The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1886-09-30
THE BASILISK.
A STORY OF TO-DAY.
CHAPTER II,
ELECTROMAGNETIC

CHAPTER II.
AN INTRODUCTION.
Il will introduce you to tho Bas.
ilisk."
This promise of DR.: Shaw's, insignif-
icant as it sounded. produced great
effect upon me; an effect of which,
while l owned its beneficial influence,
1 was in truth little bit ashamed.
During all the time of my darkness
had kept up passive rebellion against
the calamity that had befallen me. I
had abstained from open complainings,
but this was moro from pride than
from submission; and while felt most
deeply the blight that had fallen on my
interests, 1 never thought of acquiring
new ones or of trying to find amuse-
ment or occupation in the little events
of tho daily life around me. Blindness
was calamity which l had no more
regarded as likely to happen to me
than death itself. And death, though
generally recognized as inevitable, is
about the very last thing a young man
expects to meet with in his proper per-
son. Moreover, 1 had always had q
kind of contempt for blindness, asso-
ciatingit very intimately with some
aggressive form of dissent, as an
alternative with desperate villainy.
Charles Dickens was responsible for
the latter idea, the character of Stagg
having made a deep impression upon
my boyish mind. The former notion
was derived from the wife of village
shopkeeper, who, if not actually blind.
was in the habit of wearing portentous
blue spectacles. This good woman
would check the high spirits of a
schoolboy, home for the holidays, by
launching at my needless head ap-
posite texts of Scripture of commina-
tory character, and crushing any at.
tempts at conversation which touched
upon the weather, by intimating plain
~ the impiety of commenting upon the
direct dealings of Providence.
When recovering from my illness at
home I shrank from the kindness of
friends and visitors. Their sympathy
enraged instead of soothing me. How,
indeed, could they sympathize? They
were out in the L. ht of the sun; Twas
dowu-far down in the abyss. 1t was
nothing to me that l could hear their
voices from above, hushed only when
they spoke to me, to a tenderer tone.
I was cut off from them; and they only
aggravated my misery by kindness
which brought no comfort, a helpful
ness which Frightened not the edge of
my despair. I shrank from all efforts
to draw me out of myself, and would
doubtless have mopcd myself to mad
ness if concern at being burden to
my mother had not drawn mo to ac-
cept the shelter of St. Bartimeus's
Home. Here l had gradually been led
to mix in the musical pursuits which
were so much in favor there: not that
took any interest in them, but that
being among fellow.sufferers I had less
longing to shrink from the insolent
happiness that could only play at being
touched by my misfortune.
The growth, then, of an ordinary
interest in my mind was a new and
wholesome sign-yet I was ashamed Of
its cause. The mere prospect of being
introduced to stranger, whom I could
not even see, somehow made me feel
that still belonged to the general fel-
(owship of mankind, in a way that no
care or kindness had hitherto enabled
me to realize.
l was very curious to make Miss
Beaufoy's acquaintance, and DR..
Shaw's dislike OF her did nothing to
diminish my curiosity. The similar
ity of idea conveyed by the doctors
name for her, with that which was so
impressed on my mind BY the vision
that remained with me all these years,
led me to attach, I believe, a sort of
superstitious importance to the meet
ing. said very little of this kind to
DIR. Shaw; but he knew very well tina,
the prospect had made a difference In
me already. For one thing, I be.
thought ne of my personal appear
ance. 1 remembered, among other
impressions of the past, one that blind
people generally wore long coats and
long hair. 1t was not easy to picture
myself in such guise; but realized
that my hair was decidedly bunchy'
and soon made an EXPEDITION under
the charge of a faithful attendant, from
which returned shorn according to
the ordinary custom of mankind.
In the ev>-.ng went round to DR..
Shaw room for a talk.
"Hallo!' he cried on seeing me.
''Why, what have you been doing to
yourself?''
live only had my hair cut properly 81
I said; ''unless-1s say, I hope he ha:
cut it properly"
"Oh yes; it's all right. But why this
sudden change of style?'
'Well, 1 don't see why one shouldn't
look as much like other people as pos
sible," l said. Il don't want to figure
at the piano on Wednesday like mar
who has cut his string, and escaped
from his dog"
"Oh-ah!7 said Shaw. "WEDNESDAY
evening! to be sure. wish some O
the others would take the same view
At the same time, Coplestoue, it seem!
TO me that you're unusually interested
about Wednesday,
''1t's the first time I have taken in
terest in anything for four years."
answered. II don't know why"
II think do" said Shaw. "Some
thing has excited your fancy-some
thing l said about one of the que ,ts. ,
THAT'S exactly what it is. Eve
since you told me about Miss Beaufo,
tho Basilisk-1 have been looking
forward to seeing her." The ex
pressions of my previous life chung t,
me. Indeed, We all habitua]ly spok
of seeing" people who visited us.
ssWo11 my daar fallov.ss said SHAY