The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-05-15

and fathom che mystery. With stout
stick grasped with firm grip Teachum
started, and with him Jud, with an ancient
pistol, two-barrelled, charged with ball.
1t was in the dim light of the cleaning.
Behind them was dark mass of men and
women, like shadows creeping stealthly
! on. The two men stood by the door in
tently listening for some moments. Then
| they started back. They had heard some
thing moving about inside, but with a soft.
stealthy motion, as they thought, like the
| rustling of leaves on a still summers night
| With pistol cooked and stout stick uplifted,
| they tried the latch and found it yielded.
| 1t opened flush upon Pinney's living room
| Guernsey's lantern revealed that there was
no person in it, but there came from @
partly opened door beyond faint flicker
| ing light as of dying candies rays Softly
| enough Teachum and Jud went on, and
| brave enough, for now they were face TO
| face with danger and stood upon the
| threshold of the inner room; but they
passed not over the threshold The up
| lifted pistol fell, with slow listless motion
| by Guernsey's side, and the stout grip on
| Teachum's stick was relaxed. The crowd
| outside, seeing this strange hesitation,
pressed silently into the living room, and
thus saw all that happened. There was a
| bed in the further corner of the room. The
expiring flicker of whale oil lamp upon
| the table sent queer dancing shadows upon
| the walls. There by the bedside was the
| half-prostrate form of Pinney, his head
resting against the bed-post, while bending
over him was person whose presence had
| caused this strange mesmeric impotence of
Teachum and Guernsey. 1t was a woman's,
| rather a young girls face, whose profile
| they saw, though she was strangely clad
| with hair most luxuriant and wonderful,
| falling far down upon the curious garment
| that she wore; and as she bent over Pin
ney's PROSTATE form. the hair swept his
| face like spray. When she perceived
| this, She with touch inexpressibly tender
| and soft gathered her tresseS from of his
| face and tossed them back over her neck,
| and then passed her hands so lightly over
| his cheeks and forehead that it seemed as II
| the touch must have been as gentle as an
| infants breath. Then with exquisite deli
| cacy she touched his eyelids, and, perceiv-
! ing that they fell and opened again, she
seemed to look down into his face with
| something of hope and tenderness, yet
agony expressed in mute appeal upon her
| lips Then she placed her arms under his
| shoulders and with desperate energy tried
to lift him to the bed. That effort being I'M
awaiting, with mute irresoluteness she
Stood bewildered. Then SIZE held her face
close down beside his cheek, as though to
| feel his breath upon it.
| The people saw her profile only. 1t was
the face of a child though the figure of a
woman. Its exquisite childlile beauty i'm
pressed them hardly less than her silent,
| impusive and strange manifestations.
| Then there was commOtion in the rear
room Some one had stepped heavily. In
| stanUly the girl put her hands upon the
| floor; then, rising, turned toward the door,
| and with arms outstretched and her eyes
staring, her lips apart, she slowly APP
| preached the door. Then her hand touched
| Teachum, though she seemed not to see
him, for her eyes were set, and he saw there
was no light in them. He spoke to her, but
| she made no answer; but with a touch
almost of magic passed her hands over his
| face his body, even his feet. Then in aris-
ing she touched Guernsey, and strove to
| know him too by her touch. Then she
| stood irresolute for moment, and then
| with as plaintive look of entreaty as ever
| came to human face, and speaking with
| the language of emotion taat is silent, she
| turned back to Pinney and put her hands
| upon his face.
| Teachum turned to Guernsey to speak
| but was checked by Jud, who pointed to the
face of Pinney. Then they perceived that
| with most agonizing imploring glance, he
was looking at them. They went to him
| and touched him.
| He's alive, and has had shock, Tea
| chum. Do you hear me, Pinney"
| The silent man closed his eyelids and
| opened them. Human nature has respon-
| sive instincts more potent than any speech.
| They raised him and put him on the bed,
| and then sent the people away, saying that
Pinney was alive, but smitten with the
palsy. When they came back they found
the strange girl touching Pinney's face
| with impulsive joy; and then she passed
her hand over their faces Then she lifted
the hand of each, and touched his eyes
with it, and perceived that he gently closed
them, and then, with ELUSIVE, unrestraned
demonstration of joy, she stroked and
| patted these men, and rubbed her soft
| cheek against theirs. Their response to
| these demonstrations of gratitude were as
silent. They did not restrain their tears
| and, glancing at Pinney, they saw that a
| look of ineffable gratitude shone from his
| eyes.
| Blind isn't she 2n asked Jud and Pinney
closed his eyelids to signify assent.
deaf and dumb, too, l think?" asked
| Teachum, and they read assent in Pinney's
eyes.
They cast quick glances around, and
| judged from appearances. that Pinney
having arisen and partially dressed, by
the light of the lamp had been seized witt
| the illness and fallen, and that the girl
! coming down from the room above, had
thus discovered him, and had labored all
day with the, to her, strange mystery OF
his disease. They asked Pinney if it was
not so, and he signified assent.
The men took turns watching and nurs
| ing. They were as gentle with the silent
man as the strange girl. She knowing
| them by the touch, and being grateful
] went on in what seemed her daily way
There were globes and cubes made of wood
| which Pinney had carved for her and these
she fondled and many times a day would
she go to him and put her cheek by hin
and touch his eyelids. Then there were
times when strange inquiring look came
upon her face, as though she was striving
to get at the mystery of it, and it happened
| that at such times she would touch Pin
ney's eyes and sit silent thus for many
minutes until at length the men became
| convinced that by some occult psyche
| logic operation she had trained herself tC
read his mind, for little by little she be
came able to care for him, and even to pre-
pare and administer his food. And she
| would sit sometimes by the hour, her fingers
on his face, and the changing emotions they
saw on hers persuaded the men that these
two were in converse with each other
To be sure it was not of Pinney's illness
but of the strange creature that people
gossipped and many were the things thai
were surmised of how she came there, ant
how long she had been there. The tongue
of unpleasant suggestion was stopped on,
day by Jud Guernsey 1t had wagged be
fore him, and with one stout blow he felleC
the man and stopped it. And then there
came gentler conversation and the neigh
bors We'd with one another in kindness
At length they left her with him MUCH o
the time, for they saw that she had quickly
| adapted herself to his needs. Two or three
times day one or the other called fo
such assistance as was requisite They saw
him looking yearningly one day at Bible
| oh l. i'm. ~.lg II