Wichita eagle., 1888-02-11
THE STROKE OF FIVE.

sd year. / live with my parents and other
members of nv family i'll an outlying suburb
ten miles from the city, whittier journey by
train every morning, returning in the even
lug In the office | have gained character
for quiet, plodding Industry. At home,
maintain nv character for quiet, and am IL
addition considered a dreamy bookworm anG
unsociable into the bargain | am of medium
aeight slightly built and, it must be con.
fessed, the reverse of muscular. | could
never disccv yer that | possessed other than
commonplace features; and the same verdict,
only perhaps less qualified, would probably
be given by others. Thus much about my
self it is necessary TO state before | attempt
to relate that which befell me on the morn
ing of March "A, 1856.
On the evening of March % had been for
the first time TO see the Lyceum Faust"
carry love of the drama to extravaganza.
The performance enthralled me. Being
no linguist, had read no more than trans
lation of the work of Goethe, and / YVES
therefore untroubled by doubts as to the
textual rendering of the original For three
hours | lived in the land of Romance
sympathized with the actors i'll the tragedy
With senses and nerves strung 10 the highest
pitch of sympathy, concentrated my whole
attention on what passed before me. And
yet very soon felt that sympathy becoming
a. Sorbed in the evil genius of the playl Grad
ua1ly the influence grew upon me, until
Mephistopheles exercised over me a greater
an immeasurably greater, charm than any
other parsonage in the play.
Nv heart warmed to this scarlet prince of
darkness! His plausibility played upon my
fancy in the beginning, his ingenuity famed
my fancy into admiratioE, bis unfathomabe
cunning turned admiration to mholy rever-
encei The supreme badness of the tiend won
me over to the wrong side in spite of myself.
The influence of the fiend intoxicated me
Each poisoned arrow of subtle sarcasm struck
acute enjoyment into my soul. All through
the play, when the fiend was on the stage, my
eyes saw no other form, my ears heard no
other voice But on the Broken | absolutely
reveled in the ma jesty of the fendl
No thought of the actor influenced me. For
the time | thought only of this demon as the
demon The power of imagination was very
strong within Inc.
As walked from the theatre to the station
] could not repress momentary feeling of
shame and wonder that my sympathies had
been so completely given to the wrong side
Who but myself had ever witnessed Faust"
and annoyed the play from this standpoint?
Who but myself had gazed at the picture
from the reverse side and delighted in it.
The thought was fieeting, and the unan-
Swered questions did not vcX me. My mind
quickly returned to its demon worship.
As | reached Flower Bang, my suburb, the
hands of the station clock pointed to 12:45.
] walked down the platform, through the
little gate at the level crossing, and on the
accustomed way home. | had noticed no
other passenger quit the train at Flower
Bank
| had proceeded about 100 yards from tbs
station along the path. Ny mnd still dwe,s
among the weird scenes of the evening. I
was crossing a wooden bridge spanning a
ditch that Interrupts the footway. All at
once | became sensible of a gliding footstep
behind me.
The right forearm Of n stranger was thrust
beneath my lett arm and a strong hand
grasped the muscle of my arm.
| started terrihlv aud looked sharply
round. The night was very dark, but /
could make out that the man was tall and
thin and somewhat Inclined to stoop. \
long, loose fitting cloak enveloped him from
head to heel. He wore on his head a large
sombrero that etfectually concealed his
features
The stranger continued to move onward,
and in spite of my intense surprise I could
not choose but move onward, too. For half
a minute neither of us uttereIia syllable
Then my companion bent his head until il
was near mine, and ia a deep, solemn, not
unmusical voice, spoke.
''N on must allow me to accompany YOU"
he said. | stammered, faltering. that his
company would afford me pleasure if our
ways were identical | was filled with fear
which l tried hard TO suppress, and 1t was
with difficulty i succeeded i'll keeping my
limbs from trembling violently.
He took no notice of my words, but gld~d
forward with silent steps, ms hand still
Crasping my arm. How like was this tall
1.-the. bending figure; this deep, penetrating
voice to the form and voice Of the weird
image in my mind! My Imagination, already
simulated and overweight, was ripe to
siIrmise the supernatural Was | dreaming,
or had the prince of fiendS come himself To
seek me out because of my ungodly fascina-
ton.
My companion spoke again:
You have been present at Faust" The
tone had in it no note OF interrogative infec-
ton. 1t seemed 10 state with authority
known, undeniable fact.
"NeS." | managed 10 murmur. after a
short pause Of speechless surprise. How
could be know where had been?
And did you admire-M ephistopheleSTH
/ started painfully. Whence came this
strange dark being to probe the Utmost
thoughts of my braini What was he-man
or devil:
The tone was one of grim banter, and ne
minded me of the caustic utterances of the
evil one, that l had gloried III during she
evening.
"He was grand-magnificent,r l said with
enthusiasm, in spite oi MY feals-in spite OF
my wonder.
"Ha, ha, A clever Performances fair /
imitation; but a counterfeit-a good coun-
terfeit. Wait until YOU See the real satan!
Ha! hs! ha," He Kissed the last words into
my ear, and the laugh that followed them
was hoarse and blood curdling
| fairly shook with terror. My knees
knocked together as | walked. l felt the
parspiration gather on my brow.
MY way lies across this field. If you still
continue by the path, l am afraid must leave .
you"
For the first time my companion arrested
his gliding walk and stood still in the path
way He regarded me for a moment; then 4
said slowly:
Leave me, Leave me! Boy, you little t
know to whom you speak! No. You cam .
not leave me. You shall not leave me Shall
pot-neither now nor cyerlaore" The .
words were Kissed rather than spoken. with
hoarse, vibrating distinctness. The strong
hand closed round the puny muscle of my
Il IL. -,