Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 58, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 December 1908 — A SAD EXPERIENCE. [ARTICLE]

A SAD EXPERIENCE.

“I'll tell yon, gooi out i-uien,” said colonel w y, ’“that in this life of nil no ta -i d ut least one experience that vun: drive some men to drink.” And ib'*,* • .ilouel looked around suggestive! , The colonel; u civ ..fined veteran of the civil war, v.a-jl' • Lc~t raconteur of tbe club tu:d a a u U was. eagerly listened to by the y linger generation. A tap of tbe bell br ught n ronnd of bis favorite'beverage, and uftlr sampling It, with glasses in easy reach, we all settled bat k in cur chairs to listen to the story that was fare to come: * “You fellows have all heard bow I lost this am at Pine Ridge! When 1 enlisted fa the Twentieth, like many another young fellow, I left n sweetheart at home whose promise had been given me, a beautiful, high spirited girl, who kissed me goodby and saw the regiment march away with a cheer on her Ups and but few tears In her eyes. Before we parted she slipped a ring on my finger, i and as I left she said: ‘Wear this, dear. Bring it back with you and be true to your flag and me.’ “Well, I wore the ring all through our long, bard campaign until that Pine Ridge cannon ball came along; took away arm and ring and left me unconscious on the battlefield. After a hospital experience I finally recov- . ered sufficiently to be sent home, with a colonel’s commission, discharged as unfit for duty. “At the old home I was of course? treated as a hero. Tbe young ladies insisted on showing me flattering attentions. I was asked everywhere and was quite the lion of the honr. “Isabel, my tiuucee, was as devoted as before. 1 suppose, but her nature was such that she was too proud to show her feelings as plainly as my vanity sometimes wished her to do, and as u consequence I began to think that she had changed toward me. It may be that another girl, a little, plump, black eyed charmer, had something to do with this idea, but at any rate I soon began to notice other charms than Isabel's, f: "One night my fiancee and I attended n reception, and Sadie, the black eyed charmer of whom I have spoken-, was there also. Isabel and I bad tired of mingling with the throng and has *'»und a secluded place in the conservatory. We talked until weary and sat there in silence when Sadie came in. She did not see us, and as she stood by the side of a large palm in an attitude of unstudied grace I thought she formed the most beautiful picture that I had ever seen. “Almost involuntarily I contrasted her charms with those of the proud beauty at my side. To my eyes the advantage ell lay with Sadie. Her beautifully rounded figure seemed to be my ideal of loveliness, and I wished that I might clasp her in my armsarm, I mean—and tell her how sweet a picture she made. The longing grew almost too strong to be resisted, and 1 had half risen to my feet, forgetting Isabel's presence, when I was stepped by a strange thing that was taking place. Faintly outlined, a mere vapor at first, but growing plainer with each succeeding second, where Badie stood there appeared the figure of a man’s arm clothed In a soldier’s sleeve of blue. *Tbe arm slowly curved Itself around Sadie’s waist, and as it tightened itself into a firm ling, like a star of light, a ring on the band showed itself to my startled gaze. My eyes seemed to be starting from my head in amazement, for the ring was that which Isabel had given me. and the hand that I looked at was the exact likeness of my missing one. | “A cry at my side of mlxejj fear and rage brought me to my senses. Isabel was standing with outstretched arms pointing to tbe apparition. I 'What does this mean, sir?’ she said. Her voice aroused Sadie, who, seeing tbe image aronnd her waist, promptly fainted. j “I hare told this story to several persons, and but one has ever been able to give me any explanation. He j was an ascetic from India who was lecturing on The Influence of Mind Over Matter,’ who told me that my desire to embrace Sadie had been Impressed very strongly on my astral being that my astral being bad for tbe time got control over my physical body and that the arm which 1 saw was the arm that I bad lost hud, being lost, was trying to follow tbe impulse that would have controlled it bad it still continued to be a part of my body and subject‘to; the control of my mind. Others did not accept this theory, and some, I regret to say, were skeptical, while a few did not hesitate to say that the vision had been induced by a large, wgjl developed jag. You fellows can think as you please. I leave the solution with' i you.” •* I “But, colonel,” cried several in protest, “what became of the girls? Did you marry Sadie?” “Marry! Huh!” granted the colonel between swallows. “Dofi’t you know I was never married? Isabel dismissed me then and there for losing the ring she had given me. And Sadie, when I asked her later to marry me, replied with ill concealed horror that she was sorry, bnt that ahe could never under any circumstance* marry a piece of a man whose dismembered fragments were in the habit of embracing every woman whom their former owner might take a fancy to.” And the colonel set down his empty glass And went to join another group.