Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-11-20

THE MEsMERIZED WIDOW.

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He had backed, and filed, and hestated
and doubted, about entering the .'blissfnl
state of matrimony, until the fire of youth
ful passion was all spent.
Being phrenologist, he left the prov
ince Of hearts altogether, and went to ex-
amining heads, to ascertain the craniolog-
ical developments OF woman's fitness for
the position OF wife to Martin Speed.
Esq, as letters came addressed 10 him at
the Speedwell post-office.
The town of Speedwell was named for
an ancestor of his, and boasted of several
thousand Inhabitants; and as it was fac
tory place, it had a goodly share of good
looking, marriageable girls.
Martin studied Combe, and Spurzheim,
and Gall, and grew bitter as disappoint-
ment saw him enter his forty-tirst year,
bachelor.
He looked back on the past, and saw the
chances he had neglected, and the happi-
ness of those who had started with him,
and were now portly people, the heads
and fronts of families; and the delicate
damsels he had slighted. respected moth
ers in Israel, and exemplary and amiable
wives.
He sought every opportunity for exam
ining the heads of such as would submit
themselves to his hand with hope OF
catching the bachelor; for they knew his
weakness, and he was well-to-do and an
eligible match.
But in vain he looked for perfection.
The bumps would not be arranged as he
wished them. If he took liking to a
pretty face, phrenology Immediately gave
it the lie straight, and he at once avoided
it.
1t was at this juncture that a biological
lecturer-and grave professor in that
scenee-came to Speedwell, and gave a
series of exhibitions. These Martin at
tended, and biology at once became an
intensity" with him-a "new emotion"
He attended all the exhibitions; saw
men personate roosters, and crow; hens,
and scratch; shiver with cold or burn with
heat, at the will of the operator; saw
miser endeavor to clutch an eagle held
out TO him while under the influence OF
the wonderful spell, and the tongue OF a
woman stilled. who, for twenty years, had
been the pest of Speedwell by her loquaci-
ty.
This put the mind of Martin on a new
track. He sold his chronological works,
and devoted himself to the study of the
wonderful science through which such
marvels were performed. The professor
was fine teacher. and Martin placed HIM
self under his tuition. He succeeded ad-
mirably. In short time he surpassed his
instructor. and had more than his powers
in influencing the susceptible among his
weak brethren and sisters.
He formed resolution to himself that
through this means, he would gain wife.
Could he find one that his science could
transfix like the man who was stopped by
the mesmerizer halfway down, as he was
falling from the roof of house-he would
marry her; for the reason. dear reader,
that Martin had not married, was, that he
had heard of wives wearing-the authori-
ty over their lords, and he was timid
man.
In this new science he saw security and
he sedulously sought for one of the right
description. At every party where he was
invited. at every sewing-circle, at every
knot of factory girls in which he mingled
in summer evenings he tried his art, but
without success. At last, when on the
point of despairing, accident gave what he
had failed of obtaining by earnest seeking.
A widow, dangerous to bacheloric peace,
as edged tools are to the careless hands oil
the ineXperienced-came to the village on
a visit The weeds had not been removed
that marked her bereavement, and the
merest touch of melancholy rested on her
brow, but her eye was laughing. and
sweet curl strayed away and lay like a
chiseled eddy upon the marble of her
cheek. She had jewel on her hand, and
the black dress she wore was cut judi
ciously-the milliner that had cut it had
been widow herself and she knew how
to manage such Notwithstanding a beau
tiful white shoulder, and revealing bust
of rare loveliness.
Martin met the widow at the residence of
a friend, and liked her. He had never seen
so pre-possessIng a woman, he thought.
But she had buried one husband, and that
was rather drawback. One visit led to
another. the liking still increasing, until
he broached the subject of biology, with
wish, fervently felt, that this might be the
woman he sought.
She was fully acquainted with it, and,
in answer to his question if she was sus-
ceptible to its influence, she replied she
didn't know, but she was willing to have
the fact tested.
What position for Martin! Seated by
her side on a sofa, with her hand laid in
his, her rich, dark eyes resting upon his
with look equal to that which the Widow
Wadmad poured into those of the unsus-
pecting Toby in the stiffness OF a summer
evening. But SCIENCE held him secure,
and his nerves were as calm as the sum-
mer day of that evening. By and by the
beautiful lids dropped, the head bent gent.
ly forward, and the widow, with sweet
smile upon her lips, lay fast asleep. .r
Martin could have shouted Eureka"
in his delight at the discovery. Now his
pulse quickened, and he stopped to kiss
the lips that lay unresisting before him;
but he didn't. BY the exercise of his pow
er he awakened her. and she was much
surprised at being caught mapping and
blushed at the strangeness Of il; and
blushed more when Martin told her how
he had been tempted, and how gloriously
ne had resisted and laughed little when
she slapped his cheek with her fingers as
he took pay from the widows lips for his
self-denial, and went home half crazy
with JOY at his new-found treasure. more
like boy of nineteen than a matured gen
tleman of forty.
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