Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1879-07-25

sleepless nights.
My brave, strong-souled brother in q
wicked woman's toilsl / pictured her,
golden haired and grand, but with a
cruel mouth and hard, beautiful eyes
that told of a selfish, restless soul, and
l used to cry out in the darkness, go,
Charleyl Come away, come away"
The days and weeks and months
passed, and no letter came, although /
wrote begging for one line.
worked fitfully but hard, and two
of the lecturers spoke kindly to me,
and hoped was not overtaxing myself.
l was. Work was my only relief and
refuge.
1t was Christmas Eve, as 1 have men
toned, and five years after Charley s
departure.
l was reading anatomy at the time,
and the porter, who had charge of the
dissecting room, used to allow me TO go
there in the evenings, which l often
did, both because there was good fire
and because could verify and illustrate
my readings by appeals to the diagrams
and subjects.
This evening / had come as usual.
There were but two subjects on the
| tables-a man and woman-and was
desirous of doing good nights work.
A cheerful method of spending Christ
mas Eve, you will say.
Before commencing, however, sat
down to warm myself, and as was fire.
quent with me under such circum-
stances, my thoughts reverted to my
| brother.
How long l thought of him know
not, but at length, with n groan of inn
potent grief, l turned away and stood
beside the table on which lay the male
body.
Was it fancy or trick of the flicker
ing freight, but surely the eyes were
open and looking at meP
A cold perspiration broke out on my
brow-a dumb terror possessed my
soul.
1t was no fancy. The dead man sat
bolt upright and spoke, and oh! my
God! as he did so recognized Charley
in those awful discolored lineaments.
"Alanp The voice came low, hoarse
and distant, as from a grave. "Alan,
little brotherr
could not speak or move. My
tongue Glove to the roof of my mouth,
and felt myself glued to the spot.
Then it spoke again, this time with
reproachful cadence: "Won't you come
to me, little brotherP''
found my muscular faculty, bat not
my voice. In speechless terror l ad-
vanced and stood beside its-Charley's
shoulder. 1t stretched out a hand,
cold and clammy as death, and took
mine and 1 shuddered involuntarily.
Are you afraid of me, even you,
AlanP"
"No," gasped. "No, Charley, but
it's so strange"
1t laughed. Can l ever forget that
laughP Swinburne talks of a "man's
laughter heard far down in hell"
That was it-far down, oh! so far
down! De prOtIndiS.
Yes. is strange, is 1t not, little
brother" it proceeded when its hollow,
awful laugh was over. "Very strange
that L, Charles Gordon, son of the late
Charles Alan Gordon, and confidential
clerk of the firm of Gayworthy, Geddes
& Co., should have followed in my faith
er's footsteps and, after committing
murder and dying by poison self-ad-
ministered in London street. should
be promoted to serve science as sub
ject in this hospitalP Ha, ha, har'
and once again the mocking laugh rang
out.
"But don't be afraid. 1 would not
hurt you if | could, Alan"-the voice
sounded tender here, in spite of its hol-
low weirdness-" l want to show you
how it came about. / can do that bet
ter than tell you, but you must shut
your eyes"
In dumb obedience did so and felt
the cold, dreadful hand touch my head.
Then there rose up before my mental
vision ball room, blazing with light
and beauty-in India, was sure, from
its architectural characteristics and ad-
juncts, and the luxuriant exotics which
bloomed on the piazza of which a
glimpse could be gained past the throng.
There were officers present and their
red uniforms and gold epaulettes added
to the brilliancy and admiration of the
scene.
And bright the lamps shone DER fair women
und brave men.
Suddenly saw my brother standing
amid knot of takers. He was older,
bigger and browner than when he left
England and looked very handsome,
thought, in his plain evening dress. He
left his place as | first observed him,
apparently at the request of a gentle
man, and crossing the room stood be-
fore lady. raised my eyes to her
face and started. 1t was she-the wo-
man had pictured as Charley's bane.
There was the imperial form, the
proud face, peerlessly but cruelty beau
tiful, the golden glory of hair, the pitt
less eyes, the voluptuous-Ih had almost
said sensual-moutb.
l turned from her to Charley. saw,
as he was introduced to her, that his
color came and went, that his honest
brown eyes swan, that his voice was
faltering and low.
And she saw it too. Over her face
there flashed look of conscious power
and assured triumph. In answer to
something which my brother said she
bowed gracious assent, and in a mo-
ment his arm was round her willowy
waist and they were gliding in the
mazes of a waltz.
Then, amid line of onlookers,
caught sight of face that 1 knew. 1t
was Temples, and it was distorted with
an angry, envious scowl, almost identi-
cal with that frown had once seen on
it as his eyes followed my brother and
his beautiful partner.
Once again the hand of the dead
passed over my face, and at its cold
touch the bright, warm vision vanished
and the scene was changed.
In a haautifullU annOintad and Inv,
rious room a lady was reading-the
same lovely, baneful woman who had
danced with my brother. She was
dressed in cool, loose muslin, and the
lazy languor of her attitude and ex-
preston were bewitching as she half
reclined on a low sofa and listlessly
turned over the leaves of her book.
The full outline of her figure and the