Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-11-20
Strange Testimony Of Dr.. ChandOSS.

Anything more exquisitely beautiful than
Mrs. Westhaven would ne difficult to I'M
agine. I met her with her husband and
sister two months before the murder trial
in which we were afterward concerned, at
a famous health resort in California. She
sat opposite me at the table d'hote, and
when she first lifted her eyes to mine l
started uncontrollably. They were won
derful eyes, dark tender with q certain
childish appeal in them which stirred all
fhe chiyalry in mans nature in response.
Unimpressionable soured old bachelor that
! was, | found myself on the instant VOW
ing to protect this beautiful creature, who
was exceedingly well cared for, apparently,
and had no need of my protection what
ever.
Mr.. Westhaven was the most discomfort
ed-looking man | ever saw. Thin, dark,
restless, and with nervous irritability of
manner which never varied except when
addressing his wifes sister. Miss Carlyon,
to whom he showed the most affectionate
consideration.
Miss Carlyon for whose health Mr.. and
Mrs. Westhaven were travelling, was del
icate, fragile creature, and except for a
sameness of contour of the faces there was
nothing 10 betray the relationship between
the two women.
We had been nearly month in thehotel
together before | became acquainted with
Westhaven. His manner was most cordial,
and he told me that he had asked Tor this
introduction, saying that | was not I'M
known to him by reputation, and speaking
in the kindest way of the success l had
achieved in certain electrical experiments.
He also confded to me his own deep inter
EST in studies of like nature.
Mrs. Westhayen met me with great kind
ness, and Miss Carlyon raised her head
from the cushions of her chair and gave me
a tiny hand like birds claw which was
lost in my grasp. She was q weird, IN
canny little creature, with glittering eyes
full Of restless, suspicious questioning,
marvellous white skin, and thin, cruel
mouth. An unpleasant face, altogether,
though with some claims to prettiness, and
one from which | gladly turned TO gaze
upon that of her beautiful sister.
I have a passionate admiration of beauty
in women, and Mrs. Westhavens beauty
was fawless and extended over the entire
personality, TO her delicate finger tips, to
her arched, exquisite feet, her graceful, per
feet pose, her swaying carriage.
Mr.. Westhaven was charming host-a
traveller, cultured and treating of many
things with brilliant, glancing satire,
which showed that he was q close, if not
kind, student OF human nature. Miss Car
lyon was evidently in sympathy with him
upon most subjects, and would often carry
out his idea gracefully from the point
where he left it. She was intelligent, well
read and witty.
After my first evening with this singular
family group l went out upon the piazza to
indulge in a speculative smoke. / think
am not curious person. have pTided
myself all nay life upon an Indifference to
the affairs and interests of other people, but
there was about this family, in spite Of gen
tie breeding and ease of manner, an atmos-
pbere OF mystery which provoked, if not
investigation, at least speculation. I deter
mined to see more of them.
Westhaven gave me every opportunity.
He sought me upon all occasions, and
evinced a fondness for my society and re
spect for my opinions which could not but
hatter me from so young and so brilliant a
man. His culture was remarkable and his
information widely extended. He had been
a close student all his life, he said, until
now. About his present interests he was
strangely reticent, and Of his family he
never spoke, save IN most casual way. L
rarely saw him in the afternoons; whatever
bis occupation or study it engrossed him
mate with him to warrant my going intor-
mally and unannounced to his rooms, /
found that in the afternoon l was rarely
admitted.
Mrs. Westhaven walked and drove out,
constantly attracting attention and admira-
ton wherever she was seen. She had q
certain individuality of style, which l be-
lieved grew from her perfect unconscious
ness Of her beauty and the conspicuous po-
sition she occupied in public. Once |
spoke OF her wonderful loneliness to her
husband. He received my enthusiastic OBJ
servations in moody silence, and the ex-
preston of discomfort deepened on his
handsome face.
[ had, of course, long before this, come
to the conclusion that Westhsven was I'M
happily married and I more than half sus-
pected that he had awakened to q terrible
certainty that be had married the wrong
Miss CarIyon This thought / tried TO close
my eyes upon as an unworthy suspicion
against the man who showed me consid-
Grafton that have rarely met with in life,
which was certainly unusual from mere
acquaintance.
l persisted, not without many discourage
ments, in my determination to know Mrs.
Westha7en better, and my success was at
last crowned by a most disappointing dis
coYery She had what at FIRST believed to
be an aversion to conversation. l never
heard her say anything, even in the way OF
3 reply, which contained an unnecessary
word. and if she ever volunteered q remark
it must have been in the privacy OF her
ewn chamber. Yet she was neither dif3-
dent nor ill-tempered. On the contrary.
her expression was pleased and pleasing,
and her pretty smile was always upon her
lips
! fancied that she might have q peculiar
bent Of mind and endeaYored to discover
it. ] ended by satisfying myself beyond g
doubt that she possessed no mind az all,
She was simply an exquisite and empty
casket-a beautiful, mindless. sOnlless
tb;ne-a creature without seusibilites, OF
even the capacity of receiving impressions
The emotions of living creatures, the pass
i've loneliness Of InanImate objects, the fra
GRANGE Of flowers, the charm Of music, the
wonderful. ever-changlng interest OF the
whole created world passed before her IN
seeing ewes, fell upon her christening ears
left her calm. untouched, with that change.
less uumeanins smile forever curving her
beautiful mouth.
When / made this discovery I knew that
Westhaven's life was q burden TO him. Fol
man of his delicate, sensitive, perceptvt
fse1Itv and deep. almost tender Gpprecia-
ton Of the finer phases of existence, the so
ciety OF woman like this meant perpetual
torment. One thing puzzled me greatly
In spite of his indifference TO her person.
atty he guarded her health as if she hsc
been an idolized child. He followed hel
about with lightwrsp in case of q draught
and having adjusted il carefully, would
leave her in absolute silence. l rendered
him this Justice then, at last. She bad
nothing on earth but her abundant vitality
He wonld protect that as the only service
left him to offer her.