The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1885-01-13
WOODsFIELD, MONROE COUNTY, OH

that he would be practically alone If be
wished. He made his temporary home
with widow who rjoiced in the pos.
session of one daughter, as beautiful
specimen of humanity as 1t had ever
been Fielding's good fortune to meet
He looked at her as a physician Is IN
clined to regard Lrettv woman, with
the eye of an snatomist, and found her
perfect.
He was willing to make It a dual soli-
tude for few weeks, and at first be was
amused at the loquacity of the pretty
mouth curving upward at the corners
like Cupid's bow. Pretty mouths are
so rare in this world. Most of those
you see are mere gashes for the exit Of
the necessary revelation or conceslment
OF ideas, or the performance Of gastro-
nomic fears; or else the heavy, unfinish-
|SA.lips lie closely against each other. as
|if heavens journeyman had made them
and not made them we'll.
After while he began to grow tired
OF the ceasless aow of words without an
idea.
81 wish dared make a bargain With
her mother for her brain in case should
outlive her," he wrote in bis Journal
"The examination of it would solve sew
eral problems that are tormenting me at
present. / never met any person in full
possession Of all her faculties and a
common education that came 30 near to
being an idiot. She seems to have ab.
solutely no soul
He started, stared at what he had writ
ten, and threw down the pen in disgust.
"What impelled me to- use word
there that have not used for years p
How long is it since poor Dora Varian
died? Three years. upon nv word -
How time flies. 1t seems like last week,
and yet know it is months since have
thought of her. But what is that-does
Miss Barrows play the guitarf'
He leaned out Of bis window, for be
Thought he heard low vibration like a
musical string rapidly untuued. No, it
seemed in the room beside him. He
shook himself impatieutly about taking
cold, and then went down stairs where
Miss Bsrrows was lounging 10 a chair
in the sunset glow. She gave him q
sleepy little smile as he took the chair
beside her; the heat had silenced her for
few moments. Fielding took the fan
from her hand and slowly piled it back
and forth until her closed eyes and reg
ular breathing suggested that she might
be entirely oblivious Of his presence.
He surveyed her with feeling OF
something like aversion in spite OF her
beauty. There was no intelligence in
the heavenly clearness Of her eyes. no
trace Of thought on the bro~s that seem.
ed almost chiseled; the slip-shod En-.
glish that came from her foil throat In
voice that the times was unearthly sweet
dismsyed his fastidious ear. He slightly
pulled back his chair and thought of one
summer night when he had forgotten
how the time passed as Dora Varian and
he passed up and down the garden path,
softly talking. Miss Barrows stirred
and opened her eyes when he moved.
"Have you missed me 2" she said OUT
city. and again the guitar vibrated on
the air.
s What was the matter with the girlf-
Those were her eyes surely that he sat
gazing into aghast, and vet, where had
they caught that look of Dora Varian 7
"WeIl," she said. with Dora's own
smile, 81 have waited and watched. and
the time has come at last when can see
you with living eyes, and talk with Iiv-
ing voice. Yes, you are right. am
Dora varian."
A chill shook Fielding from head to
foot. What horrible hallucination was
this ? Had his close application to work
crazed hiu at last, and was this the form
bis madness was to takel Half timidly
he touched her hand. 1t was warm
and soft as ever.
You need not answer me just now"
she said, gently Withdrawing from his
touch. "Let me explain to you first
how this came to pass. When died /
told you l should see you again, and
three long years l have been beside you
day and night, trying to give you some
sign OF my presence. Whenever you
thought of me l knew it. and tried to
tell you so. but all efforts only resulted
In some strange sound. I felt that you
heard it. for you slways looked around
to account for it in some natural way
But oh, Mark. it is six months since
have entered your mini."
sWhere is she-where Is Miss Bar
rows p inquired Fielding. adapting him
self as one does In some grotssque
dream
"Sleeping, and so I can be with you.
Shall come again ?"
"Amy!' called the mother from the
house. The girl in the chair, whoever
she might be, closed her lids for mo-
ment, and when they opened Miss Bar
rows made some hippant remark about
her nap, with disregard for grammar
and vowel sounds that left Fielding in
irritated silence. She gave him a Co.
quetiish tap with the fan she snatched
from him, and ran into the house. Fiel.
ding slowly followed here, and persua.
ded himself that he had been asleep too.
Bat as he learned her ways better. and
knew that she had q habit of sleeping |
away most OF here afternoons on the
little hair-cloth sofa in the cool psrlor, |
he was obliged to confess to himself with
q sort of horror that she led two lives,
for which he could make no account
AS surely as he found himself beside her
when she lay sleeping, 50 surely would
she wake and look at him with Dora
Variants eyes and talk to him with Dora
Variants tones blending through the dii.
fereut voice OF Amy Barrows. Some
Zines they took long walks into the
woods beyond the village, and Fielding
began to find the old fascination of Do
ra's conversation and manner intensified
into some strange, new feeling BY the
charm OF faultless beauty. He lost the
uncanny sensation she gave him at first,
and in his enforced idleuess was rapidly
learning to look forward to the hours
when the exquisite casket shonld be oc.
cupied by the fitting gem. When she
left it the other occupant returaed to it,
supremely unconscious of whatever
might have taken place during her alb
sence from herself,