The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1870-11-12

before he died, and expressed degree OF
coutrition therefor truly edifying. Lucy
was overwhelmed with what she heard, and
out of sheer desperation resolved to go to
st. Louis and there seek for tracks of her
husband. AS it Mapped, DIR. Johnson was
going North, and kindly % took her under
his protection. 1t is my private opinion
that he was in love with her, and has been
plotting all along how to get her into his
power. Whether or not he has anything
to do with Mr. Morrison's mysterious ST.
lence ia more than | can tell
ner. What made this more remarkable
was the fact that she had never seen him.
There is no use, Lucy, In crying any
more" she said, .sfor L am q miserable
s"oundrel, and not worth the tears you
shed. You are wrong. too, In neglectlng
your duty to Willie III the way you do. =
ITS strange story, / said, musingiy
'.but am inclined to think you are right In
your suspicious" and IN return tor the cap
tain's confidence, | related the converse
ton L had accidentally overheard.
Just the plea | thought he would urge
duty, duty to her child, probably, The
hypocritel he knows she won't marry him
for any other reason; but what are the
crowd doing over there?" and he pointed
to the opposite end of the cabin. "Ah l
understand, Isn't that johnson and Miss
White? He asked my permission this morn
ing 70 display her wonderful gift as a clair
voyant. Come along, / want to see her In
trance.
am not superstitions, but there was
something uucanny in the air that morn
Ing, and a thrill of actual dread ran over
me as we approached the clairvoyant. Her
ewes were open, but rolled back in her
and n oh g &
to her face I shall never forget. She was
talking and gesticating earnestly, and near
her stood DR.. Johnson, whose fixed, mag
netic gaze never left her for single in
slant. As soon as L conld distinguish what
she said, | discovered that she professed
to be under the control Of Joe Morrison,
and the captain informed me that she imi-
tated perfectly his tricks of voice and man
He is oar child, remember, and | want you
to consider what will bS best for his future,
instead of mourning for me any longer
You are altogether too headstrong and
suspicious, and won't even listen to the
advice of your friend
At this point her discourse was inter-
rupted q sudden stir In the crowd; Mrs
Morrison had tainted. The captain and ]
carried her TO sofa and sprin4 led water
in her face, but it was some time before
she regained consciousness, and not until
after the elairv0yant had come out of her
trance.
The next morning the boat reached st.
Louis. / put up at the planters as usual,
and so did DR.. Johnson and his lady friends
had several business commissions 10 at
tend to, and dld not see anything OF them
for several days. But one evening as l
was going 10 my room. little Willie came
running along the hall Che had taken 3
fancy TO Ina on the boat,l 60bbing as Ii his
heart would break.
"Why, what is tho matter, Willie?' l
said, ticking him up in my arms.
All [ could make out from his broken
speech was that somebody had ''hurted
his narama, ana that she crying "dreflil
hard, " and wouldn't speak to hIn.
A sudden impulse came over me to offer
my friendship to Mrs. Morrison. and thwart
the plans of johnson il possible, for felt
convinced that he had occa5ioned her tears.
While | was thinking how TO do this with
out woUnding her delicacy. she came out
into the hall looking tor Willie. He ran
up to her eagerly, dragging me along, and
was reilly shocked at the change III her
appearance. She was thinner and paler
than when | had seen her last and there
wa3 q look IN her kind eyes like that of a
hunted animal at bay.
l can't tell how it was that gained her
confdente SO readily, bat we hadn't been
talking ten minutes before she began to
tell me OF her troubles, My white hair
and venerable appearance had something
TO do with it probably Il am not SO old as
1 look, however, ana then, too, her need
OF q friend was urgent and imperative.
She couldn't get the slightest clue to her
husband, it seemed, in st; Louis, and was
almost ready IL her despair to believe
everything the clairvoyant id. But the
IDEA Of marrying another 4 i was abhor-
rent t. her. and Dr. johnson was continu-
ally urging her to this step mingling threats
with persuasion and alleging the impos-
sibility Of his remaining her friend other
wise. This net had been subtly laid. He
had placed her under pecuniary obiiga-
tons that CALLED her womanly spirit and
made il the harder to reject his proposal.
She didn't want him to think her migrate
| tul, nor could she forget that he had be-
| friended her IN her time Of sorest need
! True, he was uugenerous enough to remind
her OF this fact; but even that did not can
/ eel the obligation. Then, too. he promised
to care for and educate Willie: and love
for her child pleaded strongly in the moth
er's heart.
| Johnson was going TO Chicago the next
| day, and was coming to herin the morning
| for a final decision. If she refused to &C.
| company him thither as his wife, then all
was at an end between them. But what
was she to do IN st. Louis, alone and pen
niless? For she was weak, fragile little
creature, untitled to battle with the world,
as Johnson well knew.
Yet | didn't hesitate as to the advice /
should give her, although [ felt doubtful
whether she would follow it, for, in spite
OF her reluctance to marry Johnson, could
see from the way she told her story that
he had gained an influence over her truly
wonderful. promised, however. to do al
| could for her. if she remained in st.
Louis, and early besought her not to COM
nit the sin OF marrying this man from 8
mistaken sense OF duty.
| Stranger as she was, l was so much in.
| terested III her fate that l couldn't sleep
/ for thinking ct it, and it was late the fol.
lowing morning when went to breakfast.
| sat down opposite q traveller, sunburnt
and coarseiy attired, bat honest and genial
/ looking.
We entered into conversation, and there
/ was something IN his voice and manner
that seemed strangely familiar, although
| couldn't recolIect that / had ever seen
| him before. But it came over me like q
/ fash OF light when be spoke of having Jus;
returned fro.n the mountains, that this
was the man whom Sarah White, the clair.
voyant, had personated on the steamboat
/ Dresden. / turned to him, eager and ex-
cited.
/ Pardon me-, sir, but isn't your name
Mr.. Joe Morrison, and didn't you live In
He started to his feet