw of her shawl and resolved to
go into the old parlor from which
there was a perfect view OF the wind
ing river. The landlady was busy, so
she went along by herself. knowing
the way full well-indeed, how many
dances she had attended at the old
tavern and in that identical parlor.
She was surprised to find the door
closed-she never had seen it closed
before. Opening the door, she stepped
in and nearly ran directly into a
casket standing in the middle of the
room. She recoiled with a cry--but
not before she had caught sight of the
face beneath the glass.
Merciful heaven, IL was his face
the face of Duncan Mitchell, the old
sweetheart she had won and lost But.
oh. how old and careworn and sad
and the locks on the temples, how
gray and thin. Involuntarily she went
down on her knees beside the casket
She touched the glass above the face.
II moved. She slid it clear open and
leaning forward pressed her lips on
those of the lifeless clay.
Presently in came good Mrs. Bing-
ham, the hostess, and all full OF con-
hat -
should have run into such a chamber
of horrors. No, the guest was not at
all offended or alarmed-only curious. |
Who was the man in a coffin in a pub |
lie house? Had he no friends? How |
came he here!
All, the story was short He formerly |
had lived here, but had gone away
many years ago and his people had all |
died since. He had been a member |
of the life saving service on the great |
lakes and had met his death in a |!
heroic effort to save the lives of 9TH |
ers. He had ample funds for burial |
but left the request that he be buried |
in the old town, where felt the only |
Joy | ever knew" as the paper found
)n him said.
And there's romance" whispered
Mrs. Bingham, coming close to her
guest and purring. THE paper reads:
And if there should be one who gave
ne the one glimpse of heaven / ever
had and then shut it from me-should
his one know of my death, | want her
20 know that the girl she saw me with
N the old orchard on that terrible
June night, and whose presence and
whose kisses ! could not explain, was
my sister. Had | explained, 1t would
have ruined my sisters life and that
Of her husband. AS it was, II ruined
nine-and possibly Margaret's. But
was bound in honor-and afterwards
Margaret would not let me explain.
want her to know, however, that no
other woman's lips have touched mine
and that die with her name on my
lips and in my heart Amt it Just
ike a stOry?"
Was it a moan the landlady heard?
She turned quickly, but the patrician
face of the guest made no sign.
When they buried him the coffin was
literally swamped with roses-where
they came from nobody knew except
that they came by express and bore
the mark of a great florist.
Did you enjoy yourself at the old
tavern, my dear?" bantered Mr.. Man
son few days later when his aristo-
cratic wife appeared at the breakfast
table.
"Hilariously," replied Mrs Manson.
Copyright. 1914. by Daily story Pub. Coz
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