Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1879-08-22

gentleman of whom you already know sorne.
thing. He is our equal In station, In intellect,
and In moral worth. He is in every way wor-
thy OF my friendship and your esteem. VIII
You listen TO what he has to say to you. wa
you, papap
The Senator laughed a short, hard laugh,
and turned TO Mr.. Walsingham Brown. "f
have no communication to make to the mem
Der OF the lower branch" said he. "Why
should he have any communication TO make
to mepp
Miss Newton put her arm around the waist
OF the young Chinaman and led him sauarely
In front OF her father. Because" she said,
In a voice as firm and clear as the note OF II
silver bell" because love him"
In recalling with Wanlee the circumstances
Of this interview, MIR. Walsingham Brown
said long afterward: "She glowed for mo-
ment like the platinum of your thermo-elec-
troden
"If the member from California" said
Senator Newton, without changing the tone
of his voice, and still continuing to address
himself TO Mr.. Brown, "has worked upon the
sentimentality of this foolish child, that is
her misfortune and mine. II cannot be helped
now. But IL the member from California pre-
sumes to hope to profit in the least by his sim
lister operations, or to enjoy further opportu.
mites for pursuing them, the member from
California deceives himself"
SO saying he turned around In his chair and
began to write on his great speech.
- come, SAID Wa0lee, SLOWLY, now speak
ing for the first time, cas- an honorable man,
to ask of Senator Newton the hand of his
daughter in honorable marriage. Her own
consent has already been given"
"I have nothing further to say" said the
Senator, once more turning his cold face to.
ward Mr.. Brown. Then he paused an instant,
and added with a sneer: 81 am told that the
member from California is a prophet and
apostle of Vegetable Rights. Let him seek a
cactus In marriage. He should wed on his
own level.n
Wanlee, coloring at the wanton insult, was
about to leave the room. A quick sign from
Miss Newton arrested him.
"But / have something further to say"
she cried, with spirit. Listen, father; 1t Is
this. II Mr.. Wanlee goes out of the house
without word from yOu-a word such as is
due him from you as gentleman and as my
father-I go with him to be his wife before
the sun rises !"
$50 II you will, girl" the Senator coldly
replied. "But first consult with Mr. Wal
singham Brown, who is a lawyer and gen.
tleman, as to the tenor and effect of the Sus-
pended Animation Act"
Miss Newton looked inquirtngly from one
face to another. The words had no meaning
to her. Her lover turned suddenly pale and
clutched at the back of a chair for support.
Mr.. Browns cheeks were also white. He
stepped quickly forward, holding out his
hands as If to avert some dreadful calamity.
But mol That is an obsolete law, an nhu-
man, outrageous enactment that has long
been as dead as the partisan fury that
prompted IT.. For a quarter of a century it
has been dead letter on the statute books"
81 was not aware,n said the Senator, from
between firmly set teeth, "that the Act had
ever been repealed"
He took from shelf a volume OF statutes
and opened the bool % 1 will read the text,n
he said; ut will form an appropriate part
of the ritual of this marriage" He read as
follows:
SECTION 1891. No male person of Caucasian
descent, of or under the age of twenty-five years.
shall marry or promise or contract himself in
marriage with any female person of Mongolian
descent, without the full written consent of his
male parent guardian, as provided by law;
and no female person, either maid or widow, un-
der the age of thirty years of Caucasian parent
age, shall give, promise, or contract herself in
marriage with any male person of Mongolian de
scent without the full written and registered
dlans, as provided by law. And any marriage
obligations so contracted shall be null and void
and the Caucasian so contracting shall be guilty
OF a misdemeanor and liable to punishment at
the discretion of his or her male parent or guar
dian, as provided by law.
SECTION 1892. Such parents or guardians may
at their discretion and upon application to the
authorities of the United States District Court
for the district within which the offense is COM
mitted, deliver the offending person of Cauca-
sian descent to the designated officers. and re-
quire that his or her consciousness, bodily activ
tiles and vital functions be suspended by the
frlgoriiice raHa1i e. process known as the Werkomer
elapse before the offending person shall arrive at
the age of twenty-five years, if male, or thirty
years, # a female; or for shorter period at the
discretion of the parents guardians; said
shorter period to be fixed in advance.
What does it meant" demanded Miss
Newton, bewildered by the verbiage of the
Act, and alarmed by her lovers exclamation
of despair.
MIR. Walsingham Brown shook his head,
sadly. Z" 1t means" said he. 'that tho nrnei
sin OF the fathers is to be visited upon the
children"
at means, Clara" said Wanlee, with a
great effort, " that we must part"
understand me, Mr.. Brown said the Sen
ator, rising and motioning impatiently with
the hand that held the pen as if to dismiss
both the subject and the intruding party, 81
do not employ the Suspended Animation Act
as bugaboo to frighten a silly girl out of her
lamentable infatuation. AS surely as the law
stands so surely will put 1t into effect"
Miss Newton gave her father long, steady
look which neither Wanlee nor Mr.. Brown
could interpret, and then slowly led the way
to the parlor. She closed the door and locked
it. The clock on the mantel said four.
A complete change had come over the girls
manner. The spirit of defiance, of passionate
appeal of outspoken love, had gone. She
was calm now, as cold aud self possessed as
the Senator himself. "FrozenI'' she kept
saying under her breath, "He has frozen me
already with his frigd hearth
She quickly asked Mr.. Wasingham Brown
to explain clearly the force and bearings of
the statute which her father had read from
the book. When he had done so, she in
quired,
"Is there not also a law providing for vol
untary suspension of animationp'
"The Twenty-seventh Amendment to the
Constitution" replied the lawyer, "recog-
nizes the right of any individual, not satisfied
with the condition of his life, to suspend that
life for a time, long or short, according to his
pleasure. But it is rarely, as you know, that
any one avails himself of the right-practi-
cally never, except as the only means to pro-
cure divorce from uncongenial marriage rela-
tions.n
"Still," she persisted, "the right exists
and the way is open!"
He bowed. She went to Wanlee and said:
"My darling, it must be SO. l must leave you
for time, but as your wife. We will ar
range a wedding'-and she smiled sadly
"within this hour. Mr.. Brown will go with
us to the clergyman. Then we will proceed
at once TO the Refuge, aud you Yourself shall
lead me to the cloister that is to keep me
safe till times are better for us. No, do not
be startled, my love! The resolution is taken I;
you cannot alter 1t. And 1t will not be so
very long, dear. Once, by accident, in ar
ranging my fathers papers, l came across
his Life Probabilities, drawn up by the Vital
years to live. l never thought to calculate In
cold blood on the chances OF my fathers life,
but 1t must be. In ten years, Daniel, you may
come to the Refuge again and claim your
bride. You will find me as you left me-"
With tears streaming down his pale cheeks
the Mongolian strove to dissuade the Cau-
casian from her purpose. Hardly less affect
ed, Mr.. Walsingham Brown Joined his en-
treaties and arguments.
Have you ever seen" he asked, awoman
who has undergone what you propose to un-
dergol She went into the Refuge, perhaps,
as you will go, fresh, rosy, beautiful, full Of
life and energy. She comes out prema-
turely aged, withered, sallow, aacid body, a
living corpse-a skeleton, a ghost Of her
former self. In spite of all they say, there
can be no absolute suspension of animation.
Absolute suspension would he death. Even
in the case ofthe most perfect freezing there
is still some activity of the vital functions,
and they gnaw and prey upon the existence
OF the unconscious subject. WIN YOU risk"
he suddenly demanded, using the last and
most potent argument that can be addressed