rustle of her garments, light as it was, must have caught his ear, for
his bowed head was raised.

"Mary! my wife! my own!" he cried, starting forward, with extended
arms. "Thank God for granting me one glimpse of you again!"

Susie, awed and trembling, raised her eyes to see clothed as in life,
the same sweet, gentle face, the rippling hair, caught back from the
smooth, clear brow.

"Mother!" she breathed forth.

The room was lighted only by the moonbeams; but the vision was plainly
seen. Another eager glance, and Susie stole away to her own room, and
sank almost fainting into her mother's chair. A little while, and
grown calmer, she opened her eyes, to see again, directly in front of
her, the same vision.

She started forward, stretching out her arms, and calling softly,
"Mother."

Nearer--nearer she drew, until, face to face, she stood beside the
large mirror in front of which she had seated herself.

Unwittingly in one of her mother's dresses she had robed herself, and
gathered her curls in the manner her mother was accustomed to.

"How very, very like her I am! Yes, now I know: father saw me in the
mirror opposite which I stood. Well, I will not break his sweet
delusion. I meant it not, Heaven knows. Oh, if mother could only come