Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1885-07-23

OF wine ana served Jnem with cigars
until they vowed he was a royal good
fellow. AT last he asked one Of them,
a great friend of editor Washburne's,
to introduce him to the newspaper
man. The introduction was perform.
ed and Sholbach made such a pleas
ant impression on the editor that the
latter invited the magician. to visit
his house when again in town.
When Sholbach next performed in
Montrose the editor gave a little re-
ception to him after the entertain
ment. Once in the house of WASH
burne, Sholbach appeared to have
eyes only for Irene. He devoted
himself to her, and attended to all
her wants with grave and tender
courtesy which could not fail to make
an impression on her. But the i'm.
preston was not such as the magician
wanted. While he fascinated her,
he filed her with horror. He re-
minded her of snake.
"Why do you shrink from me ?" he
asked her.
"Do Ishrink from you ?" she asked,
timidly.
She was afraid to acknowledge il |;
she would not have dared to acknowl-
edge any thing that might offend him,
for her mind was completely subser-
Went TO his. He could have mesmer-
lied her without perceptible effort,
had he desired to do so.
Eyes, you do shrink from me- he
said grayely.
They were alone on the piazza,
where the cold moonlight lent an ad-
ditional keenness to the glitter Of
Soholbach's eyes.
"I-I--am sorry" she said, trying
to drop her eyes, but finding them ir-
resistibly fastened to his.
do you know" he continued, that
perform in this town oftoner than
in any other r
us that SOP"
Eyes And why do you suppose /
do it2"
II do not know"
She did know. She knew what he
was going to say, and she would have
given her life to'stop him; but she
was powerless.
Il love you" he whispered, in a
hoarse voice.
She shuddered and clasped her
hands. z
"Why do you not answer me-" he
said, bending closely TO her. II tell
you ! love you"
II know IT," she said in faint
murmur. She could not move hand
or foot.
"Then why do you not answer me p
he asked.
She was silent.
"You love me, then. This silence
comes from your shyness. might
have known IT,"
And leaning forward he clasped
her In his arms and kissed her lips.
The charm was broken. With q
long, quivering shrek, she broke
from his arms and rushed madly into
the parlor among the startled guests.
Sholbach followed her, but she fed TO
her father for protection.
"Take him awayl' she cried.
"Take him awayi He will Kill me
with his icy eys--those serpent's eyes.
Take him away"
The next morning Sholbach had
disappseredsfrom the town, after an
nouncing that be would never return,
and Irene lay in fever. =
A year had passed away and Irene
had long ago recovered her accustom-
ed health and spirits. Sholbach, true
to bis promise, had never come back
to Montrose. In the meantime, John
Manners, a stalwart young physician,
whose ability was unquestioned and
whose physical beauty was the envy
Of every young man in the town, had
found the way TO Irene's heart. She
loved and was loved in return, and it
had been arranged that they should
be married at her uncles magnificent
mansion in st, Louis in the fall. The
days rolled on and week before the
day appointed for the wedding Irene
and her parents, together with her
lover and his parents, went TO the
city.
The first thing which mot Irene's
eyes when she arrived in St Louis
was a bill announcing that Professor
George Sholback would exhibit his
wonderful illusions for one week at a
certain hall. The bill stated that the