Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-05-08

| HlCdtlOu tHdn tndt law H1'iiatcu BV
the way'-here he paused for moment
in thought" by the way, l wonder ifmy
interest while ago in the first chapter of
the book have in my hand may not have
induced-that and the picture we saw Just
south of Croton Point-my confidential
revelations The first chapter of "Argylps
Reign of Law is on the supernatural
what it is. Let me read one portion
of it."
| gladly assented.
1.-THE Reign of Law in nature is, in
deed so far as we can observe it, univer
sal. But the common idea Of the super
natural is that which is at variance with
natural law, above it, or in violation of
| it,"
excuse my Interruption | said just
there, "but of course the Duke means
| does he not, sir?-at variance with, above.
or in violation of that little, comparative
| ly, which we knoao of natural law. What
an infinite amount of Gods law may be
| above and modify the small part we
know"
''Thank you, my friend; that is very
well put" he replied, and continued his
| reading. "'Nothing, however wonderful,
which happens according to natural law,
would be considered by any one as super
natural. The law in obedience to which
wonderful thing happens may not be
h10pn; but this would not give it a super
natural character, so long as we as
suredly believe that it did happen accord
ing to some law. Hence, it would APP
pear to follow that a man thoroughly pos
sessed of the idea of natural law as uni
versal, never could admit anything to be
supernatural; because on seeing any fact,
hnX al
hensible, he would escape into the conclu-
sion that it was the result of some natural
law of which he had before been ignorant.
X This is not the conclusion of
pride, but of humility of mind Seeing
the bOundless extent Of our ignorance of
the natural laws which regulate so many
OF the phenomena around us, and still
more of the phenomena within us, nothing
can be more reasonable than to conclude
when we see something which is to us a
wonder, that somehow, if we only knew
how, it is "dW r1ght'-all according to the
constitution and course of nature"
He closed his book, and hurriedly get
ting together his few traps, swinging his
buster on an arm, and buttoning his
gloves, he said: "And so, my friend, these
facts IN my own experience | cannot ex-
plain any more than | can doubt them |
construct no theory for them. AS they
acere, | believe there must be some law for
them. But here we are'
"What, sir, do you get out here2" | had
thought his ticket said ''Poughkecpsie."
Yes, yes-a sudden thought-but
good evening to you. | am indebted to
your company for -"
Good evening, sir" and with real
tervor | added from the warmth of my
heart, II trust we shall meet again"
That he answered with peculiar smile,
sweet, fitting, but rather incomprehensi-
bic, and he was gone.
what a mani" thought; "what dig
nifty and quietude of manners! so embrac-
ing in his sympathies. What intelligence,
Marvellous narrative that. 1t absorbed
me, as indeed did all he said All. how
| shall enjoy telling Of this fortunate ride
to the company | am to dine with to-m0r-
row. 1t might make sketch for a maya
zine And so | pleasantly soliloquizcd
for several miles beyond Pcekskill But
why had not asked his name? Certain
ly his ticket was for Poughkeepsie, I
seemed sure of that; what then could
have suddenly changed his plans to leave
the train at Peekskil?
However, what matter to me, except the
premature loss of his charming society,
that he did or did not change his travel
ing plans? The interview had left me in
very pleasant state Of mind, as when one
closes some enrapturing romance and sits
looking over it at NOTTINGHAM inter
Jude OF sensation between the romance lost
and the reality to be quickly undertaken
L was conscious, in a remote kind of way,
Of the soft night settling down on the river
gorgcs Of the Highlands. | saw the twink
ling tiers of lights in COzzens', GarrisOn's
depot, the blaze and glare of the Kemble
foundry; and the short, rattling tunnel
under Breakncck brought me out of reverie
to the open piece of road opposite Corn
wall, and a shaking up of my senses to a
travellers preparation to leave the cars.
We were nearing Fishkill. "In time for
the ferry-boat? Let me see"
But my watch. Where is it, Could
| have left it on my bureau at the hotel?
Stupid stupid! Could it be possiblc:'
| tried to recall cvents-my dressing,
where | had lost my watch, etc, but they
were all in revolving maze. Miserable
confusion. There was nothing to do on
the moment but to telegraph from Fishkill
to the hotel proprietor
Fishkill FERRY to Newburgw
[ rushed from the cars before they were
fairly at a standstill, ran into the depot,
scrubbed off a message for the operator.
Glow much?"
"My pochet-boOk!"
This pocket, that pocket, vest pockets,
inside, outside-nowherc | felt as if all
my blood, in drops like lead, had gone
through the pores Of my feet into the
ground beneath, l jerked off my hal,
peered into it, answered not the waiting,
perplexed telegraph operator, but hurried
into the depot room, hat in hand, with the
wild, wavering look, and scurrying, I'M
certain steps of a lunatic. | stopped
somewhere, my head uncovered ny limbs
all t1imsy. My fingers felt az for the
accustomed vest chain; tn, clutched
something, a couple of links, piece of
metal. | grasped the little broken bits of
jewelry and studied them intently What
did it mean? | looked up probably the
eyes of all that travelling throng were
fixed on me with wonder, perhaps amuse-
ment. Suddenly faint, sneering whis
per in my brain seemed to say again and
again, louder and quicker with each repe-
tition, and then with whirl Of laughter,
"Argyll's Reign of Law Ha, ha-a-aam
Alas. / sac it, | stumbled to bench
and sat down on my-my hat! A crack
ling, crumpling report, then burst OF
laughter. | came to my senses and rushed
for the ferry. Without accident reach
ed my family that summer night.
My wife never knew me more quiet.
had no interesting anecdote to tell at next
days dinner party. My loss that July