Year: 1873

knew Inal tne smoke must nave crept
up through the flues, and filed the room
threw myself against the door with al
most the strength of giant, but it would
not yield to my half frantic efforts.


"'This is terrible She will be burned
alive ! l will creep through the transomr
cried, and suited the action to the word.
| found the lady of my dream lying upon
the floor, half way across the room, un-
conscious from the poisonous gases. The
flames We're already creeping into the
apartment. With a hasty prayer,
thanked God for having sent his angel to
warn me of her danger, and then lifted
my precious burden and carried it out
into the hall ; but l remember nothing
further, except that we were borne in the
arms of strong men, through tho crack
ling flames, into the open air, just as the
second floor fell in, sending crimson
shower of sparks around. Then blank
followed, and for some time lay very
near deaths door. Recovery came at
last, with only few deep, hideous scars
on my breast and arms to remind me of
that thrilling adventure.


81 was told that | received my inju-
ries while rescuing transient boarder-
name unknown for the books were
burned.


"'Some months after this the Franco
Prussian war broke out, and | was sent
to Germany rs special correspondent for
our paper. AS | was still somewhat weak
in health, | was glad of the ocean voy-
age and change of air and scene. | re-
mained abroad until after the close of
hostilties then concluded to take little
run through Switzerland. At times,
however, felt that my future wife was
not far of-as if | were walking in her
very footsteps, and breathing the air she
breathed.


"One glorious Autumn, while | was
sitting in n charming valley, taking
sketch of Mount Blanc, an uncomfortable
longing to behold my ideal once moro
took possession of my thoughts. 1t
seemed as if she must be near-as if she
were somewhere in sight, thinking of me
looking ut me. My love for her had
grown stronger with each passing day. |
had never ceased, since first saw her,
to pray for her safety. | felt that was
working for her, improving myself for
her sake. believed that She was pure,
unselish, loving, refined woman; that
she was beautiful in heart and soul as
well as in mind and person.


"Well MS was skctching, my thoughts
took form, and almost before was aware
of the change, Mount Blame melted into
misty clouds, and in its place the ace of
my unknown smiled up at me from my
temporary easel. was so wholly abb
sorbed in my occupation that | did not
notice the approach of II party of Ameri-
can tourists, until one Of them, nm old coll
lege chum, Jim Dalton slapped me on the
shoulder, and exclaimed


"'John Warren, as | live, painting
your likeness, Cousin Belle But what
n ibber you are you told me only an
hour ago that you had not seen him ox-
cept in your dreams and once in n
crowd ? Then, turning to me, he said,
as he grasped my hand:


81 have been following you around
from place to place for the past month,
but was always day or two too late to
see you. Allow me to present my cous-
in, Isabel Holmes, and Uncle Timothy,
her father


81 turned toward the lady, and was
not surprised to see the fac-simite Of the
pictured face on my canvas. She had
caught glimpse Of her likeness, too,
and, rs our eyes met n conscious blush
suilused her cheeks and forehead. We
shook hands, and the magnetism of her
touch thrilled every nerve in my being
with nameless joy; and when she lifted
her glorious eyes to mine felt that we
loved each other with deathless affection
that had found the other hdi( Of my
Wci


"'A striking coincidence, said jim, as
he opened her portfolio and showed me II
sketch Of myself, which she had drawn
from memory that very afternoon.


:" asked where she had seen me.


"At lecture, almost two years ago,
in New York., she answered. She sub
sequently told me that she had dreamed
of seeing me on the preceding night, and
recognized me as the hero Of her vision
the moment / entered the Academy. i
had singular clairvoyant perception of
your presence at the A House on the
night of the fire, although | did not see
you with my natural eyes. Were you
really there? And this very afternoon |
have felt-for the third time in my life
the certainty ofyour nearness to me, for
your very thoughts pervaded the atmos-
phere around u.s.


we finished our tour together. Belle
returned to her home on the Hudson, to
prepare for the wedding, and | went back
to my old quarters in New York. OF
course was very happy, for she had
promised to become my wife in the COM
ing Spring. 1t often happened afterward
that whenever was writing TO her she
was either thinking Of me or penning n
letter at the same time. No matter how
unexpectedly l visited her, she would .
say, Something has told me all day that ,
| should see you tonight, john


" We seemed 10 influence each others |
minds and movements, Independently o.
distance or time; and, incredible as it