Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-08-31

is explained there"
The doctor, calling late in the evening,
had come upon Mabel and Charlie Caleph
sitting together in the dusk; and, being a
somewhat abrupt gentleman, he had en-.
tered upon his business at once, without
waiting even for candles.
/ but how do you know your law is
true." asked Mabel, detiantly.
"Is It not then logical?" said the doc
! tor "The insurance companies have gone
so far as to establish the average age at
which death comes: if man die here at
sixty, somewhere must die boy of twelve,
that the balance may be preserved. Is it
probable that this balance should relate 10
age alone? Is there not also the balance
ofone sex against the other, OF light against
DARK, OF nation against nation, of temper
ament against temperament? Not even
here can we draw the line; the farther we
search the more the conditions that arise
no trait however subtle; no feature, how
ever insignihcant-but bears directly, how
ever lightly, upon mans destiny. What
| could be more clear, more inevtable?"
Charlie and Mabel were silent; strange
! chill seemed creeping around their hearts.
The doctors voice, all apparently remain.
ing of him in the darkened room, sounded
solemn and mysterious as he gave
utterance to the thoughts which
he had been sll his life revolving. Wholly
bound up in the contemplation of his aw-
| full theory, his words were not without an
! impressiveness even more powerful than
ordinary eloquence.
! cit is indeed strange" resumed he,
"that mankind, continually prying after
| the mysteries of science and the laws of
| life, should never have set themselves to
| learn the most important and yet the
simplest law which tells them when they
are to die, and who shall die with them.
| For no man dies alone There is a mys-
ferrous chain, formed Of innumerable and
invisible links, binding his life to that of
others, be their number more or less. He
is one Of group; and the breaking of
that one chain is the dissolution of their
common life"
"Can nothing hinder this law-if it be
a law y demanded Charlie.
at is seldom possible" replied the
doctor. "The only safety lies in mar
riage, which constitutes a new condition
of things-annulling the old. But it must
be no ordinary marriage. To be efficacious,
the most exacting conditions have to be
fulfilled. OF the many, it is only needful
| should mention two the husband and
wife must belong TO the same group, and
their names must be composed Of the same
letters, differently arranged. And this"
added the doctor, bears upon nay GRAND
to night"
Mabel shuddered, and drew nearer to
Charlie, who passed his arm around her
waist DR.. Pechal proceeded:
81 have discovered, by the most exhaus-
tive calculations, that before this hour to-
morrow my death, and that of all my
group, is destined to take place. Ny cal.
culations also showed that one at least Of
the group must be resident of this city.
I knew there were but three besides my
SELF one, whom | was personally &C.
qilainted with the doctor cleared his
throat" was not 10 be thought of though
she once might have saved US all of the
two others remaining, one / knew to be
woman, and, trusting she might be the
New Yorker, | came here to seek her, ard
in the person Of his young lady have
found her. She is member of my group;
and she, az her name proclaims her, is
destined to save US both by uniting her
destiny to mine. Analyze our names
you End them literally Identical; and for
The rest, the proofs are easy and ire
fragable."
Here the doctor paused, and, holding
out one OF his fat hands, seemed duskily
to summon Mabel from her lovers side
Charlie groaned, and removed his arm
from her waist; but hers was around his
neck in an instant, and her voice was clear
and firm:
whether your hateful theory be
truth or falsehood. neither it nor YOU
ahan ,ort N r
so much for my life here rs to sell, for its
sake, all that is most sacred and precious
to me? You have much TO learn, with all
your wisdom. Did it never occur to you
that there is Life, somewhere, which no
theory of yours can ever reach9 And
that very death, by which you seek to en-
slave me, shall be the means Of my tri- |
umph over you"
The doctor was awe stricken and silent |
and Charlie, who could scarce bell We this |
to be the modest and tender little girl
whom he had loved, and thought he knew,
looked up at her with reverence he had
never felt before. You are right dar-
ling" he murmured, but signing heavily.
Death is better than such life as that"
1t Is an alternative of DEATH" she an
swered, zone of the body the other of
the soul. But do not sigh, my love
What this man says is false; no divine
law could authorize such contamination.
do not believe his thory!"
At this, DR.. Pechal, who had been edg.
ing toward the door, advanced again into
the room, and spoke with emphasis:
you say you do not believe my the
ory' Very well The proof is at any
rate easy. Twenty-four hours will show
and l, at least, am ready to die in defense |
of what | have spent my life to verify"
As he turned to depart, the door opened, |
admitting glare of light Christina with
two tall wax candles. The doctor was
dazzled, and shaded his face with his hand,
Christina looked keenly at him as she
placed the candles on the table.
ut is already so dark, Fraulein," said
she, "and the gentleman is here" turning
to the doctor, II thought the candles
would be pleasant 10 you"
AT the sound of her voice, Dr. Pecbsl
started, and seemed strangely agitated,
He peered earnestly at the speaker through
his spectaces.
You may go, Christina" said Mabel
"Chlistina" cried the doctor, in q
Sremulous voice, Christina! Christina
Lapechl can II be thous' He stretched
toward her his stumpy hands wh;oh ,hooL