Year: 1864

AO AAA 11AlXV ~
ter, the last ever ponned BY his hand,
Astrea Heartily wept such tears a. We
shed but once In . lifetime. The
frank and manly eyes seemed looking
into hers, and when she read the noble
spirited words which bound him faith
ful servitor to bis country, she could al
most hear BIZ voice borne upon the
night wind to her ears. Could it be
that those eyes were closed forever, and
that she should hear his voice no more
upon the earth? Would the firm, true
hand that traced thoss lines never again
clasp hers with their friendly pressure,
as in days past! "Dead, dead, dead !
oh, my God! So brave, go noble, so
faithful and true! Was there no 9TH
er who could have been taken in his
stead ?"


Poor Aetrea! She did not intend to
be rebcllious, but rebellion came in spite
of herself, until her whole heart and
brain throbbed under its burning
weight.


Only two years previous to this time
that man had been her lover. He came
to her with great heart full Of manly
tenderness, and asked her to be his
wife; but she had already pledged her.
self to another, before the fascination
Of his look and tone opened her eyes to
the true state of her own sentiments.
The revelation was fearful one, but
she went through it bravely, aud by
her franl, gentlc manner bound him to
her BY ties that could only yield with
DEATH. She knew that her husband s
happiness reposed alone in her, and
never once swcrved from her duty as a
devoted and faithful wife. Yielding
her up to prior claimant, he, the one
gone forever, had cl*imed the right 70
be her friend, and had nobly sustained
the honor Of his position. All this
tim:, for Two years, he had correspond
ed with her in that lure spirit Of friend
slip that proved the man worth above
any she had ever seen. and never had
one word or allusion to the. past, and
its disappointment, caused her to blush
with shame, or to feel that her feet
were strayiog from the path Of alle-
glance. Had he lived, this state might
have continued for years in happy,
unbroken quiet, but the suddenness Of
the death shook her from the serene
atmosphere, and drove her soul out
into the storminess and gloom Of =
night lighted by no stars of hope
That the love she bore him vas pure
and s;nless, she knew in that hour
best, when she lifted her psllid face
toward heaven iu an appeal for com.
fort. Had it been otherwise. she had
not dared to ask for help from the
source Of purity. The sin that existed
was in the rebellion that overswept her
for little while.


Suddenly, as she lay upon the carpet
with her head resting upon cushion,
her heart full Of bitterness and despair,
she became conscious Of presencs-a
strange, thrilling presence that made
every nerve quiver with intense excite
ment. At the same moment it seemed
As if a hand passed lightly over her
bowed head. With . low exclamation,
she sprang to her feet and looked around
to see who had entered, but finding no
one near her, she struck a match and
lighted the gas as soon As she coul'.-
Nothing could be seen. She went to
the door and found it locked :s she had
left it. Evidently no one could get in,
for that was the ouly way By which
they could enter; but notwithstanding
this, she peered under the bed, into
the closet, wardrobe, and every other
place where any one might have cor-
cealed themselves. And even while
she searched, hand fell upon her arm
and pulled At her sleeve as if to attract
attention. Almost paraly.ed with ter
ror, she paused end looked down at her
arm where her sleeve still retained the
Impression Of the hand as it was drawn
outward. What could it mean? She
had heard Of spirits, but had never be.
'ieved in the possibility Of the departed
soul returning to earth after its separn-
ton from the mortal part. Could it be
possible that there was truth in Spi..
itualism after all? Again, IS il in con-
6rmAtion. Of the thought, the hand
passed gently over hel head with Il
slow caressing motion. j ust 70 he had