The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1866-05-23

| Oyl-she stopped me as l was walking
across the floor. She was behind me, d
the other side Of the room. could not tel
what was holding me, until she laughed
and willed me TO 70 on. did not like any
one, even Annie, to hold such power over
me as that, 80 begged her to exercise 1t nc
more"
mo" said Mr.. Thornton, solemnly
"Jree wiH is Gods great gift-it is as sinful
a. it is dangerous for US to yield up this
noblest of our privileges. Who would be
the slavc-the mental, worse than the bodily
slave-of another! But you told me, did
you not, Miss Helen, that yoEr cousin cured
your headache the afternoon Of our friends
party? -
| "Yes, and that was the last time.
wished to 90 30 much that l begged Of her
! 10 charm my head into better behavior"
"Well, Miss Kirkland" said Mr.. Thorn.
| ton, rising to his feet and looking her
steadily in the eyes, 81 know not what evil
purpose you had in bringing such unplea-
SAINT notoriety upon your friend and cousin
but this know, and now assert before these
witnesses that it was your will. controlling
that Of Helen's, which caused her singular
conduct at Mrs Kole OyPs. l watched
you upon that occasion. ] saw the steady,
concentrated look you kept upon her. 1t
| would have been natural that you should
have been stressed and nervous-that
you would have gone to her and taken her
down from the chair. Instead of that, you
remained motionless, directing her words
aud actions. The moment spoke to you
forced you, by my earnestness, to attend to
me-the spell was broken; your victim left
off her play, came to you and asked you
what che had been doing! You partly re-
gained your control of her, causing her face
to resume its silly expression; and, when
you got her to the dressing room, you plum
ged her into mesmeric sleep which you
were kind enough to allow to pass for the
stupor Of intoxication.
Mrs Kole Oyl, having deep interest
in this young lady, who has promised soon
to become my wife, l have traced this mat
ter up, ana this is what l have made Of it..
You have only to look in the face Of Mics
Kirkland to be assured of her guilt. What
ever power she has over others, she has not
power to repress the blush Of shame. Ma
ture, there, is stronger than her will. You
will not need the assurance OF Miss Mar
shall, when you recall her manners and
character, that, upon that unfortunate even
ing, she did not touch wine at all. It WAS
not until yesterday that she understood the
nature Of the charges being made against
her Her mother did not understand them,
and Miss Annie chose not to explain them.
She has suffered much through the mischief
loving-or shall say malicious !-experi-
ments of one who ought to have been the
last to cause her any pain-and | need not
ask, Mrs. Kole Oyl, that you will do what
comes in your way in righ,ing this wrong
with your friends. Ii you are merciful
enough to represent it merely rs the fun
loving freak of thoughtless girl, am will
ling to let it pass for that Mrs. Marshall
must infiict her own punishment"
Annie Kirkland burst into tears Of morti.
fca,ion aud ,hwar,ed revenge. 1t is pro-
bahle that Mr.. Thornton understood her
motives better than any other person, as he
was not only unusually quick in his reading
Of character, but had perceived that the
preference she had once plainly shown for
him had changed to dislike upon his avowal
Of love for her cousin.
Annie retired TO her room, without an at.
tempt to deny the charge; and after pleas
ant hour Of conversation, MIR. Thornton es-
corted Mrs. Kole Oyl home, satisfied tina,
her qualification at being the first TO publicly
announce the engagement. would be suf6
cient inducement for her to labor to restore
things to their usu | order.
And he was not in error Mrs Role Oyl
was only 100 eager to report the engagement,
and after few days, the pretty Miss Mar
shall's shadow passed away forever.