Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-03-09
Bender do YOU believe 10 presentimenta ?

Reader do you belleve 10 presentlmenls S
Hitherto had been sceptic, in oil mat.
ers savoring Of spiritual or extramateriai
gency. But natural instinct will rel
'eEge itself, from time to time, upon even
he most stubborn of unbelievers. LII
fell victim to credulity felt
, vague, but none the less positive, as
surauce of some event about 30 befnil me
which was destined to change the current
Of my whole life. OF its precise nature
had not even IL glimpse, bat it was
fancy connected with hopeiuiness
rather than misgiving. Did not already
know the worst? Surely any change, no
matter what, must be welcome to me
Nevertheless, at the outset, ! strove to
stine it, AS the prompting OF childish sup
erstitlon; or yet more probably, symp-
tom of mental deterioration, p erhaps even
of brain softening Despite all my efforts
it would whisper in my ear, like sun
small voice, day aud night.
One morning / woke with this idea more
wildly impressed on my mind than ever ;
and ut II late hour, rs susual, rose ana
dressed for my solitary midday meal. l
heard strange voices in the adjoining
room, and clearly distinguished the I'M
wonted accents OF my native tongue
Two English ladies had bespoken rooms
for weeks stay, Only Il few days had
elapsed Since such in announcement
would have failed to awaken the faintest
interest in my mind. The case was
otherwise now. / felt n sudden craving
for congenial intercourse with my Nh
known fellowco untry-wome
To brace my nerves for the interview,
l drank more deeply than usual, but the
excitement of anticipation secured TO me
tho full possession of all my faculties. !
entered the salon: the two ladies, seated
Mt the open window, were silently admir-
ing the prospect. In n foreign land in
| general and in an out-of-the-w world place
in particular. the sight of a fellow-coun-
tiyman is welcome. Within half an hour
we were on terms of cordial intimacy
The two ladies stood in the relation OF
Y aunt and niece. Tho former, though
somewhat advanced in life, was still a
coinely dame. The years Of the
latter could barely have reacheda quarter
of century Without any pretensions
to regular beauty of features Sylvia. fol
such was her name, was undeniably pre-
possessing, and an intellectual and anna
Bile type of countenance proved faithful
index to her moral and mental qualities
Both were evidently women OF culturc ano
refinement.
Onthis memorable evening, which mari
Oh n new epoch in the lives OF two Of the
party, the truth Of the adage I'm 0int
reritus' was strikingly cxemplllied. IL
the course of the conversation my con
panions expressed natural though we'll
bred curiosity to learn the motives which
could have prompted an educated Eng
lishman, like myself, to seek living
tomb in these mountain solitudes NJ,
heart which had so long borne the burdel
of its silent seal, burned within me, and
spoke its secret SORROWS unreservediy
Little by little uufolded the sad story d
my whole past life. L spoke the truth
the whole truth, nothing but the truth
And my confidence was amply repaid b,
the rapt attention and unaffected sympa
thy of my listeners. Nor did omit q
timid reference to that strange fore
shadowing of coming crisis in my life
which had lately taken SO mysterious
hold of my imagination. To my surprise
they expressed less incredulity than l an
ticipated. Elch in turn, narrated som'
startling story of a kindred character
drawn from personal experience or found
ed on the testimony OF reliable friends
and acquaintance, III proof OF the credi
bility of presentiments in general. No
till late hour in the evening did w
part company, with the mutual promise
to meet early next morning for stroll
before breakfast.
l do not pretend to explain the pheno
menon, but that night l went to bed, TO
the first time i'll ten years, without m.
usual "night-cap." Yet there stood tn
narcotic by my bedside, powerful enough
to plunge most men into Lethean tor
por of twenty four hours duration, bu
which had only the effect of dragging m.
over-excited brain for couple of hours
disturbed repose at the most. Neithe
can l claim the merit OF resisting tn
!, tempter. l simply forgot it, 1t was q
if some good angel had spread an invisi
BILE wing around me, and my evil geniu
had momenterily departed
Next morning l awoke, and more re
freshed than was my wont. None OF II
failed TO keep our appointed tryst. Gen
tie reader, as cannot impart to you m
own eyes wherewithal to see the incredi
! BILE fact 80 shall not complain OF you
hardness of heart if you Withhold your be
lief from my bare assertion. Yet Wis
man once said II believe it Leoause
: is incredible" For ten long years had
: never once dispensed with my 'stirruT
cup on rising OF a morning; and yet
!: Is fact that my oblivion OF the previou
evening was repeated on this very morn
r ing. left my morning draught, IN
l "pick- me-up." untouched on my dressin
table, and sailed forth with brisk ste
: and smiling face to greet my fair compar
y IONS had literally forgotten my tempo
Il rary remedy-my chronic poison Ma,
more encouraged by the unobtrusive b,
u evcr-ready sympathy Of my now constar
companions, | never once relapsed int
. my former habits Of excess, during til
i whole OF the ensuing week. Having I'll
: whole OF the house entirely to ourselye
;, tor the season was now advanced. We N
u turally became inseparables. Togeth,
= We enjoyed our daily walks and excu
sions, shared the same meals, held OF
!, long and ever more sympathetic and col
% tidential tctc-0-tetc in snug corner
II the public sitting-room. 1t caused nor
:; of us the leastsurprice when at the week
u end we ielt as If we had never bee
&c strangers to each other.
II IL one of lis, Mt least, the idea of par
~ ing, perhaps forever, became almost il
L. supportable. Forgetting my former pr
Fl sentiment, had now become prey
{, the daily incubus of an impending far
p well Yeti was not in love! Loi
y since had taught myself the bitter lie
10 son that celibacy, in its dreariest aspec
t. and phases, was my preordained lot.
was mole than society calls "A detrime
is tall was literally IAN impossible
n Such, at least, was the stern judgme
l which my self-scrutinizing conscience hs
G. finally and irrevocably pronounc
tie against myself. My morbid sensitivene
III aud quick self-consciousnes had, as
r. were, branded me, to my own eye, wi
d. the stigma-the bitter brow-mark-ol
ld social CAM But the eyes of love O